Mangroves are among the most productive coastal ecosystems, playing a vital role in maintaining environmental balance. Located in the intertidal zone between land and sea. Mangroves protect coastlines from erosion and strong waves, while also helping to combat climate change by storing a lot of carbon. They support local fisheries, provide essential habitats for various fish species and marine life, and offer coastal communities sources of food and a place to live.
When mangroves are degraded or destroyed, the risk of coastal disasters such as flooding and erosion increases significantly, while also diminishing the ecosystem’s natural capacity to store carbon. As a result, integrated mangrove conservation serves as a key strategy for reducing climate change, protecting marine biodiversity, and improving the well-being of coastal inhabitants. Mangroves are far more than clusters of trees along the shore; they represent nature’s frontline defense against coastal disasters and play a crucial role in sustaining life and protecting environmental health in coastal areas.
Indonesia has the world’s largest expanse of mangrove forests. According to the National Mangrove Map provided by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK), Indonesia has roughly 3.36 million hectares of mangroves, accounting for 20-25% of the global total.
However, this important ecosystem is in grave danger. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) anticipated that mangrove forests would cover 14.8 million hectares worldwide in 2020. Between 2000 and 2020, the world lost roughly 677,000 hectares of mangroves owing to land conversion, coastal development, and other environmental stressors. Furthermore, data published by KLHK and the Global Mangrove Alliance estimate that more than 60% of the world’s mangroves have been destroyed or degraded, with an additional 1% declining annually. This rate of deterioration is three to five times faster than the global rate of forest loss, underlining the critical need for integrated mangrove management.
This situation highlights the importance of preserving and managing mangroves not only for biodiversity and climate change mitigation but also to strengthen socioeconomic resilience, particularly in Indonesia.
Mangroves in Climate Mitigation and Their Socio-Economic Value
Mangrove Root Systems and Blue Carbon Storage
UNESCO reports that a single hectare of mangrove forest can store up to 3,754 tons of carbon, comparable to taking approximately 2,650 cars from the road for a full year. Due to this remarkable ability, mangroves are commonly known as “blue forests.” Their saturated soils enable them to capture and retain carbon dioxide at levels up to five times greater than those found in land-based forests.
The complex root systems of mangroves play several key roles in blue carbon storage, carbon capture through photosynthesis, while their leaves absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere and convert it into biomass. Sediment and organic matter trapping, with roots slowing down water flow, allows carbon-rich sediments to settle and accumulate. Long-term carbon storage in oxygen-poor (anaerobic) conditions within mangrove soils slows down decomposition, locking carbon away for centuries or even millennia.
In addition to carbon storage, these root systems act as natural barriers to waves and storm surges, preventing coastal erosion and protecting shorelines from extreme weather. They also provide vital homes for fish, crustaceans, and bird species, promoting biodiversity and sustaining fisheries on which millions rely.
Mangroves and Disaster Risk Reduction
Mangroves act as natural buffers, shielding coastlines from waves, strong winds, and tidal flooding. Studies have shown that losing mangroves can increase the number of people exposed to annual flooding by up to 39%, while property damage rises by more than 16% annually. Globally, mangroves are estimated to reduce the risk of annual flooding for over 18 million people.
Although Indonesia has the world’s largest mangrove acreage, data from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) show that it lost more than 60,000 hectares of mangroves between 2008 and 2020, mostly in rapidly industrializing and mining regions such as Kalimantan and Sulawesi. In Indonesia, mangroves cover 265 out of 301 coastal regions. However, some areas, particularly in southern Java and northwestern Sumatra, lack adequate mangrove coverage, leaving them more vulnerable to tidal flooding and coastal damage.
According to AIIB data, mangroves may not completely prevent tidal floods, yet they significantly reduce the damage such floods inflict. 25% of regencies without mangrove cover experience tidal flooding at least once every five years. In contrast, only 16.5% of regencies with mangrove protection face the same frequency of flooding.
Socio-Economic Value of Mangroves
Mangroves are more than just ecological assets; they are essential for food security, livelihoods, and community well-being. According to UNEP-WCMC, mangrove ecosystems serve as nursery grounds for many commercially important fish species and marine organisms. The intricate root networks create safe habitats for juvenile fish and invertebrates to grow before migrating to open waters. Mangroves provide direct support to millions of people globally, in addition to their ecological function. Local communities rely on them for food, fishery, wood products, and money through environmentally friendly methods like ecotourism.
