By reducing surface waves with their raised roots and storing floodwaters in their wetlands and marshes, mangroves protect coastal Timorese communities against rising sea levels as well as storm surges, he explained. Mangroves also provide food, shelter, and livelihoods for the people living in these communities. In recent years, however, mangrove forests across Timor-Leste have dramatically declined. According to government statistics, the coverage of…