 Florida
Coastal Mangroves provides the resources needed
to
re-establish the mangrove population not just in Florida
but for all coastlines where mangroves are endangered.
Mangrove services include:
Mangrove plants are also
available for purchase and perfect for Aquariums!
The
Importance of Mangroves to our Ecosystem
 To most
people in Florida,
just the word "Mangroves" conjures up images of dark
green canopied, swampy tangles of
algae and barnacle laden reddish brown roots and limbs, crawling with everything from tiny crabs to mosquitoes
and no seeums, with a distinct stenchy odor found no
where else on the planet earth.
In fact, mangroves
comprise the most bio-diverse coastal wetland ecosystem
found in the state and quite possibly could be the
single most threatened, as well. It is almost impossible
to imagine the number of acres which have been lost due
to waterfront development, infrastructure projects, and
the introduction of exotic invasive species.
If you were to place an
economic value on the remaining 550,000 +/- acres of
Mangroves in Florida, the amount would be in the
Trillions of dollars. How could that be, you ask? Well,
this is how: Mangroves start by filtering out sediments
washed into the estuarine zones from inland and upstream
sources.
 They thrive along the coast and intertidal
zones providing a nursery for nearly all of the
commercial species of seafood harvested and many of the
sport fish that are caught off our shores as well.
Birds,
barnacles, and algae's also benefit from
the limbs and roots of the Mangroves by
providing nesting grounds both above and
below the waterline.
As a
secondary benefit they also act as a
buffer between ocean and barrier islands
and help reduce erosion of the
shorelines and act as protection against
high surf and wind driven waves.
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