The mangrove tree, with its intricate web of prop roots and branches, is a true titan of the coastal ecosystem. Its twisted and gnarled form rises from the murky waters like a mystical creature emerging from a primordial swamp. The tangled roots, like the fingers of an ancient giant, grasp the earth below, anchoring the tree against the fierce currents and storms of the open sea. Its leaves shimmer in the sunlight, casting dappled shadows on the water's surface, as if beckoning to the creatures that call its branches home. The mangrove tree is a symbol of resilience, a testament to the power of nature to adapt and thrive even in the harshest of environments. But we mortals have betrayed the earth and its natural systems by cutting down these ancient giants for concrete jungles, food crops, wood fuel, and construction materials. We have and we are still poisoning them slowly with pesticides from land. Slowly by slowly they are dying off, a slow unrecognized death, silent extinction I call it, that will in the near future spell doom for the creatures that call the sea home. This is the story of the mighty knight at the very front of the battalion being hit by wave after wave of the crushing forces of the sea so just we might be blinded to the exponential power of the deep blue. A knight with no sword but with branches, leaves and roots that point upward to the heavens. A knight willing to sacrifice itself to save all from the gnarling teeth of a changing climate.
According to the Global Mangrove Watch, an initiative by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), some 147,000 km2 of mangroves exist. The most extensive area of mangroves is found in Southeast Asia, with Indonesia alone comprising one-fifth of the global total. Together, Indonesia, Brazil, Australia, Mexico and Nigeria host almost half of the world’s mangroves. By contrast, many small island nations have comparatively small or isolated areas of mangrove. It is estimated that the world has lost about 50% of its original mangrove cover since the 20th century. This translates to a loss of approximately 150,000 hectares (370,658 acres) of mangrove forest each year. (However, it is important to note that these estimates are not exact, and there is still much to be learned about the extent and rate of mangrove loss globally.) The actual loss of mangrove cover may be higher or lower than current estimates).
Mangrove forests in Kenya cover about 61,271 ha, representing approximately 3.0% of the natural forest cover or less than 1.0% of the national land area. About 59% of these forests occur in Lamu County. There are nine mangrove species in Kenya, with Rhizophora mucronata (or mkoko) and Ceriops tagal (mkandaa) being the most dominant.
Just as is the case around the world, here in Kenya mangroves offer critical ecosystem services including coastal protection, biodiversity support, water purification, tourism and recreation. One important benefit however that we get from mangroves is their ability to sequester carbon.
What is carbon sequestration:
Carbon sequestration refers to the process of capturing and storing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere, typically in natural systems such as plants, soil, or oceans. This is important because CO2 is a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change, and sequestering it can help mitigate its environmental impact.
In other words, carbon sequestration is a way to reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere by removing it and storing it in a different location, such as a forest or a deep underground geological formation. This can be achieved through natural processes such as photosynthesis in plants, or through human-led initiatives such as carbon capture and storage technologies.
More than just a tree
Did you know : Mangrove trees can store up to 4 times the amount of carbon than terrestrial or land based forests. This is because they are found in tidal regions that are of low oxygen concentration which slows the decomposition of plant material. Over time, this leads to the accumulation of organic matter in the soil, which can become compressed and form peat. Peat can store large amounts of carbon over long periods of time.
Mangroves are highly effective at sequestering carbon due to their unique ecology and physiology. They are able to capture and store carbon through a combination of photosynthesis, peat formation, sediment trapping, and low decomposition rates. In fact, mangroves can store up to five times more carbon per unit area than other tropical forests, making them one of the most effective natural systems for carbon storage.
The importance of mangroves storing large amounts of carbon cannot be overstated. By sequestering carbon in their leaves, stems, roots, and soil, mangroves help to mitigate the effects of climate change by reducing the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. This is critical, as CO2 is a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change and its effects, such as sea level rise and extreme weather events.
Mangroves also provide a natural barrier against the impacts of climate change, such as sea level rise and storm surges. By stabilizing coastlines and reducing erosion, mangroves help to protect communities and infrastructure from the damaging effects of extreme weather events.
In addition, mangroves are home to a wide variety of plant and animal species, many of which are uniquely adapted to these ecosystems. By preserving mangroves, we can protect this biodiversity and ensure the continued provision of ecosystem services such as fisheries, water purification, and tourism.
Furthermore, mangroves provide important resources and livelihoods for millions of people around the world, including fisheries, timber, and non-timber forest products. By protecting and conserving mangroves, we can support sustainable development and ensure that these resources are available for future generations.
In conclusion, the ability of mangroves to store large amounts of carbon is a critical tool in the fight against climate change. By sequestering carbon and providing a range of other important ecosystem services, mangroves are a valuable resource that must be protected and conserved. The preservation of mangroves is not only essential for the health of our planet, but also for the well-being of the communities that depend on them.
Need for protection
The loss of even just 1% of remaining mangroves could lead to the loss of 0.23 gigatons of Carbon dioxide, equivalent to the emissions of 49 million cars in the USA.
If the entire 8,183km2 restorable area of mangroves was restored this would potentially result in the addition of over 50 billion individuals per year of 37 commercial marine species of fish, crabs, shrimps and bivalves. Likewise for carbon, the full restoration of 8,183 km2 offers the potential to increase the amount of carbon stored in above ground biomass by almost 0.05 gigatonnes, and would also safeguard and restore some 0.3 gigatonnes of soil carbon. This is a significant amount.
Not there yet
Despite the importance of mangrove restoration projects, investments in such efforts have been slow due to concerns about their success rates. Many restoration projects fail due to weaknesses in conception and execution, whether they are large or small in scale. Small-scale efforts are often led by local NGOs and communities lacking the technical expertise required to design effective restoration projects. On the other hand, large-scale restoration projects are typically conducted by governments focused on reducing costs and maximizing project area.
One of the major reasons for restoration project failures is the failure to address the underlying causes of mangrove loss, resulting in the inability to sustain any initial gains in mangrove coverage. Additionally, some projects fail due to techniques that are at odds with established scientific knowledge, such as planting the wrong species or in unsuitable areas. Commonly, restoration has focused on single-species planting, often selecting fast-growing species or easily planted seedlings that may not be well-suited to local conditions. While effective mangrove restoration approaches have been developed and implemented, they are not yet widely available.
Failed restoration efforts not only represent lost opportunities to re-establish the many benefits of mangroves, but they also result in a tremendous waste of resources and undermine confidence in the restorability of mangroves. Thus, it is essential to ensure that restoration projects are well-designed and executed, taking into account the underlying causes of mangrove loss and employing effective techniques based on scientific knowledge. With proper investment and expertise, mangrove restoration projects can be successful in restoring these vital ecosystems and the benefits they provide to both people and the environment.
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