Blue Carbon Mangrove

By Kathleen Ross

Blue Carbon Mangrove is a digital painting. It depicts a woman enmeshed in the branches of a mangrove forest with a mangrove whistler perched nearby. Mangrove swamps and forests protect shorelines around the globe from hurricane damage and storm surge. They also serve as a part of the coral reef ecosystem that supports more than half of the world’s tropical fish population. Deforestation of these often misunderstood forests is harmful to both animals and humans. Fortunately, mangroves can be grown more rapidly than other types of forests. Mangroves have the capability of what scientists call “blue carbon” engines, where if enough of these forests return, they can help reverse the effects of carbon emissions. I hope to raise awareness of the natural resources we can use to fight the negative consequences of human induced climate change.