By Jessica Thorn and Rebeca Biancardi Aleu

On the 26^th of July, the world celebrated the International Day for the Conservation of Mangrove Ecosystems. As part of this celebration, this month Jessica Thorn and Rebeca Biancardi presented at the 7th Mangrove Macrobenthos and Management Conference (MMM7): “Towards Nature Positive Mangroves” in the lush, tropical landscapes of Ishigaki, Okinawa in Japan https://mmm7.mangroves.info. This year, approximately 336 participants came from 41 countries.

Surrounded by lush tropical forests and researchers from around the world, it was inspiring to see the diversity of science that’s rapidly evolving in this field and how interconnected the challenges facing mangrove ecosystems have become.

Research was profiled from all around the world – from French Guyana to Southeast Brazil, to Indonesia, Australia, the Philippines, Taiwan, France, Germany, Belgium, UK, US, Malaysia and Singapore. An incredible array of resources came out from the conference, with five keynotes, 82 oral presentations, two video presentations, 96 flash talks presentations and 194 posters.  The conference was organised by the University of the Ryukus, International Society for Mangrove Ecosystem and Tropical Biosphere Research Centre who continue to drive the internationalisation of this research.

Dr Jessica Thorn presented findings from Seeding hope: Underestimated climate risks to mangroves and coastal communities in the Southwestern Indian Ocean – a report commissioned by WWF Madagascar. She argued successful adaptation depends not only on ecological restoration, but on meaningful community participation in regulation and compliance.

Download the report here 

PhD student, Rebeca Biancardi Aleu presented a systematic review on ‘What evidence exists for the use of mangroves as nature-based solutions for coastal adaptation in urban and peri-urban settlements across the West African coastline?’. She highlighted both the growing momentum in this field since 2020, while showing that the available evidence remains surprisingly limited and geographically concentrated, with most studies originating from Senegal, Nigeria, and Benin. Her review found that a range of nature-based solutions are being implemented across West Africa to address both short- and long-term climate hazards, with mangrove restoration emerging as the most widely adopted approach.

 

What stood out from the conference

A recurring focus was the need to challenge long-held assumptions and misconceptions about mangrove ecosystems. Speakers encouraged to rethink established ideas and reshape the understanding of these environments. Another important theme was the importance of bridging the gap between science, policy, and practice. Many sessions explored how to strengthen capacity development, address imbalances in Overseas Development Assistance funding, and improve governance and national legislation to better support mangrove conservation and restoration.

The conference also showcased exciting advances in research methods. Emerging tools such as eDNA metabarcoding, biodiversity monitoring, and water quality analysis are expanding our ability to assess ecosystem health, alongside growing interest in functional diversity and other ecological indicators. There was also a strong emphasis on embracing social-ecological systems thinking. Several speakers demonstrated how adaptive cycles and resilience frameworks can help us better understand the complex interactions between people and nature, ultimately supporting more effective and sustainable management.

 

Climate adaptation was another recurring theme, with researchers exploring how mangrove species respond across environmental gradients and presenting new insights into phenotypic evolution under changing environmental conditions.

Finally, one of the most encouraging messages was the importance of empowering local communities. From citizen science initiatives to innovative digital tools, many projects highlighted how community-led conservation can improve monitoring, strengthen local stewardship, and contribute to more resilient mangrove ecosystems. Together, these themes reflected a field that is becoming increasingly interdisciplinary, collaborative, and solutions-oriented, combining cutting-edge science with practical action to support the future of mangrove ecosystems.

It was encouraging to see such a growing representation of influential African research highlighting the important role African researchers and organisations are playing in advancing mangrove science, conservation, and restoration. Some examples included the West Africa Blue Carbon Initiative, which presented its work on Free, Prior and Informed Consent in the context of blue carbon projects; research from Senegal on mangrove carbon sequestration; and studies of ethnobiology in Kenya, demonstrating how local ecological knowledge can inform conservation and management.

Other inspiring contributions included resources from the Western Indian Ocean Mangrove Association (WIOMA) in Zanzibar, education initiatives from Mauritius, research on plastic pollution in South African mangroves, mobile applications developed through the Global Wetlands Project, remote sensing products and monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) approaches from the Global Mangrove Alliance, and capacity-building approaches presented by the Mangrove Action Project. While these presentations represented only a small proportion of the conference, they were a welcome reminder of the diverse and innovative work being carried out across Africa, and of the growing opportunities for collaboration and knowledge exchange.

Jessica also participated in a writing workshop in Iriomote Island home to around 70% of Japan’s mangroves and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  The workshop included a visit to the field station of University of Ryukyus, which hosts four faculties. With 20 colleagues from Japan, Malaysia, Brazil, Italy, Hong Kong, Belgium, Mexico, Panama, Australia, Ecuador, US, Zanzibar and elsewhere. Participants were accompanied by special creatures such as the Iriomote Cat. The programme included visits to the Wildlife Centre, a boat ride up the Funauraa Bay, visits to areas where mangrove rehabilitation has occurred, and interactions with rangers from the Ministry of Environment of Japan.

Discussions centred on the future direction of mangrove research and ideas for collaborative papers were developed. While carbon sequestration remains an important focus, there was broad agreement that restoration research needs to move beyond carbon metrics and hectares restored, towards community centred, co-designed approaches. The importance of thinking about the new environmental conditions as well as functional diversity was also discussed. With Typhoon Bavi on the horizon part of the workshop was shifted online while we waited out the storm!

It was exciting to contribute to these discussions and to see such a diverse group working together to advance knowledge and drive the internationalisation of this research.