In the Habitat Series, Mangroves is the first in a number of painting-collages to focus on a particular habitat: that created by mangroves. When they are not removed - harvested for wood, or to clear out an area for shrimp farming or to create land for houses, or other human uses, mangrove trees can quickly create mangrove forests. Mangrove forests provide habitats for a wealth of terrestrial, estuarine and marine species including juvenile and adult fish, seabirds and water fowl. They also provide critical feeding and breeding space for larger marine creatures including dugongs, manatees, dolphins, porpoises, sea turtles, sharks and rays.

Mangroves store 10 to 25 times more carbon than terrestrial landscapes. The earth has lost about 35% of its mangrove forests in the past few decades and scientists predict that they may disappear in the next 100 years. Losing mangrove forests would be devastating for the marine world - and therefore for the world. (source: The Ocean Foundation, 2021)

In this painting, the spaces between the roots of the mangroves are filled with fish, mostly tiny, as the role of mangrove forests as fish nurseries (providing safety and food) is critical. There are also some birds in the branches above including hunting and wading fishing birds. The large sea creature in the bottom corner stares directly out at the viewer as if to say "And what are you doing here? Are you helping or not?"

Mangroves store 10 to 25 times more carbon than terrestrial landscapes. The earth has lost about 35% of its mangrove forests in the past few decades and scientists predict that they may disappear in the next 100 years. Losing mangrove forests would be devastating for the marine world - and therefore for the world. (source: The Ocean Foundation 2021)