Indochina Mangroves

The Indochina Mangroves, situated along the coastlines of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand, are an ecologically rich ecosystem characterized by diverse mangrove forests that play a crucial role in supporting marine life and protecting coastlines. They "not only provide habitat for some of the world’s rarest water birds, but also host some of the most threatened ecosystems in the region . . . Biodiversity of this ecoregion is high, especially in the mangroves both inundated by high tides and receive freshwater flows . . . The mangroves are critically important habitats as grow-out areas and nurseries for the vast majority of fishes and shellfishes that live in the coastal areas and for deep-sea fishes. The mangroves are also important habitat for a large number of threatened birds, such as the lesser adjutant stork, Storm’s stork, white-winged wood duck, and spot-billed pelican." Despite being home to a rich biodiversity, the Indochina Mangroves face numerous threats. "Extensive herbicide spraying, [commercial fishery], and timber extraction have taken a toll on all mangroves, leaving the coasts vulnerable. Sea level rise due to climate change will also alter the delicate ecological balance of these coastal areas, leaving the mangroves even more vulnerable. Very little of the ecoregion receives formal protection, and even less habitat remains outside of the current protected areas."