RECENTLY, there was some negative comment on removing mangroves in the process of constructing the Gas to Shore project in the Wales Estate area, although the project will be strengthening the coastal and riverine areas from which the Mangrove had been removed against soil erosion and flooding.  Such a comment was obviously not made from an environmentalist perspective.  The consumer community has always advocated the protection and cultivation of Mangroves and today we are revisiting the subject.

Mangroves are among the planet’s most important ecosystems and are unlike other trees in many important respects.  They grow in low-oxygen coastal areas and they are the only trees that can grow in and tolerate salt water and rid themselves of excess salt through their leaves.  Part of their sturdy roots is always above ground, and fisherfolk often use them as poles.  Because of their high salt tolerance, they are among the first species of plants which colonise mud and sand banks flooded by seawater.  Accordingly, they grow on coasts and riverbanks.  Sometimes they could grow into forests, as is the case of the Sundarbans in the Bay of Bengal, which tigers and other wildlife inhabit.

Mangroves are strictly subtropical and tropical plants and are never found in colder climates.  Most Guyanese know of and can distinguish only three species – black, white and red Mangroves and may be surprised to learn that there are approximately 80 species.

When the Dutch colonists first came to Guyana, they were believed to have found thick mangrove forests all along the coast from the Mora Passage in the Northwest District to Canje. These protected the low lying coast from flooding and erosion for centuries.  Accordingly, the continental shelf was much wider than today.  As human habitation progressed, the mangroves were cut down and cleared, and it was only at the beginning of the 20th century when coastal communities suffered flooding and land erosion, that the value of Mangroves came to be fully recognised by the government and people.

It should be mentioned that Mangroves not only offer protection against flooding and erosion, but as importantly, they afford protection against high tides and tidal waves which could come upon countries without warning in the present milieu of Climate Change.   Tamil Nadu, a state in India, had never before been affected by Tsunami but was recently so affected.  The areas where the Mangroves had been cut down suffered physical destruction and deaths, while the areas protected by Mangroves escaped comparatively unscathed.

Mangroves have other social and environmental impacts:  They protect corals and provide nurseries, habitats and, spawning grounds and nutrients for a variety of fish, shellfish, migratory birds, insects as well as for many endangered mammals, reptiles and amphibians and help to conserve the rich biodiversity of the country. Mangrove honey is one of the most valued honeys in Guyana.

Mangroves are a carbon sink and combat Climate Change and, together with the forests, add to the carbon credits of the country.  Since carbon credits are a saleable commodity, Mangroves now have a measurable financial value.  Though some individuals and communities still misuse and cut down Mangroves, the Government and the population as a whole have now become aware of the value and importance of Mangroves.

In Guyana, there are several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) which continue to raise the awareness of the population as to the importance of Mangroves.  They have enlisted the help of the Educational System and have been executing programmes and projects promoting the sustainable use of the plant.

The Ministry of Agriculture, through its Mangrove Department, has also been doing comprehensive work on the preservation and extension of Mangrove areas.  They have undertaken some replanting which has been successful despite the danger of livestock like goats feeding on the young plants.  Finally, the importance of Mangroves has now been recognised at the highest levels when the government has included them in the updated  Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) for 2030.