Mangrove restoration on Flores after 10 years: 10 fauna species and up to 70 Mg CO2 per hectare stored

A 2013 mangrove replanting project on Indonesia's Flores Island has been assessed a decade later. Researchers surveyed restored sites at Bangkoor, Kolisia, and Talibura, recording 10 mangrove species and 10 fauna species across the three locations. Carbon sequestration in the restored stands ranged from 28.69 to 70.02 Mg CO2 per hectare, with energy storage between 30.54 and 54.07 x 10^4 MJ per hectare. The study, published in Scientific Reports, used above-ground biomass estimates without destructive sampling. Site conditions varied noticeably. Kolisia had the highest plant diversity, while Talibura showed many seedlings but no poles or trees, likely due to greater water depth. The authors recommend continued long-term monitoring of mangrove health and resilience. For anyone tracking blue carbon projects, this offers a concrete example of restoration outcomes after a decade, including both carbon storage and habitat recovery.