Mangrove Conservation and Restoration: Roles of Government, Private Sector, and Communities

Mangrove ecosystems provide important ecological, climatic and socioeconomic benefits, including biodiversity conservation, fisheries support, shoreline protection, carbon storage and livelihood resources. However, pollution, unsustainable resource use, land-use change, coastal development and climate change continue to threaten these ecosystems. This narrative review examines global evidence on mangrove conservation and restoration, with selected Nigerian examples, focusing on the complementary roles of government, the private sector and communities. The review synthesizes evidence on conservation, ecological restoration, stakeholder responsibilities, collaboration, monitoring and major constraints. Findings indicate that protecting existing mangroves should remain a priority, while restoration should address degradation drivers, hydrology and opportunities for natural regeneration before planting. Governments provide regulatory and institutional frameworks; private-sector actors have responsibilities for environmental compliance, impact prevention and remediation and can contribute finance and technical expertise; while communities contribute local ecological knowledge, stewardship and monitoring. Weak enforcement, institutional fragmentation, inadequate financing, limited technical capacity, socioeconomic pressures and inappropriate restoration practices can undermine these efforts. Effective outcomes depend on clear stakeholder responsibilities, meaningful community participation, private-sector accountability, sustained financing, ecologically appropriate restoration and long-term monitoring. The review concludes that these conditions must operate together through coordinated and adaptive governance to achieve sustainable mangrove conservation and restoration.