Importance of mangroves

Mumbai reportedly once had 45 sq kms of mangrove forest. The mangroves have been destroyed to make way for roads and buildings. The result is there for all to see. Mumbai has been witnessing flooding during monsoon every year. It is understood that in the 2005 Tsunami in Asia there were no deaths in places which had mangrove forests. Mangroves protect sea border areas during storms and minimise damage. They protect shorelines from damaging storm and hurricane winds, waves, and floods. It is understood that mangroves are home for several species of plants. They are natural habitat of several animals and marine life. It has been proved that mangroves absorb eight times more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than any other plant. Just one hectare of mangroves is capable of neutralizing 17 metric tonnes of carbon per year. Mangroves also help prevent erosion by stabilising sediments with their tangled root systems. 

In addition to commercially important species, mangroves also support a number of threatened and endangered species. They supply nutrients to adjacent coral reef. As a result of their intricately entangled above-ground root systems, mangroves protect shorelines during storms by absorbing wave energy and reducing the velocity of water passing through the root barrier. It has been proved that mangrove covered shorelines are less likely to erode, or will erode significantly slowly as compared to shorelines without mangroves. It appears that as the sea-level is slowly rising, mangroves are a better alternative to protecting coastlines from eroding than other man-made methods, like using tripods.

Coastlines throughout the world are reportedly facing serious problems of coastal erosion. Threats of rising sea levels due to global warming have increased by several folds. To control such assault of the sea on land the nature has provided Mangroves. It has been proved that mangroves not only help in preventing soil erosion but also act as a catalyst in reclaiming land from seas. Mangrove forests and estuaries are the breeding and nursery grounds for a number of marine organisms including the commercially important shrimp, crab and fish species. Hence, loss of mangroves not only affects us indirectly but there are direct economic repercussions through loss of fishing industry.

We in Goa need to think twice before destroying mangroves for road-widening and construction purpose.