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Saving the Planet with AI and Mangroves
How Artificial Intelligence is Helping to Protect and Restore Coastal Ecosystems
Nwslettr Team
August 02, 2023
Mangroves are a crucial part of coastal ecosystems, providing essential levels of carbon sequestration and biodiversity to coastal communities and economies. Unfortunately, climate change, coastal development, and new infrastructure pose real threats to these vital ecosystems.
That's why the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) and Google.org have teamed up to launch ManglarIA, a new project that uses artificial intelligence to understand how mangroves are affected by climate change.
ManglarIA will identify key indicators of mangrove health and provide conservationists with better information to protect them.
Google.org has invested $5 million in the project, choosing it from hundreds of submissions as part of its Impact Challenge on Climate Innovation grant program.
The project will install networks of sensors in two biosphere reserves on Mexico's Pacific and Gulf of Mexico coasts, including automated weather stations, water depth and salinity loggers, special drones, camera traps, and environmental DNA technology, to monitor the health and changes of the area's mangrove forests.
Lupita Nadal of Dzilam de Bravo talks proudly about her project to produce mangrove honey.
“AI will help us analyze these data and learn how environmental change affects mangrove health, so we can help them survive the changing climate”, says Shaun Martin, from the WWF. The ultimate goal is to replicate the ManglarIA model on a global scale to inform mangrove management and restoration across all coasts, combining the organic resilience of nature with the future of scientific innovation.
To fight climate change, we need nature. To help nature survive climate change, we need more information. Technology can be a powerful ally in closing information gaps.
ManglarIA is a prime example of this, using technology to protect and preserve nature. The project's success could have a significant impact on the future of mangrove conservation. "Through this project with the World Wildlife Foundation, we hope to show that it is not an 'either nature or tech,' but that there are 'nature-based, tech-enabled solutions' that have a significant role to play in addressing climate change," says Lee.
ManglarIA is a beacon of hope for the future of our planet. By combining the power of AI with the resilience of nature, we can protect and preserve vital ecosystems like mangroves and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.
Source: WWF