Who Owns the Mangroves?

Mangroves are one of the world's most underrated resources. Most are located in emerging economies, owned by government, local community or conservation organisations, yet their full worth has not yet been exploited. Why?

Perhaps if communities were given more power over them, their potential could be fulfilled in terms of livelihoods, restoration and equity, supported by nature-based tourism.

In Indonesia, home to over a fifth of the world's mangroves, communities have control and can even prevent people from entering the mangroves. But this is also an amazing opportunity to share the beauty of these areas with visitors through nature-based activities, engaging them in conservation and regeneration. Communities are already earning a living from mangrove produce — fish, crabs — where fisheries and coastal protection are fundamental to each other, supported by the Darwin Initiative. Indonesia also supports the Breakthrough Mangrove Project, mobilising USD4 billion by 2030 to protect 15 million hectares worldwide — going beyond mere restoration to look at how mangroves are valued and financed.

The true value of the blue economy is eye watering at USD2.5 trillion where around a third is accounted for by coastal tourism in places like the EU. Yet tourism accounts for a tiny fraction of blue economy jobs. There is clearly a disconnect where greater crossover of blue and green skills are required.

In the Caribbean, Iberostar's Wave of Change strategy includes investment in the blue economy and mangrove restoration. The question is — will communities benefit?

In Senegal, women are the primary workers of the mangroves, harvesting oysters. The dominance of women in oyster harvesting, passing on their skills to their daughters, has been recognised by UNESCO as ancestral cultural heritage. There is a gender and equity question at the heart of all of this.

On July 26th — the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem — the question isn't just whether we restore mangroves. It's who they're restored for. Integrating mangrove experiences into sustainable tourism itineraries is fundamental to ensure that travel delivers net positive benefits and makes the transition away from extractive behaviours.