Mangrove Revegetation Potentials of Brackish-Water Pond Areas in the Philippines - Aquaculture and the Environment: A Shared Destiny - page 46

Philippine government formulate policies that will encourage environmentally sustainable
fish production and resolve the fisheries and forestry utilization conflict in our mangrove
areas.
Using available literature on the direct and indirect uses of mangroves (White & Cruz-
Trinidad, 1998; Samonte-Tan & Armedilla, 2004; Walton, 2006), the TEV of the different
options were estimated. Of the six management options that were proposed, the option that
involves the reforestation of idle and unproductive ponds and the practice of
aquasilviculture may bring about the highest total economic value at US$ 4.28 billion (at
US$1 = Php 42.61) in 10 years. These two options provide opportunities to sustainably
maximize the aquaculture potential and the variety of mangroves goods and services that
this ecosystem could offer. In the aquasilviculture option, the economic goods will not only
come from fish production from the pond itself but also to the recruitment and settlement of
mangrove associated fish and organisms. The ecotourism potential of the system and its
coastal protection value may also be restored thereby increasing the total economic value of
the system.
5. Topographic/ hydrological conditions of these 'excess' areas in selected
areas of the Philippines
What may pose a problem in the natural revegetation of the target pond site is its mean sea
level elevation relative to the mean sea level elevation of the adjacent mangrove area ( Figure
8 ). A study site in Lian, Batangas revealed that the pond site is 1 meter lower than that of the
adjacent mangrove area. However this may not pose a serious problem for natural
revegetation. Perhaps a natural in-filling by erosion should be allowed for some time, and
elevation monitored. The first necessary step in the revegetation of the pond will be the
opening of the tidal gates to allow for natural in-filling of sediment. This would also allow
the recruitment and settlement of propagules however during the first months of
revegetation, seedlings may not grow as they may either drown or get buried by inflowing
Fig. 8. Elevation map of the mangrove and pond site relative to mean low tide level at the
study site in Lian, Batangas, Philippines.