Contact Information: CONTACT: Alfredo Quarto Executive Director Mangrove Action Project Telephone: (360) 452-5866 www.mangroveactionproject.org
Destruction of Mangrove Forests Increased Devastating Impact of Cyclone Nagris
| Source: Mangrove Action Project
PORT ANGELES, WA--(Marketwire - May 8, 2008) - Ewire -- In the wake of the destruction
and rising death toll caused by Cyclone Nagris, Mangove Action Project
(MAP) is calling for the re-establishment of mangrove buffer zones and
coastal greenbelts along affected coastal zones to avert future such
disasters.
"This latest disaster in Burma is a grim reminder of other recent natural
disasters," said Alfredo Quarto, MAP's executive director, referring to the
2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami that left over 200,000 dead or missing and the
1999 Super Cyclone that hit the coast of Orissa, India that killed over
10,000. "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 biodiverse wetland of
extensive intertidal forests. Much mangrove loss initially occurred under
British colonial rule in order to clear space for rice production. Since
that time, mangrove loss has continued; during WWII to satisfy military
demands, and more recently for fuel wood and unsustainable developments,
such as industrial shrimp aquaculture and urban expansion. "The result is
that these vital, natural protective buffers have been foolishly destroyed,
leaving these areas quite exposed and vulnerable to the energy and impact
of waves and winds," according to Jim Enright, Mangrove Action Project's
Asia Director, based in Thailand.
According to Burmese researchers, during a period of 75 years (1924-1999),
82.76% of the mangroves of the Irrawady were destroyed and globally, less
than half the world's mangrove forests remain -- around 15 million ha
(around 37 million acres). The FAO estimates a 1% annual loss of mangroves
worldwide, which signifies a 150,000 ha (367,500 acres) loss per year.
There is scientific evidence that the mangroves' dense, intertwining
trunks, branches, and roots can protect coastlines, and that the
destructive force from storm surges is greatly dissipated as they pass
through intact, healthy coastal zones containing mangroves.
The conversion to large-scale shrimp and fish farms is the most significant
threat to mangroves world wide, and other pressures include tourism
developments and rising populations. This is worrisome to those who believe
that global warming and rising sea levels will cause more frequent and
intense storms, and that the loss of mangroves will make the coastlines
more susceptible to damage.
The most effective method for successful, large-scale mangrove restoration
is through Ecological Mangrove Restoration (EMR), a long-term, effective
process that considers local hydrology and results in biodiverse,
ecological functioning ecosystems. Mangrove Action Project currently works
closely with local stakeholders to carry out EMR projects in Sri Lanka,
India, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Thailand.
"It is crucial to restore mangrove coverage to these destroyed or degraded
coastlines. We must re-establish the mangrove buffer zones that previously
protected people and property from storms and tsunamis," urged Quarto. "So
much is at stake."