Assessing the Benefits of Mangroves

The Philippines has lots hundreds of thousands of hectares of mangroves in the last century, and the coastline is now at high risk from coastal hazards. Natural defenses, including mangroves, can help reduce these risks by retaining sediment and reducing the force of incoming waves. TNC, in partnership with the World Bank, The Philippines government, and the Environmental Hydraulics Institute IHCantabria, recently completed a study that quantifies the risk reduction benefits from mangroves in the Philippines.

The Value of Mangroves in the Philippines

Photo Credit: Tim Calver

Using high-resolution flooding models, the Technical Report examines the flooding that would occur with and without mangroves under different storm conditions throughout the Philippines, and estimates the annual expected benefits of mangroves for protecting people and property in social and economic terms.

The Report, and its accompanying Policy Brief, provide a social and economic valuation of the flood protection benefits from mangroves in the Philippines. The work aims to support decisions across development, aid, risk reduction and conservation sectors as they seek to identify sustainable and cost-effective approaches for risk reduction.

To read more about the project, see the Technical Report, Policy Brief, and two blog posts:

1. Beck and Lange. 2017. Mighty Mangroves of the Philippines: Valuing Wetland Benefits for Risk Reduction & Conservation.
2. Tercek, M. & M. W. Beck. 2017. Mangroves: A Star Player In The Coastal Protection Game. Huffington Post, August 9.

Photo Credit: Tim Calver