Mangrove forests could be natures answer to climate change
But in Gabon, the rich mangrove forest north of Libreville has been ripped apart for development over the past few years.
The mangrove not only provide important habitat for a variety of wildlife and supply nutrients and sediments for seagrass-bed and coral-reef habitats, but they also pull massive amounts of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, up to four times as much carbon as other tropical forests, according to a study.
Livlihoods at stake
But the trees also provide livelihoods for many in the region.
One family who sells crabmeat told Africanews: "We do sustainable fishing and the destruction of the mangrove would be a shortfall because crabs are becoming increasingly scarce.