Mangroves are described as rare, spectacular and prolific ecosystems on the boundary between land and sea, which contribute to the wellbeing, food security, and protection of coastal communities worldwide. But reports estimate that 67% of mangroves have been lost or degraded to date, and an additional 1% is lost each year, putting mangroves at a risk of being destroyed altogether. In conjunction with this year's International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem, we're doing a two-part special on mangroves, and in this first part, we discuss the immense ecological and economic importance of these ecosystems with Dr Ahmad Aldrie Amir, a Senior Lecturer and Research Fellow at the Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI) at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), and he is currently heading the Environmental, Economic and Social Sustainability Research Centre there too. Dr Aldrie is also the coordinator of the Malaysian Mangrove Research Alliance and Network (MyMangrove).

Listen to the second part of our coverage on International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem here

Image source: Malaysian Mangrove Research Alliance and Network Facebook