Did you know? Red mangrove is an invaluable plant in Florida and other tropical areas where it is considered native. In Hawai’i however, this species is invasive and causes habitat degradation. NTBG works across the tropics to support native plants and the ecosystems they sustain. This means we care for red mangrove in Florida while mitigating it in Hawai’i.
I will help filter our waters and keep them clean
I will give others a home where they’re safe and cared for
I will hold the land together during storms and rising seas
At The Kampong, NTBG’s historical garden in Coconut Grove, Florida, four species of mangroves play a vital role in protecting coastal plant and animal communities along Biscayne Bay.
Growing as shrubs and trees at the mouths of streams and tidal waterways, mangroves offer other species critical safe habitat while providing a protective buffer against storm surges and coastal inundation. With their sturdy, deep web-like roots, mangroves are one of nature’s best fences and filters, serving to stabilize coastlines and clean water by minimizing erosion.
Coastal areas of south Florida are highly vulnerable to sea level rise, tropical storms, and increasingly at risk from episodic flooding. Extreme storm surges can cause stagnant saltwater to pond and lead to die offs in mangrove basins. By maintaining healthy mangroves, these sturdy plants can act as a carbon sink while helping ensure the animals and plants that live here continue to thrive. The Kampong’s mangroves are home to a multitude of fish, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals. Endangered manatees and American crocodile both visit periodically.
NTBG and partners across the world are working to grow a brighter tomorrow for tropical plants. With your help, we can ensure mangroves will flourish for generations to come.
of mangrove are found at The Kampong including red, black, and white mangrove, and the upland species called buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus)
of The Kampong’s coastline is made up of mangrove forest
of mangrove growing at The Kampong (black and white mangroves) excrete salt through glands on their leaf surface