Mangroves and the Search for Blue Carbon

Effective beginning 06/04/2025:  This website, and all linked websites under the control of the agency is under review and content may change.

Blue carbon is carbon stored in coastal ecosystems like mangrove forests, seagrass beds, and salt marshes. Blue carbon ecosystems make up less than 2% of the earth’s coastal area but store ~15% of the carbon found in coastal sediments. Ensuring these ecosystems thrive helps lessen impacts of climate change and protects coastal communities and livelihoods. Mangroves are ecologically and culturally important. Intact mangrove forests store more carbon than any other forest on Earth. They provide coastal communities with food, fiber, and fuel. They serve as barriers from tsunamis, typhoons, and sea level rise. By providing habitat for fish, birds, and invertebrates, they also support biodiversity. The Forest Service’s Research and Development branch leads scientific efforts to support healthy mangrove forests and measure their ability to absorb and store carbon.