The Philippines and Mangroves

The Philippines

The Philippines is a beautiful archipelago, group of islands, located in Southeast Asia in the Western Pacific Ocean, around 800 kilometers from the Asian mainland and between Taiwan and Borneo. Consisting of 7, 107 islands, filled with beaches, the Philippines measures to be a total land area of 300, 000 square kilometers and a coast that extends up to 36, 289 kilometers. Located 13 ◦00 ◦N, 122 ◦00 ◦E, the Philippines lays along the tropical band, bringing in a tropical climate of a rainy season and dry season. Meaning the summer brings heavy rains from May to October, while the winter brings cooler and drier air from December to February. Further, laying along the tropical band also means thriving mangroves. Among the 15 top most mangrove-rich countries in the world, the Philippines is included.

Mangroves

Mangroves are characterized by a various range of extensive trees, from shrubs to 200 feet high timber that grow in high saline sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics. High in nutrients, these mangroves serve essential proteins for livelihood and biodiversity. These areas are vital breeding grounds for marine life, habitats for insects, and even nesting ground for birds. Mangroves become homes to reptiles, birds, amphibians, mammals, fish, crabs, shrimps, mollusks, and many other invertebrates. Furthermore, more than half of the Philippine's villages depend on these habitats, such as for food, traditional herbal medicine, and wood products.  

Source: http://www.adb.org/features/students-and-local-officials-replant-mangrove-forests-philippines







In Figure 1, we see the distribution of mangrove forests that run along the coasts of the Philippines. Although we see that these mangrove forests are spread through, in Figure 2, we are able to compare provinces and conclude that Palawan extends with the most mangrove forests.

Figure 1: Mangroves forests distribution of the Philippines in 2000
Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3231605/

Figure 2: Provinces in the Philippines with the majority of mangrove extent
Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3231605/

Source: http://www.endangeredspeciesinternational.org/mangrove.html

History of Mangroves in the Philippines

"Since 1980, 20-35% of global mangroves have been lost, current losses around 1% per year." In Figure 3, we can see that in the span of two years, Asia, which includes Philippines, has suffered the highest rate of mangrove loss comparison to all other continents. The loss of these mangroves are mostly due to the consequence of aquaculture but have also have declined due to the threats that I have already mentioned. Aquaculture and commercial fishing alone has destroyed a third of the world's mangrove forests in the past 50 years. Although there now exists many conservation organizations that support these mangroves in the Philippines, the seriousness of this protection was not acknowledged very long ago. 

Figure 3
Source: http://www.wri.org/blog/2015/02/satellite-data-reveals-state-world%E2%80%99s-mangrove-forests

A little over 10 years ago, the Philippine government placed the mangroves under protection, encouraging the process of conservation and reforestation of mangroves. Since then, there are many organizations that have supported these mangroves and have acted upon these threats such as raising and planting new mangrove seedlings.

Mangroves after Typhoon Yolanda

However, one of the most influencing events that showed the importance of the mangroves was when an unfortunate natural disaster hit. This natural disaster is most recognized as Typhoon Haiyan, or known in the Philippines as Typhoon Yolanda. In November 2013, Typhoon Yolanda became one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded and the deadliest Philippine typhoon. In the Philippines alone, the typhoon of strong winds and furious flooding killed at least 6,300 people. Despite the devastating event, one element proved to have saved some lives.

One story specifically included a town named General MacArthur. This small Philippine community was along the path of the destructive Typhoon Yolanda herself. However, according to residents, they claimed to not have survived if it weren't for their mangroves that surrounded their community. In addition to their experiences, experts are able to reaffirm the importance of mangroves to these coastal communities. These mangroves act as natural shields and barriers against coastal flooding.

As the value of these mangroves became more apparent, more effort began to build.

Source: http://www.pri.org/stories/2013-11-29/saved-mangroves-philippine-town-dodges-haiyans-storm-surge
Source: https://www.rainforest-rescue.org/donate/150/mangrove-project-philippines

Human Impact

Threats:
1. Fishponds for aquaculture
The greatest threat to the world's mangroves forest is due to aquaculture. Aquaculture is when "mangrove forests are cleared for ponds, seeded with shrimp larvae and/or juvenile fish, and provided with fish meal feed in order to grow shrimp and fish to adult size at high densities." This technique, for example, was popular for shrimp farming. Although this operation seems to have benefits economically and socially, creating jobs and profit, this damages the mangroves. In order to create these fishponds, thousands of acres of mangroves need to be cleared to make room for the artificial pond. In addition to larvae and fish, chemicals and antibiotics are included to control the farming. The worst part of aquaculture is that it is usually a temporary production. Therefore, after three to ten years, the water becomes too polluted or diseased and become abandoned.

2. Tourism
Although tourism is great for exposure to the natural mangrove forest and for awareness, it can also be a great threat. Even when some tours come with good intent for preserving the mangroves, irresponsible tourism is hazardous. Along with tourism, can come big groups bringing garbage, wastes, fumes, lights, or other disturbances that can damage the surroundings. Some tourist elements such as building hotels and restaurants, also directly add to the destruction of mangroves. These infrastructures are being built on land near these mangroves and add to the pollution that directly affect their livelihood.

