Ugly but talented

Mangrove 'swamps' are muddy, smelly, insect-infested–and absolutely necessary. Without them, three-quarters of Australia's commercial fishing industry would probably not exist.

Mangrove trees are tough and well-adapted flowering plants. Taking root in the sediment that builds up at the edges of inlets and estuaries, they form a buffer zone that protects our coastlines from storms and erosion.

Unfortunately, that same toughness prevents people getting through them to the ocean, so mangroves are often cleared by short-sighted developers.