In 2024, Suncoast Waterkeeper (SCWK) launched its Mangrove Rangers program to train local volunteers as community scientists using drones to survey and map the health of these essential coastal “forest” in vulnerable areas of Manatee County. SCWK realized the importance of educating the public and policy makers on the fact that mangroves continue to face strain from unchecked development, habitat destruction, and rising sea levels.
Mangroves are essential nurseries for most commercial and recreational fisheries, are habitat for birds, maintain water quality, sequester carbon and protect coastal properties against wind, storm surges and waves generated by hurricanes. Despite their importance, mangroves continue to be strained by unsustainable coastal growth, habitat destruction, and rising sea levels.
With the generous support of the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation, the program is now entering its second year, and the Rangers are now sharing the data from their surveys.
“Mangrove forests are among the most vital and productive ecosystems on the Suncoast.
Recognizing their importance, state law protects mangrove trees, but protection on paper is not enough,” explains Dr. Abbey Tyrna, executive director and waterkeeper of Suncoast Waterkeeper. “These ecosystems are under mounting pressure from development, seawall construction, sea level rise and increased runoff. Ongoing, consistent monitoring is crucial for understanding how mangroves respond to these threats and for ensuring their continuing health for future generations.”
The data was unveiled on July 26 on World Mangrove Day at a celebration party for volunteers at the Sarasota Sailing Squadron on City Island. The data, which revealed the reduced function of trimmed mangroves, offer residents, advocates and policymakers an updated picture of the health, vulnerability and extent of mangroves in Manatee County.
The hope is that by establishing real, localized data on mangrove forests, everyone can better understand what is being lost and help enact laws that better protect what remains. According to SCWK’s research, Manatee County has already lost many acres of mangroves, which are often replaced with seawalls, fill and turfgrass. While Florida’s Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act of 1996 has curbed violations, significant gaps remain in protecting these ecosystems from further degradation.
For the Mangrove Rangers, this data is part of a broader push to move from reactive enforcement to proactive conservation and securing the future of Manatee County mangroves before it’s too late.
This program and its findings should be a wake-up call for local anglers on the importance of getting involved in protecting this critical habitat that is essential to preserving the future of fishing for future generations, i.e., our children and grandchildren. To learn more about the Mangrove Rangers Program, visit and consider joining and becoming a part of this forward looking work.
Learn more about the program at the Suncoast Waterkeeper website.