3. Agriculture
In addition to fish farming, agriculture has also contributed to the destruction of mangrove forests. Many mangrove forests have also been cleared for other forms of agriculture such as for rice paddies, rubber trees, and palm oil plantations. In addition, fertilizers and chemicals are used in these farming techniques, and then eventually spreading and polluting nearby waters. Consequently, forest mangroves become destroyed by the inability to adapt to chemical changes in the water.

4. Coastal Development
Similar to tourism, coastal developments bring people, who bring garbage and disruption. The development of buildings, brings along disruption to the nature state of the mangroves. More pollution accompany this development, that quickly affect the plants and animals that are within the mangrove forests.

5. Charcoal and Lumber Industries
Another use from the mangrove forests is for its wood. Trees are being cut down for the use of the surrounding communities as building material, fencing, and fuel. Similar to fish farming, this industry brings jobs and money for sustainable living. However, this too also affects habitat loss and the decline in biodiversity.

Protected Areas

Of the protected areas in the Philippines, the greatest protected mangroves are on Palawan. Palawan is the largest province in the Philippines, measuring at 450 kilometers long and 50 kilometers wide.

El Nido, Palawan,  in particular has gained a "first class" status that has gained worthiness to being protected.  According to CNNGo, it is the Best Beach and Island destination in the Philippines. Therefore, it has become a managed resource protected area, meaning there are laws in place that protect this area because of ecological and/or cultural value. 

In return, these protected areas in Palawan are being used as attraction spots for tourists. Resorts are placed in these areas to expose guests to the mangrove forests and nature, exposing them to authentic activities such as trekking, fishing, and bird-watching. Other activities include paddle boat tours which allow guests to visit the unharmed mangroves that remain protected. 

Furthermore, although these areas are protected. Please note that this tourism can also be destructive. Big irresponsible groups of tourism comes with garbage, sewage, noise, fumes, lights, and other disturbances that are not sustainable to these areas. Therefore, careful should be advised.


Protected areas in the Philippines under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)*
Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3231605/

*IUCN states " A clearly defined geographical space, recognized, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values"

Future and Solutions

The future of the mangroves in the Philippines is within our responsibility. If we continue allowing the threats to these mangroves the loss of mangroves will continue to drop at a fast rate of 1% per year.



Solutions: 
1. Increase Awareness
  One of the most important steps that may be easily overlooked is increasing awareness. As we have learned, mangroves are beneficial to the Philippines, however some individuals may not be aware of how essential being active on this issue is. By raising awareness through educational and informational campaigns, people are able to organize and create action. Today, there are multiple organizations and communities whose mission is to  promote conservation for animals and habitats.  

For example, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) has been running conservation programs  for over 180 years by holding various forms of workshops, public meetings, and symposiums with wide ranges of individuals, such as government officials, master students, and even young conservationists.  For the mangroves in the Philippines in particular, the ZSL has been empowering local communities since 2007 with the Community-based Mangrove Rehabilitation Project (CMRP) to protect remaining mangrove forests. As a result, close to 100,000 mangroves were planted, with the rehabilitation of 108.8 hectares of mangrove forests underway.

Source: http://www.zsl.org/conservation/regions/asia/rehabilitating-mangroves-in-the-philippines

2. Conservation
After we acknowledge the importance of saving the mangroves in the Philippines, we need to put this knowledge into action. One powerful way of conserving the mangroves is by taking political action. Conservation cannot be achieved without approaching this issue beyond ecological. We must recognize this issue in a social, political, and economical aspect. By integrating efforts between key stakeholders such as: scientists, conservation professionals, community leaders, governments, non-governmental organizations and the business sector, we can transcend this knowledge beyond the institutional boundaries. With collaborative efforts of data and communication, we can influence policy makers to support conservation projects. 

Source: http://www.endangeredspeciesinternational.org/mangrove.html

3. Reforestation
For the mangroves that have already been damaged, a solution is reforestation. One way this has been done is by collecting seeds, which are raised in mangrove nurseries. Then once the seedlings have grown to a height of 30 cm, they are then planted along the coast of the Philippines where they once were. One way to get involved is by joining reforestation projects. 

Some organizations in the Philippines, such as the ADB's Coral Triangle Initiative-Southeast (CTI-SEA) project have supported reforestation by partnering with the local government, schools, and other organizations to get the community involved by planting more trees. 

4. Tourism
Although tourism can be harmful if not done correctly, there are some tours in which you can contribute to planting mangrove saplings. In Palawan there is a community based ecotourism project called The Mangrove Paddle Boat Tour. The tour allows visitors to take a tour of what unharmed mangrove forests looks like. Then by the end of the tour, visitors are able to contribute to conservation by planting saplings in a designated area. Along with this project, there are many other ecotourisms that exists in order to raise awareness. 

Source: http://saggi-space.blogspot.com/2012/03/deeper-into-palawans-mangrove-forest.html

5. Donation
One may feel like they cannot contribute much if they are not resided in this area. However, contributing even a little donation towards some of the organizations mentioned can go a long way. Contributions could go towards the spread of campaigns or even the seedlings to reforest these mangroves. 

Source: https://www.rainforest-rescue.org/donate/150/mangrove-project-philippines