Satellite data show world's mangroves rebounding after decades of loss

The world's mangrove forests have grown by a net 477 square kilometers (184 square miles) since 1985, according to new data from Global Mangrove Watch (GMW), a modest turnaround for coastal forests long in decline.

The 0.3% net gain, driven by restoration and stronger protection, matters because mangroves store carbon, shelter thousands of species and shield coastal communities from storms, erosion and flooding.

GMW, a mapping initiative of the Global Mangrove Alliance, used 10-meter-resolution satellite imagery and machine learning to map mangrove cover in 108 countries. India led the growth, adding 1,180 square kilometers, with significant gains also in Australia, Pakistan, Senegal and the Philippines.

Indonesia, home to a fifth of the world's mangroves, has lost a net 2,043 square kilometers since 1985, followed by Myanmar, Malaysia, Nigeria and Cuba. But Indonesia's losses have slowed since 2010, and since 2015 it has been among the three countries with the most growth, said Lammert Hilarides, GMW program lead at the Netherlands-based nonprofit Wetlands International. Earlier gains in the Caribbean and in Central and North America have turned to decline over the past five years, he said.

"When mangroves disappear, communities lose a natural barrier against erosion, flooding and rising seas," said Ogunlade Olamide Martins, associate director at the Nigeria-based group Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa. The main drivers of loss include conversion for aquaculture, rice and oil palm, urban expansion, pollution and overharvesting of timber and charcoal.

This brief is based on an article published Oct. 14, 2026, by Autumn Spanne in Mongabay. Read the original: https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/mangroves-gain-ground-globally-marking-turnaround-after-decades-of-loss/