What is a coastal forest?
A coastal forest is an area of trees and plants along the coastline, or shoreline, of a country or island.
A coastal forest is an area of biological importance and biodiversity, accommodating birds and animals of many species in an area known as an ecoregion or a micro-climate.
A coastal forest can be a mangrove forest, a casuarina shelterbelt, or a beach forest of palm trees and other trees. It can contain evergreen trees, scrub forests, tropical forests, and dry forests.
A coastal forest provides natural protection from soil erosion, storms, cyclones, and high waves, depending on the type of trees, their density, the water flows and tidal surges.
Photographer: Martina Nicolls
Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM