Seeds, Stories and Survival: UNESCO’s Mangrove Comic Inspires a Conservation Journey

UNESCO published the comic as an accessible way to communicate ecological ideas through art and narrative. Its Spanish-language edition is available online.

UNESCO presented the Spanish-language comic Las Visiones del Manglar on 27 October during COP17 in Yerevan, Armenia, held from 19 to 30 October 2026. The story follows Valentina as she discovers mangrove ecosystems and the communities whose lives and livelihoods depend on them. Illustration, storytelling and scientific research come together to introduce readers to these coastal forests and the need to protect them for future generations.

Inspired by mangroves in biosphere reserves across Latin America and the Caribbean, the comic is arranged in three chapters. "La Semillas" introduces Valentina's journey, mangrove biodiversity and the ecosystems' importance; "La Gente" explores local communities, traditional knowledge and the balance between conservation and livelihoods. "Las Raíces" turns to the global value of restoration, mangroves' contribution to climate resilience and Valentina's commitment to conservation.

The story connects biodiversity with cultural knowledge and shared responsibility, inviting readers to consider how people and nature depend on one another. UNESCO published the comic as an accessible way to communicate ecological ideas through art and narrative. Its Spanish-language edition is available online.

A story told through art and science

Illustrator Antonia Lara Gómez said the team valued the creative freedom to imagine Latin American mangroves with respect for the land. She hopes communities will welcome the work and find something of their own in its story. Local communities and experts also contributed to the publication.

The comic is designed for general readers and can also support environmental educators, policymakers and conservation practitioners. Its illustrations and storytelling offer a way to explain complex ecological ideas and encourage people to engage with nature. Valentina's journey gives readers a human path into the science and cultural knowledge surrounding mangroves.

Part of a regional restoration effort

Las Visiones del Manglar is part of "Mangrove Restoration as a Nature-Based Solution in Biosphere Reserves of Latin America," known as MangRes. UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme implements the initiative with funding from the Government of Flanders and Spain's National Parks Autonomous Agency. MangRes works across seven biosphere reserves in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The initiative brings together local communities, scientists and governments to protect and restore mangroves through ecological restoration, research, capacity-building and knowledge-sharing. The comic carries that work into a story, encouraging readers to discover the mangrove ecosystem and its role in sustaining life. It closes with an invitation to join efforts to care for forests shaped by the tides.