Mangrove rehabilitation along urban coastlines: A Singapore case study

Rehabilitation is a key strategy to offset continuing mangrove deforestation across the tropics. Most thinking and research on mangrove rehabilitation is focused on rural coastlines, though urban areas also urgently need rehabilitation to offset previous mangrove losses due to coastal development. This is especially the case as urbanization continues in the coastal zone across much of the tropics. However, the drivers of urban mangrove rehabilitation may differ from rural locations, related to replacing habitats lost due to development, or utilizing the wave attenuation function of mangroves to improve the coastal defence of urban assets. Urban mangrove rehabilitation also faces several unique challenges that may not apply to rural rehabilitation projects, particularly related to space constraints and the need to utilize novel spaces and habitats that may be less suitable for mangrove establishment. The tropical nation of Singapore is used as a case study to investigate the various drivers of urban mangrove rehabilitation and the current and future status of rehabilitation projects across the nation. Singapore is also used to highlight the potential for novel mangrove rehabilitation solutions along urban coastlines, particularly the role of novel habitats and ecological engineering, and rehabilitation funding through Corporate Social Responsibility. As coastal development and urbanization continues apace across the tropics, lessons learnt from Singapore can inform rehabilitation practices along other increasingly urbanized shorelines in the future.