Bringing mangroves back as defenders of climate change impacts

Some of the most effective adaptation solutions are sometimes found in nature – take, for example, mangrove forests that live along tropical shorelines in parts of Asia and the Pacific. They grow where land and sea meet and they are the first line of defense against ocean-borne storms and hurricanes heading inland. “Mangroves are a remarkable group of tough, salt-tolerant trees and shrubs that not only survive, but thrive in shallow seawaters,” said Raimundo Mau, who is a Director-General at Timor-Leste’s Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. By reducing surface waves with their raised roots and storing floodwaters in their wetlands and marshes, mangroves protect coastal Timorese communities against rising sea levels as well as storm surges, he explained. Mangroves also provide food, shelter, and livelihoods for the people living in these communities. In recent years, however, mangrove forests across Timor-Leste have dramatically declined. According to government statistics, the coverage of mangrove areas in the country is estimated to have dropped by 80 percent since 1940, with 40 percent of this loss taking place between 2000 and 2008.

This is largely due to rapid population growth, rampant economic development, and resource exploitation. Today in Timor-Leste mangroves occupy only a small area when compared to neighboring countries, such as Indonesia and Australia. “If we make a simple visual comparison, say 30 or 40 years ago, the mangrove coverage in Timor-Leste at present will look very much smaller than what we’ve ever seen before,” said Mr. Mau. “We need to treat this loss of mangrove forest cover and we need to treat it urgently – and it’s not just about planting new trees.” Timor-Leste has a coastline stretching almost 750 kilometers. About 40 percent of the population – or almost 560,000 people – live in low-lying coastal areas. They are susceptible to floods from upstream hills and also face increased sea surges and storms. These climate hazards have serious impacts on peoples’ lives: from physically damaging schools, homes, and community buildings to contaminating drinking water by seawater intrusion. Furthermore, they also hurt coastal ecosystems, especially for mangroves, which are already under stress as more ports are built and roads are widened.

http://adaptasiapacific.org/news/bringing-mangroves-back-defenders-clim…