Mangrove Photography Awards 2021 opening for submissions on 5th June

 Contribute to conservation through mangrove images and stories

By Leo Thom

Mangrove Action Project is hosting its 7th annual Mangrove Photography Awards, which gives us a fascinating insight into the world of mangroves from all corners of the earth. The awards offer a chance for photographers, both amateur and professional, to raise their voices for the protection of one of our most critical and undervalued ecosystems. The aim is to illustrate the importance and diversity of life in our coastal forests, engage audiences in mangrove issues and stories, whilst inspiring people to take conservation action. 

The awards will launch today, June 5th, World Environment Day, as part of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. This year, judges and ambassadors include world renowned photographers and conservationists; Robert Irwin, Dhritiman Mukherjee, Charlie Hamilton James, Octavio Aburto, Christian Ziegler, Daisy Gillardini and Mac Stone. 

The 6 categories (Wildlife, People, Landscape, Underwater, Threats, and Youth) will appeal to a range of interests and approaches, including a new youth category to encourage photographers of all ages to enter their best mangrove images. All photo contributions will be revealed in an online exhibition on 26th July, World Mangrove Day. A winner will be announced for each of the categories, as well as an overall winner of the awards. More information on the Mangrove Photography Awards 2021 can be found here and to join the UN launch event click here. 

Jaguars in mangroves, dancing trees, grinning crocodiles, pink waterscapes, and flamingos reclaiming a lost habitat were some of the intriguing images from last year’s awards with over a thousand entries from nearly 70 countries.  Last year’s judge Cristina Mittermeier said, “Through impactful imagery and visual storytelling, we can rally people to action, sparking empathy and connection to our natural world.”

Mangrove Action Project – Background

The Mangrove Action Project (MAP) is a US-registered 501 c (3), which has advocated for the conservation and restoration of global mangrove forests since 1992. MAP works with a variety of mangrove stakeholders, including coastal communities, NGOs, scientists, and governments to improve mangrove practices globally. More information on MAP can be found at www.mangroveactionproject.org