by: Andriel Ezekiel E. Ponio
Columban College, Olongapo City
Climate change is one of the many risks that have nonending battles between humans and nature; it is a significant and long-lasting change in the Earth's climate and weather patterns (Merriam-webster, 2021). However, experts, students, researchers, and many people worldwide strive to fight and look for a natural solution to these phenomena. To successfully respond to the challenges that climate change poses to our communities, it must talk briefly about it in a way that invites and welcomes into a comprehensive conversation with other people (Heath, 2021). That’s when the time that a mangrove center does its best especially about the propagation of mangroves
Mangroves are salt tolerant (halophytic) trees that live in areas with salty water for at least part of the time; it naturally protects shorelines from damaging storm and hurricane winds, waves, and floods. Also, it helps to prevent erosion by balancing sediments with their tangled root systems. They maintain water quality and clarity, filtering pollutants and trapping sediment from land.
Despite its characteristics and extraordinary benefits to coastal ecosystems, mangroves are among the most threatened habitats in the world, as they have disappeared at an alarming speed in the last few decades. By some estimates, less than fifty percent of the world’s mangrove forests were intact at the end of the 20th century, and half of those that remain are in poor condition (Nithimethachoke, 2016).
Mangroves are one of the world's most productive and diverse ecosystems. Mangrove forests, which grow near the oceans, freshwater, and land domains, provide a home for a diverse range of animal and plant species and a great source of income for the local community. Many birds and creatures call them home. Their leaves and roots, alive and dead, offer nutrients to plankton, algae, fish, and shellfish. These fishes that benefit the livelihood of the community that were captured commercially in tropical places reproduce and spend time as juveniles or adults in mangroves (Nithimethachoke, 2016).
Despite their importance, mangroves are critically disappearing at a global loss rate of one to two percent per year, and the loss rate reached Thirty-five percent during the last 20 years. Climate changes (sea level rise and rainfalls) and human activities (urban development, mining, and overexploitation of timber, fish, crustaceans, and shellfish) represent significant threats to mangrove habitats (Carugati, L., Gatto, B., Rastelli, E., La Martire, M., Coral, C., Greco, S., & Danovaro, R., 2018).
Therefore, the mangrove center will be an innovative solution to restoring the mangrove forest by researching the forest's ecosystem, finding solutions in dealing with the coastal problems, and showcasing the experimental fields of the problems we face today. In addition, the center will also provide vast knowledge through physical research of the area that will support the continuous learning for the local community and public so that people will manage their environment and thus be able to sustain long-term restoration, conservation, and propagation efforts (Sermdumrongsak, 2020).
In other countries, Thailand urgently needs to find an effective solution to save this essential natural resource. Supported by many philosophies and organizations such as Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (SEP), Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs), and Mangrove Alliance, it could be concluded that restoration of the seemingly beyond-repair environment is cost
effectively through researching the local environment and learning local knowledge to be able to implement the innovative solution for alleviating the problems that mangroves are facing (Sermdumrongsak, 2020).
The research and learning center for the western part of Indonesia is Karangsong, a mangrove forest in Indramayu, West Java. The forest is considered unique and has long been managed by coastal communities living in the area. In the Environment and Forestry Ministry’s research and development and innovation department, Henry Bastaman said, “the ecosystem in the Karangsong mangrove forest was well-preserved thanks to the management skills of local communities.” Karangsong would help researchers discover the richness of the mangrove ecosystem in the western part of Indonesia. For the eastern areas, mangrove research activities are found in Surabaya, East Java (Nurbaya, 2017).
In Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, an environmentalist named Agus Bei who manages and takes care of the mangrove center, started to develop the mangrove center practically by himself in 2001 and began to collaborate with a community of volunteers in 2009. Agus Bei (2009) said, "it was not easy to raise other people’s awareness about caring for the environment as it is a demanding task.” The volunteers and Agus consistently planted mangroves until 2017, often assisted by companies who conducted their projects at the center. “Come 2018, we (Graha Indah mangrove center) focused more on maintenance, education, and spreading awareness,” said Agus (2018). On the other hand, he hopes Balikpapan city and the East Kalimantan administration will take more proactive measures to help preserve the mangrove ecosystem. “Mangrove forests are the source of food for monkeys. If the wetland extent declines, the monkeys will run out of food and become extinct, and our children and grandchildren might not be able to see them alive again,” Agus (2018) warned (Kautsar, 2019).
Despite spreading awareness of the mangroves for the public, climate change is still inevitable and is rising fast every other year; Climate change and coastal development are increasing the risks to people and property from flooding across the globe. A new study released today by the WAVES Program, led by the World Bank, quantitatively values the benefits provided by mangroves across the Philippines and finds that they reduce the damage from flooding to people and property by Twenty-five percent annually. These results are summarized in a new report and policy brief, which follow rigorous approaches used in the engineering and insurance sectors to value nature's national services and benefits (The Nature Conservancy, 2017).
On the other hand, the country of the Philippines is one of the many countries that are prone to calamity risks in the world, its social and growth in economic expenses are kept increasing due to increment in population, unplanned urban development, migration, environmental degradation, climate change, up to misused funds. It is ranked third among all countries with the highest risks worldwide according to the World Risk Report 2018, with an index value of Twenty-five-point fourteen percent (World Economic Forum, 2018). However, prevention is better than cure, and reducing the risk of disaster is one of the significant aspects of achieving the development goals in the country.
Philippine coasts have a powerful natural defense because of mangroves. Many coastal habitats, including mangroves, coral reefs, and salt marshes, can significantly reduce flooding and erosion and thus protect people and property from the damages caused by storms, sea level rise, and king tides. The aerial roots of mangroves retain sediments and prevent erosion, while the roots, trunks, and canopy reduce the force of oncoming waves and storm surges and thus reduce flooding (The Nature Conservancy, 2017). somehow, some communities in the country are now making efforts to conserve and propagate the mangroves due to knowing the benefits that they will provide to them.
While in the other part of the country, the first mangrove center of its kind in the Visayas region and the third in the whole country now opens its doors to further flourish Cordova’s booming ecotourism (BMPLUS, 2021).
“The Mangrove Propagation and Information Center is a legacy project of MPIF and CCLEC for the people of Cordova,” MPIF president Melody Del Rosario (2021) said. “Similar to our existing centers in Alaminos, Pangasinan
and Del Carmen, Siargao, it will create employment opportunities that positively impact the economic condition of their municipality.” (Lorenciana, 2021).
Starting in 2013, the city of Alaminos in Pangasinan was looking for a vibrant coastal ecosystem. The Mangrove Propagation Information Center (MPIC) will be the center for the development of mangrove nurseries, the multiplication and planting of mangrove trees in coastal estuarine areas, and the rehabilitation of the degraded mangrove ecosystem. “The mangrove is a vital ecosystem, and the Metro Pacific Investments Foundation is doing its share in protecting and propagating it through this legacy project of Shore It Up (SIU), our flagship environmental sustainability program,” said Melody del Rosario (2016), Metro Pacific vice president for PR and corporate communications (BuisnessMirror, 2016).
Today’s environment requires a place that has dedicated space for learning area that will produce knowledgeable experience about being preventive and prepared for our future. The proposed project is to design a “Mangrove Center for Propagation and Ecotourism Park” that will help propagate mangroves and teach the most knowledge to visitors, local communities, and government agencies. Investing time in nature will guarantee a safe space for our future. This research attempts to improve the knowledge and skills of the people inside and outside of Bataan to have a learning center for mangrove propagation to prevent coast calamities.
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