Dr.Tarek Kapiel: The importance of mangrove restoration projects for mitigating climate change
Mangroves are an important part of Egypt’s coastal ecosystems.
A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows in coastal saline or brackish water. Mangroves are important for biodiversity, carbon storage and coastal protection.
They provide a range of benefits to the environment, economy, and people of Egypt.
They protect the shoreline from erosion and storms; provide habitat for fish and other wildlife, filter pollutants from the water, and store carbon.
Mangroves also provide a source of food and income for local communities through fishing, aquaculture, and tourism.
In addition, mangroves can help reduce flooding by absorbing excess water during storms.
This is especially important in Egypt where flooding is a major concern due to its low-lying terrain.
Mangroves also play an important role in protecting coral reefs from sedimentation and pollution.
By providing a buffer between land and sea, they help maintain healthy coral reef ecosystems that are essential for tourism and fisheries in Egypt.
However, mangroves are also under threat from human activities such as deforestation, pollution, aquaculture and development.
It is estimated that more than 50% of the world’s mangroves have been lost in the past 50 years. Protecting and restoring mangroves is therefore a vital strategy for mitigating climate change and adapting to its impacts.
Threats facing mangrove trees
Mangroves face many threats from human activities and natural disasters. Some of them are:
1. Coastal development, which destroys mangrove habitats for urbanization, infrastructure, tourism or industry.
2. Aquaculture, agriculture and salt production, which convert mangrove lands for shrimp farming, rice cultivation or salt ponds.
3. Deforestation, which removes mangroves for logging, firewood gathering, charcoal production or land reclamation.
4. Pollution, which contaminates mangrove waters with garbage, plastic, sewage, oil spills or industrial effluents.
5. Climate change, which affects mangrove growth and survival through sea level rise, temperature increase, droughts or storms.
These threats have resulted in significant loss of mangrove forests around the world. For example, Thailand has lost 84 percent of its mangroves, while Nigeria has lost 40 percent.
Replanting Mangrove trees project in Egypt
Mangrove forests are an important part of Egypt’s coastal ecosystems, providing habitat for fish and other marine life, protecting the coastline from erosion, and serving as a buffer against storms and floods.
Unfortunately, these forests have been declining in recent years due to over-harvesting, pollution, and development.
To address this issue, the Egyptian government has launched a project to replant mangrove trees along the country’s coastlines.
The project involves planting thousands of mangrove saplings in areas where mangroves have been lost or degraded.
The saplings are planted in nurseries and then transplanted into the wild once they are large enough.
The project also includes efforts to educate local communities about the importance of mangroves and how to protect them.
Additionally, the government is working with local fishermen to ensure that they do not over-harvest mangroves or damage them while fishing.
This project is helping to restore Egypt’s mangrove forests and protect its coastal ecosystems for future generations.
Contribution of Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT)
The Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT) is the national body responsible for science and technology in Egypt.
ASRT is playing a key role in the replanting of mangrove trees in the country.
ASRT is working with local communities, government agencies, and other stakeholders to develop sustainable strategies for restoring mangrove forests.
ASRT has been involved in research projects to identify suitable sites for replanting mangroves, as well as developing protocols for successful replanting.
The Academy has also been involved in providing technical support to local communities and government agencies on how to effectively manage and protect mangrove forests.
In addition, ASRT has been involved in raising awareness about the importance of mangroves and their role in protecting coastal ecosystems.
Finally, ASRT has been actively engaged in developing policies and regulations that will help ensure the long-term sustainability of mangrove forests in Egypt.
One of ASRT’s projects on mangroves is the largest mangrove planting project along the Red Sea.
The project is funded by the Ministry of Scientific Research, in cooperation with the ministries of Agriculture and Environment.
The project aims to preserve one of Egypt’s most efficient ecosystems and enhance its biodiversity.
The project was launched in March 2020 and covers an area of about 10 feddans (10.38 acres) along the Red Sea coast1.
