Research and Monitoring

Mangrove Maniacs support a number of visiting researchers and students who come to Bonaire to expand their experiences in restoration and conservation.  Learn more about what these students have been up to!

The Maniacs are proud supporters and contributors to a wide variety of research projects being conducted on Bonaire.  Working together with international universities, we are helping to build a body of knowledge and capacity within the island to improve these areas for years to come.  Recent research has focused on better understanding blue carbon and ways in which we can build resilience to combat the negative affects of climate change.

Heavy rains and wind can push terrestrial sediments into the mangrove channels, leading to infilling.  Once these channels become blocked, water can no longer properly flow leading to conditions which result mangrove dieback, threatening the backend of the forest.  These channels must be periodically maintained, ensuring excess sediment and regrowth is removed to ensure proper water circulation throughout the whole forest.

Restoring historic channels allows us to improve water conditions to areas of the mangroves currently dying off. Land development around the mangroves have allowed excess sediment to run off into the mangroves, filling in channels and choking off the back mangroves.

Building mangrove nurseries allows us to grow new mangroves which we can outplant in degraded and coastal areas, expanding healthy mangroves around the island.

Planting mangroves along the coast can help prevent erosion and provide future coastal protection against more frequent and worsening storms as well as sea level rise.