Guyana's mangrove forests grew by 324 hectares this year — nature's own seawall is winning

Guyana's mangrove coverage grew from 21,053 to 21,377 hectares in the first half of 2026, according to the government's mid-year report. Those mangroves are the Atlantic coast's living defense — softening waves, fighting erosion and sheltering marine life for the farming and fishing communities clustered along the shore. A $284.5 million mangrove management project is funding restoration between villages 39 and 59, pairing nature-based protection with engineered sea defenses.