Mangrove forests are healing after decades of human destruction

A new study by Dr. Zhen Zhang (Tulane University) found that since 2010 the world has been gaining more mangroves than it loses; net losses since the 1980s have been cut from 12,000+ sq km down to approximately 849 sq km, driven by drops in deforestation and natural regeneration after disasters like the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami changed public attitudes in Indonesia and Myanmar.

Some expansion may result from upstream environmental damage — deforestation and mining flushing nutrients into waterways that benefit downstream mangroves. The satellite imaging system used (Landsat) captured more trees than previous methods, which may affect comparability with older studies.