Mangrove recovery in Yos Sudarso Island, Indonesia
According to a study recently published in the scientific journal Science, global mangrove loss has slowed down after decades of widespread decline linked to aquaculture, agriculture practices, and coastal development. While restoration efforts have helped degraded mangrove forests recover over several decades, the main change has been the natural expansion of mangroves in many parts of the world following reduced deforestation. This trend is important given the key role of mangrove forests in coastal ecosystems, including shoreline stabilisation, carbon storage, and habitat provision for many species.
A comparison based on imagery acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 29 May 2018 and 29 April 2026 across Yos Sudarso Island in southern Papua, Indonesia, highlights notable changes in vegetation cover over time. The 2018 image shows coastal wetlands with relatively open, sparse vegetation, whereas the 2026 image shows increased vegetation density in the same areas.
Copernicus Sentinel-2 provides high-resolution optical imagery, which supports the monitoring of coastal ecosystems, land cover change, and restoration efforts in environmentally sensitive areas.
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