A mangrove tree surrounded by numerous roots, shooting up from the seabed, which I photographed from underwater, looking up. The leaves of the tree are underwater at high tide. Mangrove forests not only act as carbon banks, they stabilise the coastline from storms and erosion as well as being a vital habitat for fish, crustaceans and hunters like sea snakes. Their above water canopies are home to many birds and mammals.

A plastic bag is caught on the upper branches, brought in by the high tide. Poor recycling facilities lead to plastics being dumped into the rivers which leads to their accumulation in the sea and oceans – affecting the wildlife when ingested or trapped, littering river banks and coastal areas, and breaking down into microplastics and plastic leachates.

1st place - Plants & Planet