Mangroves are among the most dynamic trees in Southwest Florida if not the world, and on Sanibel Island this weekend adults and children can get free plants to nurture and learn more about the fascinating trees.

An adult mangrove tree weighs a few thousand pounds. Anchored to the ground by its many roots hanging from its branches, and when intertwined in a mangrove forest, the trees can absorb the worst of the force of an18-foot wave during a hurricane and be damaged but alive and in place the next day.

As demonstrated during Hurricane Ian in 2021, homes behind a healthy jungle of mangroves tend to suffer less storm damage.

Mangroves are far more important than most people realize. Without them, barrier islands could wash away. With them, mangrove roots trap sediment, building land over

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