Oil Spills in Mangroves: Planning and Response Considerations

Though mangrove forests are in many ways adaptable ecosystems, they are highly vulnerable to oil toxicity and can be further damaged by many types of cleanup activities. This 2002 report summarizes relevant research for spill response decisionmakers.

In addition to this publication, you may want to download the last item in the list about the Vesta Bella which sank on March 6, 1991 about 30 miles southeast of Barbuda, Trinidad, oiling beaches and mangroves on the island of St. John (U.S. Virgin Islands) and ultimately, Puerto Rico. Recovery of Mangrove Habitats at the Vesta Bella Oil Spill Site (see link below) describes the spill cleanup on St. John and our April 1992 revisit of the island.

Document Sections

Oil Spills in Mangroves: Planning and Response Considerations If you have a fast Internet connection, you may want to download the entire report. (Document format: PDF, size: 4.2 M)

Title Page, Table of Contents, Introduction (Document format: PDF, size: 849.0 K)

Chapter 1, Mangrove Ecology Provides an overview of mangrove forests, their associated communities, and how they respond to natural and human stresses. (Document format: PDF, size: 1.4 M)

Chapter 2, Oil Toxicity A current review of the research available on oil toxicity and impacts to mangroves. (Document format: PDF, size: 347.7 K)

Chapter 3, Response General guidance for responding to spills in mangrove areas and specific considerations for cleanup measures. (Document format: PDF, size: 969.7 K)

Chapter 4, Recovery and Restoration Discusses long-term recovery of mangroves from oil spill impacts and restoration techniques and approaches. (Document format: PDF, size: 331.5 K)

Chapter 5, Case Studies Several case studies that illustrate a range of issues from oil spills impacting various regions. (Document format: PDF, size: 288.5 K)

Glossary (Document format: PDF, size: 40.8 K)

Recovery of Mangrove Habitats at the Vesta Bella Oil Spill Site This 1994 report describes the spill cleanup on St. John and our April 1992 revisit of the island to (1) identify and characterize trends in oil weathering and (2) to determine if wiping mangrove roots was an effective cleanup method. (Document format: PDF, size: 4.0 M)

Pages on our site that complete this series

Oil Spills in Coral Reefs: Planning and Response Considerations A 2001 report summarizing relevant research on coral reefs, written for anyone working in or planning for spill response in coral reef regions.

Oil and Sea Turtles: Biology, Planning, and Response A 2003 report that presents a basic overview of sea turtle biology, summarizes what is known about the effects of oil on sea turtles, and reviews potential response actions in the event of a release.