According to The Ocean Wealth Project, mangrove ecosystems produce approximately 700 billion juvenile fish and invertebrates annually worldwide, many of which are high-value commercial species. With over 260 million people globally relying on marine fisheries for food and income, mangrove conservation is essential to supporting both economic stability and global food security.
In Indonesia, ecotourism serves as a vital approach to supporting mangrove conservation and producing revenue. Maron Mangrove Edupark and Hutan Mangrove Tapak in Semarang are well-known destinations for boat tours, birdwatching, and mangrove planting activities. Wonorejo Mangrove Ecotourism Area and Mangrove Botanical Garden in Surabaya offer boardwalks, a diverse range of mangrove species, and opportunities for environmental education.
These efforts benefit local economies by creating jobs and at the same time, raising public awareness about the need for mangrove conservation. This shows that protecting mangroves involves not only ecological equilibrium, but also long-term socioeconomic investment.
Strategies for Effective Mangrove Conservation and Restoration
Successful mangrove conservation and restoration necessitate systematic, science-based approaches. The Global Mangrove Alliance emphasizes that restoration involves more than just planting trees. A comprehensive ecological restoration approach is essential, which includes understanding local hydrology and sedimentation patterns, selecting appropriate native mangrove species, designing restoration efforts that reflect the social and economic context of coastal communities, and involving communities from planning to long-term monitoring to ensure sustainability.
Regular monitoring and evaluation are also required to measure development and respond to changing environmental conditions. The guidelines emphasize that preventing degradation of existing healthy mangrove habitats is the most cost-effective approach. Protecting intact ecosystems helps avoid the release of large carbon stocks, lowering the need for future complex and costly restoration initiatives.
Thus, an effective plan involves two major pillars: the preservation of intact mangrove forests and the science-based regeneration of degraded regions. By applying these best practices, Indonesia can increase its coastal resilience, mitigate the effects of climate change, and ensure the long-term benefits of mangroves for both nature and people.
Mangrove conservation requires balancing ecological, economic, and societal interests. Their extinction would damage marine ecosystems while simultaneously threatening global food security, millions of livelihoods, and the financial opportunities of sustainable tourism. Going forward, governments, local communities, the commercial sector, and the conservation community must work together closely. By joining forces, we can ensure that mangroves thrive as natural climate solutions, coastal protectors, and critical ecosystems for future generations.
Seasoldier has been actively involved in mangrove conservation across Indonesia’s coastal regions to safeguard the balance between marine and terrestrial ecosystems. By 2025, Seasoldier has established 14 conservation sites, each contributing to the restoration and protection of mangrove forests. These efforts go beyond environmental preservation; they play a crucial role in food security, as mangroves serve as vital nurseries for fish, shrimp, and other marine species that support local diets. At the same time, they strengthen the social and economic resilience of coastal communities by providing sustainable livelihoods, mitigating the risk of coastal erosion and tidal flooding, and fostering collective awareness of environmental stewardship. Seasoldier’s commitment to mangrove conservation is driven by the recognition that these ecosystems act as natural coastal defenses, store a vast amount of blue carbon, and sustain the well-being of communities that depend on them.
Writer: Novi Wiji Lestari
Editor: Diyah Devayanti
Reference:
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2023, July 26). Global effort to safeguard mangroves steps up. Retrieved September 22, 2025, from https://www.fao.org/newsroom/detail/global-effort-to-safeguard-mangroves-steps-up/
- Kanal Komunikasi PKSL, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Indonesia. Mangrove Indonesia untuk Dunia. Retrieved September 22, 2025, from https://kanalkomunikasi.pskl.menlhk.go.id/mangrove-indonesia-untuk-dunia/
- UNESCO. Mangrove Ecosystem Conservation. Retrieved September 22, 2025, from https://www.unesco.org/en/days/mangrove-ecosystem-conservation
- Marine Biodiversity (Canada). Mangroves: The Unsung Heroes of Blue Carbon Storage. Retrieved September 22, 2025, from https://www.marinebiodiversity.ca/mangroves-the-unsung-heroes-of-blue-carbon-storage/
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