A 10-hectare mangrove forest in a municipality in Batangas proves that lush vegetation is the ideal solution to common environmental problems and that it is “Instagrammable,” too—red swimsuit optional. Mangrove trees play an essential part in nurturing the very ground they stand on. Its roots filter the silt and sediment that tides carry in and rivers carry out toward the sea. The roots of this salt-tolerant tree lodge themselves in the soft soil of tidal mudflats, and once established, they provide an oyster habitat and slow the flow of water.

Llarena, S. (2020, October 27). Mangrove forest safeguards Nasugbu coastlines. Manila Standard, p. C4.