When you are a small island nation, every inch of space counts. But from rising sea levels to natural disasters and coastal erosion, in the age of climate change many islands are shrinking before their citizens’ very eyes.

They call them ‘blue forests’—and they are among the most productive and valuable habitats on Earth.

Fishing is big business in the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand. The industry supports millions of people in the region and accounts for some 10 per cent of global fisheries production every year.

But the region’s success as a seafood exporter has come at a cost – the depletion of local fish stocks, environmental damage and, ultimately, a decline in food security and livelihood opportunities for local communities.

In the lead up to International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem on 26 July, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is running a series of stories on mangroves, and their impact on the environment and economies of countries across the world.