The Mangrove

Being from Alabama (and certainly not coastal Alabama) I did not know much about the mangrove when I arrived in the Philippines.  All I actually knew was that they are coastal trees...BUT... there is so, so much more to know!  They are very unique trees that live in salty and briny waters, but they do not really use the salt.  They excrete the salt through their leaves... in a way, it is much like a human sweating.  Mangroves have unique root systems that make forests of them an ideal place for young and maturing sea life like crabs, fish, and snails.  They also provide for coastal erosion protection, protection from tidal surge during a typhoon, and are considered to be some of the most productive carbon absorbents; in a country that is so disproportionately affected by climate change, that is a huge factor in why reforestation is happening here.

Last week my counterpart and I went to inspect the results of some mangrove plantings that had taken place.  They were planted by POs (people's organizations) around the municipality as part of a program of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office where the PO is paid to plant the mangroves, and they will receive a second payment a year from now that is based on how many of the trees are still alive next year.  The threefold purpose stated in the proposal was to provide some protecting from storm surge, help mitigate the effects of climate change, and to positively impact food security in the areas that would be beneficiaries of the funds.  Here are some pictures from our inspection trip.

Newly planted mangroves.

Here is one that already has leaves.   They are actually called propagules at this point in their lifecycle.

In front are the newly planted mangroves, the second tier was planted earlier this year, and the next tier is five years old.

These are planted a little inland.  They would only be in the water during the highest tides of the year or during a typhoon.

These are about a year old.

Same year old plants that are pictured above, but just zoomed in.  As you can see, the root system creates a web-like environment that makes it easy for the smallest of ocean critters to thrive in.  The root system is also very strong; it is ideal for preventing erosion. 

The island we were on (which has one of the most successful track-records of mangrove planting I've seen here) sells the propagules to other barangays in our municipality that don't have as many to spare.  You can get a good look the propagules there and see what makes them different from a sapling.  There are no external roots; everything is contained within that one stalk. 

This is the other thing that mangroves do; they serve as a filter for runoff.  Anywhere humans go, our waste follows us.  If these trees weren't there, then all this trash would be in the water.  Mangroves are the first line of defense in protecting seagrass beds, and coral reefs.  Any hope in having having a healthy reef depends on having a healthy mangrove to protect it.