To most Floridians, 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 biodiverse 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.

If we want to ensure that Mangroves remain the "True Natives of Florida" , we need not wait any longer, we must have a proactive approach by planting more mangroves now for future generations to enjoy.