Mangroves: the best protection against extreme weather on coasts

IUCN website 9 Oct 08;

Extreme weather such as the terrible Tsunami of 2004 is becoming more frequent due to climate change. As many coastal communities in Asia know only too well, mangroves are often our best line of defence.

But the world has lost up to a third of its mangroves in modern times which is why Mangroves For the Future, set up in the aftermath of the Tsunami, is trying to reverse the decline.

“When Thailand was buffeted by Cyclone Narguiz last May, the six areas that were worst hit had no mangroves,” said Sanit Aksornkoae, President of Thailand Environment Institute. “The villages that were located just behind the mangroves were safe.”

He believes that coastal communities are aware of the value of this natural resource, but studies have shown that a range of factors including coastal agriculture, mining, shrimp-farming and building ports and harbours are slowly making mangroves disappear from coastal areas.

Mangroves For the Future uses the mangrove as its defining symbol but aims to bring about the long-term conservation of all coastal ecosystems including coral reefs, wetlands, forest, lagoons and beaches. It works mainly in the six countries most affected by the Tsunami – India, Indonesia, the Maldives, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

Mangroves For the Future promotes investment, not just in conserving nature, but also in the local communities who live alongside them providing not only financial support but also training, expertise and empowerment.

“It’s a very simple equation,” said Donald Macintosh, Co-ordinator of Mangroves For the Future. “Healthy coastal systems such as mangroves provide coastal defence, a home for marine animals but they are also good for tourism as people do not want to go to places with damaged coral or dirty beaches. I think governments are beginning to see that investing in coastal ecosystems makes sound economic sense.”

www.mangrovesforthefuture.org