TITLE: MANGROVE CONSERVATION TECHNIQUES

AIM: To assess the conservation techniques used to maintain the protective function, values and
biodiversity of mangroves in Georgetown, Guyana.

MATERIALS/ APPARATUS:
1. Laptop
2. Paper
3. Mangrove research articles
4. Mangrove research paper

METHOD:
1. A laptop with internet access was obtained to identify the necessary aims of this research.
2. Information found from appropriate articles and research were analysed, presented and
discussed.

RESULTS:

MANGROVE CONSERVATION TECHNIQUES

I. Mangroves have been declared a protected species in Guyana
II. It is illegal to cut mangrove trees
III. Coastal clean-ups
IV. Planting mangroves
V. Monitoring mangrove forests
VI. Public awareness and education

TABLE ABOVE SHOWING THE RESULTS OBTAINED FROM THE RESEARCH

CONDUCTED

DISCUSSION:

A mangrove commonly refers to two different things: a tidal swamp ecosystem found in tropical
deltas, estuaries, lagoons or islands, and the characteristic tree species populating this ecosystem.
Mangrove trees have developed unique adaptations to the harsh conditions of coastal
environments. They survive high amounts of salinity either by excreting salt through their leaves,
or simply by safely keeping it within their tissues. Their root systems are shallow and partly

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exposed to the air, which allows them to breathe in an environment that’s frequently flooded and
low in oxygen. Mangrove swamps are unique ecological communities that link freshwater and
oceanic ecosystems and host a rich diversity of animal species. Because of their sensitivity to the
cold, mangroves are restricted to the tropics and subtropics.
The important role of mangroves is that they protect vulnerable coastlines from wave action
because they hold the soil together and prevent coastal erosion. Mangroves shield inland areas
during storms and minimize damage. Mangroves also provide crucial ecosystem services to
people. Because of their high capacity to recover from natural disasters, mangroves are particularly
valuable in the face of increasingly frequent and violent tropical storms and hurricanes. By offering
an obstacle to wind and waves, they significantly decrease the intensity of the storm while reducing
its human and material toll. The degree of protection offered by the mangrove forest is dependent
on the width of the forest. This is important to note since Guyana is below sea-level and is more
vulnerable to damage from wave action. Besides their role in shoreline protection, mangroves
constitute a valuable tool in the fight against climate change. When a tree grows, it stores carbon
in its biomass, thus decreasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Mangroves
perform this carbon storage mechanism particularly well, as they can store up to five times more
carbon than an equal area of rainforest. These efficient carbon sinks are becoming increasingly
relevant in the light of worsening climate change.
Ecologically speaking, mangroves are exciting systems in their own right. The trees’ intricate
network of roots provides a shelter for many oceanic and freshwater species, and the forest is a
food source for many types of organisms as well. While certain species spend their entire life span
in this ecosystem, numerous fish species use the shelter of the mangrove as a nursing ground before
heading to the open ocean, to the extent that one third of all marine species were born and raised
in mangrove forests around the world. As a result, the mangroves’ well being is central to the
health of many more ecosystems. Mangrove forests provide homes for several species of plants
and animals. Migratory shorebirds and waders forage the mudflats for food. Birds like the cattle
egrets and scarlet ibises establish large roosting and nesting sites in mangroves. The beaches along
more mature undisturbed mangroves also serve as nesting sites for endangered sea turtles.
Mangroves are fish nurseries as they serve as a source of food for fish, shrimp and crabs that live
in rivers and the shallow areas of the sea/ocean, and provide a safe haven for juvenile fish, shrimp
and crab located on Guyana 's coastline. A mature mangrove forest acts as a sediment trap, thereby
assisting in the accretion of coastal sediments and further adding to the protection of low-lying
inland areas. Usually land grows trees but in the case of mangrove forests trees grow land.
Avicennia and Laguncularia typically form the bulk of the forest between the Rhizophora fringe
and the high tide line in Guyana. The mangrove forest of Guyana is a complex ecosystem because
it represents an inter-phase between two contrasting types of communities: the terrestrial, as
represented by shrubs, grasses and agricultural crops, and the marine as represented by sea grass.
There is an abrupt transition from mangroves to marine communities, while transitions to
terrestrial communities, such as fresh water swamps, are gradual in some places (Restoring
Guyana’s Mangrove Ecosystem, 2014).

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In 1992 the total area of mangrove forest in Guyana was estimated at 80,432 hectares. Due to an
increase in the demand for tannin for the leather industry, the production of mangrove bark
increased dramatically during the period 1996 – 1999. The Guyana Forestry Commission (1996
and 1999) reported 10,886.4 kg and 90,956.8 kg of mangrove bark was extracted in Regions One
and Two for tannin by the local leather industry. However, with the reduction of cattle production,
this has since been reduced with only a production of 12,619 Kg and 27,697kg in 2008 and 2009
respectively (GFC, 2001). (Restoring Guyana’s Mangrove Ecosystem, 2014).
Recently, the mangrove belt has been severely depleted which are believed to have been caused
by the natural cycle of erosion and accretion, heavy damage by human use, rise in sea level and
increased wave force. In the research conducted, it was found that the following were mechanisms
employed to aid in the conservation of mangrove forests in Guyana.
Mangroves were declared a protected species in Guyana, where the government has made it illegal
to cut or remove mangrove trees from its habitat. This was put in place so as to halt the harvesting
of mangroves for human use and land clearance. Another conservation technique that has been put
in place are coastal clean-ups organized by environmental organizations to prevent refuse from
shores from washing into mangrove forest roots; which would ultimately disrupt the ecosystem
present there. Additionally, environmental organizations also have programs which involve
planting mangroves and monitoring mangrove forests, hence, replacing mangroves from depleted
areas and ensuring that mangroves are not being removed from their habitat. Furthermore, there
are efforts being made to raise public awareness and educate the public on the importance of
mangroves in Guyana, through social media and television and radio broadcasts.
When mangroves from mangrove forests are removed, it therefore disrupts the ecosystem and the
organisms present in that habitat, and increases the risk of damage that can be caused by wave
action. The conservation methods discussed were put in place in hopes of ensuring that its
protective functions are efficient, halting the depletion of the mangrove forests and securing the
ecosystems present within.

LIMITATIONS:
 Information collected may be out dated and incorrect.

CONCLUSION:
In conclusion, the conservation techniques used to maintain the protective function, values and
biodiversity of mangroves in Georgetown, Guyana were assessed.

REFERENCE:
 Mangroves Project. (2014). Retrieved 20 November 2019, from
http://www.mangrovesgy.org/home/index.php/38-m-content?start=12
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