Thank you to all of our new mangrove mamas and propagule papas who joined us for our final Adopt-A-Mangrove Adoption Day event last week! The enthusiasm expressed for these precious coastal trees was truly inspiring. Through five immensely successful Adoption Day events, we managed to distribute 772 baby mangroves to 113 loving homes across Southwest Florida!

Our primary aim with this initiative is to impart the significance of mangroves on our coastal islands by actively engaging with our community. We extended an invitation to residents to ‘adopt’ their very own mangroves, nurturing them in their home gardens. After 3-6 months of growth, these seedlings will be returned to us to be planted at one of our local restoration sites.

Coastal Watch Director, Kealy Pfau, shared: “By adopting and nurturing mangroves, our community is directly contributing to the health and resilience of our coastal ecosystems. This program not only restores critical habitats but fosters a deeper connection between residents and the natural world we all depend on.”

We hope that the participants in this program gained a deeper understanding and admiration for the role of mangroves in the ecosystems of Southwest Florida.

Stay tuned in 2025 for your opportunity to bring more mangrove babies home! Thank you for being an essential part of mangrove restoration and conservation.