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Mangrove Action Project - a non-profit restoring and protecting the world’s mangrove forests - is proud to announce that entries to the 12th annual Mangrove Photography Awards are now open.

Building on a landmark 2025 edition — which drew a record-breaking 3,300+ entries from 78 countries — the 2026 awards are set to be bigger than ever, with new partnerships with the Global Mangrove Alliance and UNESCO expanding the reach and impact of every entry.

Mangroves are among the planet’s most vital yet threatened ecosystems, providing essential services from fisheries and coastal protection to carbon sequestration and biodiversity. Despite this, global coverage continues to decline, with half of the world’s mangrove ecosystems at risk of collapse by 2050. The Mangrove Photography Awards exist to spark conservation through authentic visual storytelling. 

“Photography has the power to ignite emotional connection and inspire positive action. By contributing your image, you are raising your voice for one of our planet's most essential yet overlooked habitats.”

- Leo Thom, Founder and Chair, Mangrove Photography Awards 

What’s New for 2026 

Bigger prizes: $7,000 total — $1,000 for the overall Mangrove Photographer of the Year, $500 for each of 11 category winners, and $250 for the Young Mangrove Photographer of the Year and the People’s Choice Award. 

New partnerships with the Global Mangrove Alliance and UNESCO mean greater exhibition opportunities and wider global reach for photographers’ work and the conservation stories behind it.

Categories

  • Photographers can submit up to 12 images across six categories: Wildlife, Underwater, Landscape, People, Threats, Conservation Stories (Portfolio) 
  • Special awards include the UNESCO Award, Emirates Award, Arabian Gulf Award, and People’s Choice Award. 

Key Dates

  • Entries open on 1 April 2026
  • Entries close 1 June 2026. 
  • The winners will be announced 24 July 2026, ahead of World Mangrove Day
  • People’s Choice Award: August 2026 

Enter for free here.

Media contacts

About Mangrove Action Project

The Mangrove Photography Awards are organized by Mangrove Action Project (MAP), a US-based non-profit
that collaborates with stakeholders at all levels to preserve, conserve, and restore our world’s mangrove
forests. 
MAP’s mission is to partner with communities and organizations worldwide, leveraging science, training, and
environmental education to provide nature-based solutions for people and planet.

About Mangrove Photography Awards

The Mangrove Photography Awards serve as a storytelling platform for people immersed in the world of
mangroves and their conservation. Founded and chaired by MAP’s Creative Director and filmmaker Leo Thom,
the competition gives photographers of all ages and abilities a unique platform to shine a light on powerful
moments and untold stories from these unique ecosystems.

About the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 

The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030 , led by the United Nations Environment Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and its partners, covers terrestrial as well as coastal and marine ecosystems. As a global call to action, it will draw together political support, scientific research and financial muscle to massively scale up restoration. Find out how you can contribute to the UN Decade . Follow #GenerationRestoration.