Many Caribbean countries face substantial risks from storms, floods and hurricanes. Coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds play an important role in protecting micro-states and vulnerable communities from storms and hurricanes. Mangroves form a critical component of the region’s coastal ecology. They provide a safe area and breeding ground for young fish and other sea life, act as a water filter from river to sea and invariably mitigate disaster by providing a natural barrier against strong waves and winds from hurricanes and storms. In fact, mangroves are so important that they have been declared a protected species in Jamaica, making it illegal to damage or destroy them. Unfortunately, high levels of pollution negatively impact the survival of many of Jamaica’s mangroves. Discarded plastic bags and containers, chemicals and other refuse are often trapped in the mangroves, thereby impacting their survivability and effectiveness.
(Source: Castaño-Isaza, Juliana. Forces of Nature Coastal Resilience Benefits of Mangroves in Jamaica. World Bank (2019).
