Mangrove-integrated coastal infrastructure: Linking design considerations to ecosystem services

As coastlines worldwide face growing threats from climate change, nature-based and hybrid solutions, are gaining recognition as sustainable, cost-efficient, and multi-beneficial alternatives to traditional hard infrastructure. Considering the variety of ecosystem services they provide, mangroves, in particular, have been researched widely as a multifunctional nature-based solution that provides resilience against climate shifts. Yet, implementing mangrove-based coastal protection strategies is complex and often faces challenges attributed to a combination of ecological, social, and technical factors.To this aim, an overarching eco-engineering design framework is provided for Mangrove-Integrated Coastal Infrastructure intended to support mangrove growth, enabling their establishment in a wide range of coastal environments. Using this framework, we propose design solutions and considerations associated with the development of eco-engineered Mangrove-Integrated Coastal Infrastructure that can support mangrove growth in areas where traditional restoration is difficult or impractical, while also delivering additional environmental, economic, social, and biodiversity services. By evaluating design aims, considerations, criteria, feasibility, and ecosystem benefits, this work offers foundational guidance for the development and scaling of Mangrove-Integrated Coastal Infrastructure solutions for coastal protection, biodiversity, and socio-economic benefits.