The mangroves in Mexico.

First, what is a mangrove? Mangroves are various large and extensive types of trees up to medium height shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics, mainly between lattitudes 25° and 35°.

Also are salt tolerant trees and are adapted to life in harsh coastal conditions. They contain a complex salt filtration system and complex root system to cope with salt water inmersion and wave action.

What happened with the mangroves in Mexico?

Mangrove forest cut for Cancun project. The efforts by enviromental activists failed to stop the claering of 40 hectares of mangrove forest in Cancun. One of the consequences is the death of the animals that were living there.

The mangroves were cut because the commercial and residential project developed by Fonatur. the federal tourism promotion fund, and will include offices, commercial spaces and homes.

Last September a court ordered a halt to the project after a group of children filed for an injuction on the grounds that the envioronmental demage it would inflict their right to a healthy environmet. But the judge also ordered the plaintiffs to pay 21 millions as compensation.

"The right of children to a healthy environment costs 20 millions pesos. The next challenge is to ensure the development doesn´t proceed, so the area can regenerate."

Now, the investors are uncertain about the future of their investment.

What can we do?

There´s not much that we can do, but these are options:

-Urgent new laws and regulations should be framed for the protection of mangroves.

-Human encroachment in mangrove forests should be discouraged.

-Mining operations near mangroves should be legally stopped.