Learn more about our mangroves and how to preserve them

Of the many natural gems that call Miami-Dade County home, mangroves play a particularly important role in guarding our communities and marine life during hurricane season. To do our part in keeping this important landscape, the Miami EcoAdventures Unit of Miami-Dade County’s Parks, Recreation & Open Space Department has launched a program where residents and visitors have the chance to learn about this issue and make an impact in addressing the problem locally. The Marine Debris Citizen Science Project works to engage the local community in collecting, categorizing, and recording marine debris on shorelines.

The mangrove communities along the coastal areas of Biscayne Bay stabilize bottom sediments acting as a powerful barrier against the damaging forces that hurricanes bring to our shorelines such as storm surge, erosion and hurricane force winds. 

In addition to protecting our coastline, they are also extremely valuable to the ecosystem and surrounding wildlife. Their dense roots help build and bind soil and encourage sediment deposits that help minimize erosion. This root system also filters phosphates, nitrates and other pollutants from the water, which greatly improves water quality flowing into the ocean environment.

Unfortunately, due to climate change and human activity, mangroves are being threatened. Sea-level rise poses a great threat to these ecosystems due to the rapid rate at which our oceans are rising. Research has recently shown that mangroves cannot survive in seas rising faster than about 7 millimeters per year. Currently, sea levels are rising globally at an average rate of about 3.4 millimeters per year. This rate is expected to accelerate, putting out mangroves at greater risk of drowning. The polluting of our oceans with marine debris is also a large threat to our mangrove ecosystems and its surrounding wildlife. 

For information on how to attend a Marine Debris Citizen Science Program eco action day or an EcoAdventures Crandon Park Coastal Cleanup, visit Park Link or call 305-666-5885.