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How AI can protect mangroves

New innovations strengthen mangrove conservation with the support of Google.org

Mangroves growing thick along a shoreline

WWF invites you to a special look into the development of a technology-driven monitoring system for mangrove conservation in a changing climate.

A trailcam on a mangrove stump covered in large snails

ManglarIA or “AI for Mangroves” in Spanish, is a mangrove conservation project, supported by Google.org in 2023, that is deploying advanced technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), to collect and analyze data on the health of mangrove ecosystems in Mexico. WWF and local community partners, research institutions, and government entities have deployed a network of sensors in two biosphere reserves on Mexico’s Pacific and Yucatan coasts. The sensors, which include weather stations, carbon flux towers, camera traps, and drones, are collecting data on climate and environmental variables associated with mangrove health. 

Gathering this vast amount of data is an effort to gain a better understanding of how climate change affects three key ecosystem services: carbon sequestration and storage, coastal protection, and fisheries. The sensors are collecting data on air and sea temperatures, seawater salinity, freshwater flows, and animal sightings. 

The project team is using AI to identify patterns in the data and assess how mangroves are responding to changes in weather and climate. These learnings are applicable to mangrove conservation strategies that contribute to the long-term health of mangroves. Such conservation strategies can safeguard mangrove’s capacity to serve as nature-based solutions to the challenges we face due to climate change.

Mangroves are integral to the health of the planet. As complex forest ecosystems adapted to both freshwater and saltwater, these ecosystems store large amounts of carbon and provide habitat to a multitude of animals and plants. Mangroves also protect coastal communities against erosion and storms, which are increasing in magnitude with climate change. But these coastal forests are threatened by rising temperatures and sea level, changes in rainfall, and pollution. Protecting mangroves is a key conservation priority for WWF and contributes to a lasting positive impact on our planet.

“ManglarIA is prototyping a network of state-of-the art sensors in coastal biosphere reserves to collect large datasets needed to understand how mangrove ecosystems respond to changes in climate. Using AI to analyze these data, we're building the knowledge base that is helping to better manage these ecosystems in the face of rising temperatures and changing environmental conditions.”

Shaun Martin, Vice President for Adaptation and Resilience, WWF-US
A person in WWF gear takes photos of a mangrove tree

In August and September of 2024, a group of WWF experts and field officers visited Mexico's Ría Lagartos and Marismas Nacionales Biosphere Reserves to assess priority sites for data collection. The team navigated through thick mangroves to reach ideal locations for the installation of weather stations, terrestrial camera traps and underwater cameras. These sensors are now transmitting data remotely to the project’s data servers, and AI is being applied for analysis. From the very beginning of the project, it was important to engage in discussions with community members about the health of the mangroves. 

Local experts—including park managers, local fishermen, beekeepers, tourism operators and other small business owners—shared their insights on what has happened to the mangroves over time. They recounted the impacts of hurricanes on the subsequent recovery and how manmade structures have impacted the mangroves. This knowledge sharing and involvement is an invaluable element of the project that facilitates WWF conservation experts’ ability to gain a holistic perspective of the ecosystem and how to plan for tangible results for local communities.

“Navigating through thick mangroves to install our network of sensors was challenging but incredibly rewarding, especially as we work closely with our partners and community members who have access to the data that can support conservation strategies and livelihoods of communities who depend on these coastal forests.”

Frida Castillo, Field Officer, WWF Mexico

As WWF teams begin data collection and analysis, the endeavor to learn how AI can help us answer complex conservation questions, is at the forefront. ManglarIA serves as a proof of concept for WWF’s efforts to enhance climate-informed conservation for the benefit of ecosystems and communities exposed to the impacts of climate change. The high-tech network of sensors operating with AI has the power to not only collect and process large amounts of data at a faster rate but also shape the way conservation interventions are designed and managed to be resilient to the impacts of climate change. Robust data is helping to inform efficient and effective strategies for conserving mangroves, which in turn helps the communities and species that rely on them. This project represents an opportunity to learn more about how technology can improve conservation work, while reducing the time and effort required to achieve key outcomes.

“The application of artificial intelligence to analyze the vast amounts of environmental data collected from our sensor network is allowing us to develop more targeted and effective interventions before these critical carbon sinks are irreversibly damaged.”

David Thau, Global Data & Technology Lead Scientist, WWF-US

Perhaps the most exciting aspect is the potential for scaling the ManglarIA pilot to diverse ecosystems. It is possible to see how this technology could be applied to the Amazon rainforest or in the Arctic. With this project, WWF is showing how innovation for nature can pave the way to addressing some of the biggest conservation challenges the world faces.

 

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