Mangrove trees at twilight, Walakiri Beach, island of Sumba, Indonesia (© Boonchet Ch./Getty Images)

As twilight descends on Walakiri Beach on the island of Sumba, Indonesia, the silhouettes of mangrove trees stand like sentinels in the tide—graceful, resilient, and vital. Today, on International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem, we honor these extraordinary trees and the critical role they play in sustaining life on our planet.