Have you been to Mangrove before? Why is it important?
The municipality of Paraty is located at the base of the Ilha Grande Bay.
Surrounded by tree-covered mountains, the Atlantic Forest sweeps down to the sea's edge and beautiful areas of Mangrove.
Mangrove is a biome found almost exclusively in the Tropics.
Right in the area of transition between the sea and the mountains where the tidewaters flood and the fresh rainwater run-off descends via rivers, streams and channels.
The tides have a fundamental role for mangrove. The high and low tides carry organic materials in and make it easy for marine life to come and go.
But it's not all plain sailing! The tides, depending on their intensity, can also be responsible for coastal erosion and the mangrove trees have had to adapt to survive in this constantly moving environment.
Have you ever seen the mangrove roots? These aerial roots have developed to keep the tree upright in soft, usually muddy, conditions, spreading their weight and enabling oxygen to circulate more freely.
And how do they survive in such salty sea water that would kill normal plants?
The freshwater/ saltwater mix in mangrove areas can vary greatly.
For this reason they've developed glands on the leaves that can eliminate salt. Another evolutionary development is that the seeds germinate on the tree before being released into the water. These germinated seeds, known as propagules, store huge amounts of nutrients that enable them to float with the tides and winds until, with a bit of luck, they find a suitable place to take root and grow.
Mangrove is full of life.
Annelids, molluscs, crustaceans, insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals inhabit this biome.
The mangrove has the right conditions for reproduction and growth for all this marine life - and for this reason is known as the Marine Nursery.
By understanding the mangrove we learn how important it is to protect it.
We believe that learning leads to protection.
Our role as Paraty Explorer is to spread the word: to show people the beauty of the mangrove and the importance of its preservation.
On our kayak tour we visit a lovely area of mangrove, close to the old town historical centre of Paraty.
Quietly and without polluting. Simply admiring the sights and sounds of this incredible place.
Come and explore the mangrove on our kayak tour and be enchanted!
For centuries the mangrove has supported local communities.
From pre-colonial times to the prestent day local people have hunted, fished and lived off the land.
The local Caiçara people use this biome in a sustainable manner. Harvesting wood correctly and not fishing and hunting at certain times of the year to maintain wildlife.
The fishing industry directly depends on mangrove.
Paraty Tourism directly depends on mangrove.
The UNESCO World Heritage site status for Biodiversity and Culture is directly linked to this Biome.
We need to protect these areas against real estate development which has had a devastating impact on mangrove in the Bay of Ilha Grande. It has been calculated that we have lost 50% of the mangrove in the region since the 1970s with the arrival of the highway.
We need to protect the mangrove against pollution and micro-plastics.
We need to protect with more laws with harsher penalties for those that break them.
