Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
perpetuates the loss of goods and services that mangrove areas could provide. The
continued abandonment of these areas increases the vulnerability of coastal communities to
the ancillary impacts of climate change such as increase in sea level (Alongi, 2002; Gilman et
al, 2006; Gilman, 2008), tsunami (Alongi 2008; Dahdouh-Guebas, 2005; Vermaat &
Thampanya, 2006), wave impact due to increased typhoon strength and frequency and
coastal erosion (UNEP-WCMC, 2006; Primavera et al 2012).
If massive loss of mangrove areas in the Philippines could be attributed to aquaculture
development, logically therefore, restoration of idle and underproductive brackish-water
ponds at least to its ecologically productive state, should be the focus of management efforts
(Primavera, 2006; Samson & Rollon, 2008; Primavera & Esteban, 2008; Primavera et al, 2012).
This option will greatly enhance the ecological success of current efforts by 1) promoting
healthy growth patterns of planted species, and 2) stop the afforestation of adjacent habitats
(i.e. seagrass bed and mudflat area,
Plate 1
). These practices are widespread in the
Philippines where the growth of species in afforested sites performed dismally as compared
to those planted in natural mangrove forests (Samson and Rollon, 2008;
Figure 3
). Though
the revegetation of idle and unproductive ponds may present a multitude of ecological,
political and institutional challenges (Primavera, 2000; Samson and Rollon, 2008) to become
feasible, conscious effort to move towards this objective must be prioritized.
Table 3
lists
some factors that needs to be considered before deciding the reversion of idle or disused
ponds to mangrove areas.
Plate 1. Some examples of the well-meaning planting initiatives but may be less successful in
terms of ecological restoration in Talibon, Bohol, Philippines where mangroves were
planted on seagrass and mudflat areas.
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