Mangrove News Digest # 623 – May 3, 2025
The 2025 Mangrove Photography Awards Are Now Open!
GLOBAL – We’re thrilled to announce the launch of the 11th annual Mangrove Photography Awards — a global celebration of the beauty, biodiversity, and importance of mangrove ecosystems. Following a record-breaking 10th edition, the 2025 competition introduces new awards, refined subcategories, and an inspiring panel of judges. With mangroves facing growing threats, this year’s awards are more than a contest — they’re a call to action. New in 2025: the Emirates Award and Arabian Gulf Award, in partnership with the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, shine a spotlight on regional conservation efforts in the UAE and Gulf region.
Call for nominations to recognize global forestry champions
GLOBAL – The call for nominations is open to governmental institutions; national, regional or local agencies; intergovernmental organizations; non-government organizations; academia; community service organizations; the private sector and other relevant stakeholders. Deadline: 31 May 2025
WFF Transformative Research Challenge
GLOBAL – The WFF Transformative Research Challenge (TRC) is a global competition designed to empower young researchers to develop innovative and impactful solutions to transform agrifood systems. Deadline: May 9, 2025
Family in Indonesia turns to mangrove trees to tackle climate change
INDONESIA – A submerged village becomes one family’s battlefield against climate change with 15,000 mangroves planted annually. Sea levels on the country’s coasts rose an average of 4.25 millimetres (0.16 inches) annually from 1992 to 2024, but the rate has accelerated in recent years.
The local women saving Yucatán’s mangroves
MEXICO – The women of Chelem, a fishing community on the northern coast of the Mexican state of Yucatán, hadn’t planned to work in mangrove restoration. At first, it was simply an opportunity to make money to support their families, so they signed up for the project.
Soheili mangrove forest: a harmony of community and conservation
IRAN – Nestled along the shores of Qeshm Island in the Persian Gulf, southern Iran, the Soheili mangrove forest stands as a testament to nature’s resilience and human dedication. It represents a harmonious partnership between the environment and the people of Soheili village.
Mangrove forests nurture vast populations of commercially important marine species
GLOBAL – An international team of researchers with a variety of backgrounds has worked together to calculate a global estimate of the abundance of commercially important fish and invertebrates supported by mangrove forests.
Where In The World Is MAP?
This Week’s Featured MANGROVE ACTION PROJECT Case Study:
Restoring Hope: CBEMR’s Role in Post-Hurricane Recovery
Location: Bahamas
Timeline: April 2022
Goal: The workshop aimed to enhance participants’ skills and knowledge in mangrove management and restoration by combining theory, practical exercises, field visits, and stakeholder engagement to foster collaboration and strengthen restoration efforts in the Bahamas.
Partners: Waterkeepers Bahamas & Earth Care
ACTION ALERTS
URGENT NOTICE – Save Panama’s Mangroves: sign the petition.
Keep Deutsche Bahn out of Amazonia!
Fight the Marine Bitumen Spill
Stop land grabbing and racial discrimination for palm oil in Ecuador
Thank you to our many supporters who made this work possible, and to all of our friends and partners working to protect mangrove forests, worldwide. Mangrove Action Project relies on the generosity of donors to do our urgent work. Whether it’s a one-time or monthly commitment, your contributions make a real difference in safeguarding these critical ecosystems.
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