Restoration practitioners in the Florida Keys place new mangrove saplings in the intertidal zone, where they will hopefully grow to stabilize the island’s shores. Ian Wilson-Navarro Mangroves are magic. Planting more of them could help restore the health of the planet’s lands, seas and climate. Why? It turns out, these incredible trees are doing us a lot of favors to keep many of our habitats (including human ones) healthier and safe. “Mangroves are often under-appreciated, with most people not realizing their true value to the overall health of our communities and our entire planet,” said Tod Hardin, COO of Plastic Oceans International. In partnership with Plastic Oceans International, EcoWatch wants to highlight how mangroves protect our planet and how we can help them through restoration and replanting efforts. Mangroves are shrubs or small trees that grow along coastlines and in brackish water, or water that is part salt and part fresh. In fact, these trees have adapted to grow in low-oxygen soil, where saltwater intrudes several times a day and where slow-moving water introduces fine sediment and particulates, NOAA reported. Because they live where land and sea connect, one of their most important ecosystem functions is to protect the […]
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