The project involves planting different types of mangroves, such as Avicennia marina and Rhizophora mucronata, which can adapt to the salinity and temperature of the water.
The project also involves conducting scientific research on the growth and development of mangroves, as well as their economic, environmental and tourism benefits.
Mangrove restoration projects over the world
Mangrove restoration projects are efforts to conserve and rehabilitate mangrove forests, which are important for biodiversity, coastal protection, carbon storage and livelihoods.
There are many examples of such projects around the world, such as Million Mangroves, which aims to plant one million mangroves across six countries, or The Mangrove Restoration Project, which involves citizen science and data collection in the Virgin Islands.
According to a report by FAO, four countries (Indonesia, Brazil, Nigeria and Australia) account for about 41 percent of all mangroves and 60 percent of the total mangrove area is found in just ten countries.
Mangroves are a type of tropical vegetation with some outliers established in subtropical latitudes.
Over 100 tropical and subtropical countries have mangroves along their coastlines.
Some of these countries are also planting mangroves to restore and conserve their ecosystems.
Some of the countries that are planting mangroves are:
Costa Rica:
The country has restored over 500 hectares of mangroves since 2014 with the help of local communities and organizations.
The Philippines:
The country has planted over 1.8 million mangrove seedlings in various sites since 2012 with the support of government agencies and NGOs.
India:
The country has planted over 10 million mangroves in different states since 2006 with the involvement of local communities and institutions.
Haiti:
The country has planted over 300,000 mangroves in degraded areas since 2015 with the collaboration of local farmers and fishermen.
Guatemala:
The country has planted over 100,000 mangroves in coastal zones since 2017 with the participation of local women and youth groups.
There are many mangrove restoration projects around the world that aim to conserve and restore this valuable ecosystem.
Here are some examples of these projects:
Million Mangroves:
This is a global initiative that supports six different projects in Indonesia, Myanmar, Madagascar, Kenya, Colombia and Florida.
These projects involve planting new mangroves, restoring tidal areas, providing communities with new income, and creating natural defences along the coastline.
Mangrove Restoration Project:
This is a citizen science-rooted effort in the Virgin Islands that aims to improve the growth and survival rates of transplanted mangroves and collect scientific data to protect this natural resource.
Mangrove Conservation and Restoration:
This is a project supported by the World Bank that helps Indonesia protect its mangrove forests, which are among the largest and most diverse in the world.
The project involves conservation efforts, rehabilitation of degraded areas, and inclusion of mangroves restoration as part of the national recovery program.
CBEMR Mangrove Restoration:
This is a project led by the Mangrove Action Project that uses a community-based ecological mangrove restoration approach to rehabilitate mangroves in various countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.
The project involves consulting with local communities, assessing site conditions, restoring hydrology and monitoring outcomes.
One Child One Tree:
This is a project initiated by a 12-year-old girl named Sali who lives in Senegal. She started planting mangroves with her family and friends to combat coastal erosion and climate change.
The project has now grown to involve more than 1000 volunteers who have planted over 5000 mangroves along the coast.
These are just some examples of how people are working together to restore vital mangrove forests around the world.
The role of mangroves in mitigating climate change
Mangroves are a type of tropical forest that grows along coastlines and estuaries.
They have many benefits for both people and the environment, especially in relation to climate change. Mangroves play an important role in mitigating climate change by sequestering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it in their soils and biomass.
Mangroves also act as a buffer against coastal erosion, storm surge, and flooding, helping to protect coastal communities from the impacts of climate change.
Additionally, mangroves provide habitat for numerous species of fish, shellfish, and other wildlife, which can help to maintain healthy ecosystems that are more resilient to climate change.
Mangroves can slow down water and trap sediment, helping to stabilize coastlines and reduce storm waves and flooding. They can absorb and store carbon in their soil, which helps to reduce global warming.
Mangroves can store up to 10 times more carbon per acre than other forests.
Provide habitat for many species of fish, birds, reptiles, mammals and plants, which supports biodiversity and food security.
