Global mangrove forests rebound, showing net growth for first time in decades, study finds

A new study from Tulane University published in Science shows that mangrove forests are no longer in net decline globally. After losing nearly 2,900 square kilometers between the 1980s and 2010, mangroves have rebounded over the past 16 years, with gains outpacing losses. By 2023, the net loss over the full four decades was only about 1%, far less than previous estimates. The recovery is driven by natural regeneration, expansion into new mudflats, and restoration of abandoned aquaculture ponds. In the U.S. Gulf Coast, warming temperatures are allowing mangroves to expand into higher latitudes. Closed-canopy forests, which store more carbon, are also becoming denser. However, researchers note that newly established forests are young and that extreme weather events like freezes in Texas can reverse gains quickly. The study emphasizes that stopping deforestation is the most effective way to protect mangroves and their carbon storage potential. Maintaining sediment flow to river deltas is also critical for supporting natural expansion. The findings offer a rare conservation success story and highlight mangroves as a powerful nature-based climate solution.