Mangrove Honey

Replace the roar of chainsaws and the thuds of machetes with the hum of bees. In Kenya, the Seychelles, Vietnam, and many other countries with tropical coastlines, farmers are placing hives of honeybees among mangrove trees. A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows mainly in saline or brackish water. Mangroves typically grow along coastlines and tidal rivers, having special adaptations to take in extra oxygen and removes salt, which allows them to tolerate conditions that would kill most plants. For some people, mangrove honey is a climate adaptation—more resilient and sustainable than other livelihoods. For others, the bees are also a defense of the mangroves—a stinging threat to deter illegal logging. The world over, humanity’s relationship with mangroves is changing for the better.

A beekeeper in the Seychelles displays a comb of honey. Image: Africa Press.

Mangrove trees are a vital piece of the climate plan. In addition to locking away carbon, mangroves support other healthy ecosystems. Juvenile fish shelter between mangrove roots until they are large enough to live on coral reefs. Mangroves protect coastlines from erosion, softening storm surges for coastal communities and preventing seawater from damaging other nearby habitats. For much of the 20th century, these benefits were ignored, and mangroves were removed for firewood, for construction material, or for coastal development.

Now, in addition to improving protection from governments and international conservation groups, local communities are realizing the value of healthy mangroves through honey. Beekeeping in mangroves is mutually beneficial—the mangrove trees receive ample pollination from the bees while the beekeepers obtain prized mangrove honey.

Not all honey is created equal. The flavor of honey can vary wildly based on which plants’ nectar the bees harvest. There are about 70 species of mangrove, and honey from each has its own color and taste—some are likened to butterscotch or liquorice; some are sweet while others are bitter or lightly salty. Loaded with minerals and antioxidants, mangrove honey has become sought after in local communities for its medicinal properties. The honey has quickly become a valuable revenue source for local farmers.

In Kenya, the bees themselves are helping to protect the mangroves. Members of the conservation group Tulinde Mikoko have taken to placing hives high, hidden in the treetops where loggers will not easily spot them. While it’s hard to track how aggressively the bees will defend nearby trees, loggers who fell a mangrove with a hive at its top will receive a shock they won’t soon forget.

The practice of beekeeping among mangroves is a reversal of thinking compared to decades past. Here, as in so many sectors and communities, the cold economics of extraction are being replaced with sustainable ways of living that don’t just coexist with nature, but benefit and strengthen the environment and the community alike.