In Myanmar, Mangroves Out, Flooding In

The destruction of huge areas of coastal mangroves around the Irrawaddy River delta in Myanmar in the last few decades amplified the flooding and worsened devastation there, according to a report and images released Thursday by the Food and Agriculture Organization.

People have been pushing in closer to the coast, and the combination of dense new settlements and deforestation for fish ponds and farmland set the stage for the disaster, said Jan Heino, the F.A.O.’s assistant director general for forestry. The same trend is evident around the world, he added.

Over all, the area of the Irrawaddy delta covered in mangrove forests has been halved since 1975. Wood harvesting has also reduced the density of the forests.

“Healthy mangrove forests are particularly good at reducing the force of waves because of the resistance provided by stilt roots as well as the trees’ trunks and branches,” the report said. “Mangroves also trap and stabilize sediment and reduce the risk of shoreline erosion.”

The Mongabay blog has some useful additional background on how agriculture, as well as aquaculture, eats away at these vital buffers to storms and nurseries for marine life and birds.

And of course the retreat of mangroves is hardly restricted to struggling tropical countries. In Florida, as some comment posters noted on my recent video blog with my son, Jack, homeowners can hack away at the mangroves to put in a dock for the (affordable) price of a fine or two.

from the NY Times