What are mangrove forests?
In the continental United States, the natural range of mangrove forests is limited to the Southeast. This is because mangrove trees are sensitive to sub-freezing temperatures. They can be found on the coasts of North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas (Odum and McIvor 1990). Approximately 50 percent of the trees in Tampa’s urban forest are mangrove trees. However, mangroves are small-diameter trees that tend to grow in dense thickets and are confined to areas along the coast. As a result, they are greatly represented in number but occupy a small area compared to other species in Tampa’s urban forest.
