The importance of mangrove forests can never be over emphasised as it is a vital part of tropical ecosystems which is of great ecological importance. Mangroves are a dominant ecosystem of tropical and sub-tropical coasts. They not only provide valuable goods (e.g. wood and fish) but also vital ecological and other services (e.g. sequestration of carbon, navigable waterways and prevention of coastal erosion).
Some 63,000 square kilometres or about a third of the world’s mangrove, occurs in South East Asia, much of it in Indonesia. This is only about 2% of the total land area, which makes mangroves a scarce and very valuable resource. These mangroves are also the most luxuriant and most biologically diverse in the world. Yet, they are being destroyed at a very alarming rate: conservative estimates suggest that only half the area of mangrove exists today as compared to 50 years ago.
A scientific conference in 2002 in Bali, Indonesia noted that, “the destruction of mangrove forests in South East Asia, primarily due to digging ponds for shrimp aquaculture and for wood chips for the rayon industry, is releasing as much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year as 1.5 million cars.”
“This staggering figure is a little known consequence of mangrove deforestation, better known for its problems of coastal erosion and loss of nursery grounds for fish.”
“Carbon stored over centuries in the rich mangrove mud is released as the greenhouse gas CO2 when exposed to the air,” explains Prof. Ong Jin Eong, from Malaysia’s Universiti Sains, speaking today at an International Media Roundtable organised by the major global environmental change programmes at PrepCom4 in Bali.”
The destruction of these forests has also contributed to the magnifying of the devastating effects and adverse impact of cyclones and such similar disasters. A Washington news report on the cyclone which hit Burma in 2008 stated that a new report has established that the devastating impact of Cyclone Nargis, which hit Burma on May 2, could have been lessened if mangrove forests had been conserved along the nation’s coastlines.
According to a report in ENN (Environmental News Network), mangrove forests and coastal greenbelts can act like buffer zones when such natural disasters strike a country.
This latest disaster in Burma is a grim reminder of other recent natural disasters, said Alfredo Quarto, executive director of MAP (Mangove Action Project).
The force of the cyclone could have been greatly lessened and much loss in life and property damage could have been averted if healthy mangrove forests had been conserved along the coastlines of the Irawaddy Delta, he added.
The Irawaddy Delta was formerly a lush, highly biodiversed wetland of extensive intertidal forests. Much mangrove loss initially occurred under British colonial rule in order to clear space for rice production.
Here too in Guyana significant portions of our mangrove forests have been destroyed and they provide the vital function of reducing erosion along the coastal belt and also act as a buffer to the mighty Atlantic which borders our coastline.
Against this backdrop the Mangrove Action Committee (MAC) is doing a commendable job of heightening awareness and educating the public of the vital importance of mangroves to our country. And they are going about their campaign in an equally commendable manner because visits are made to the communities and getting the people on the ground actively involved. Too often in our society the “arm chair” style is adopted with the obvious results being a failure.
Self management continues to be stressed by the Mangrove Action Committee (MAC) and at the most recent consultation on the National Mangrove Action Plan 2010, last Friday, in Orealla, Region Six (East Berbice Corentyne), residents responded with enthusiasm.
The Guyana Mangrove Restoration Project (GMRP) Coordinator, Mr. Bissasar Chintamanie, explained that the increased participation from communities is expected to ensure the project’s sustainability.
He made it clear that once communities get on board to take ownership of the effort to protect, manage and restore mangroves in Guyana, sustainability will not be an issue.
Under the $100M, government-funded, GMRP, the National Mangrove Action Plan 2010 covers a three year period, 2010 to 2012.
Chintamanie noted that the MAC is looking at the long term since at the end of the three year project the main issue of the agenda will be sustainability.