KARACHI: Speakers at a seminar highlighted that mangroves are facing severe threats due to water and silt diversion, over-exploitation and heavy grazing and it is necessary to take practical steps for their conservation as they are crucial for not just environment but also in mitigating worsening temperatures along with providing protection against cyclones and tsunamis among other things.

The seminar, “Importance of Mangrove Conservation”, was organised by the Muhammad Ajmal Khan Institute of Sustainable Halophyte Utilisation (MAK-ISHU) at the University of Karachi here on Friday. The event was held to mark World Mangroves Day in collaboration with the KU Institute of Environmental Studies and the Sindh government’s forest department.

Chief Conservator of the forest department Riaz Ahmed Wagan said there was a serious threat to mangroves due to water and silt diversion, over-exploitation and heavy grazing. “Mangroves are essential for coastal resilience, yet they face serious challenges. The Indus Delta once hosted eight mangrove species but today, only four remain,” he said.

Mr Wagan informed the audience about the provincial government’s efforts to restore mangroves along the coastline. Early record showed existence of eight species of mangrove on the Indus Delta, spanning the districts of Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, and Karachi, but presently only four are found, he said.

Say mangroves are facing threats from silt, grazing, and diversion

He shared that according to a 2022 World Bank report, “one hectare of well-stocked mangrove forest is valued at US$58,000, with the overall asset value of the Indus Delta’s mangroves approximating US$1.22 billion.”

He also spoke about various economic benefits of mangroves, such as supporting fisheries, providing fuel-wood, and grazing resources, regulating global climate through carbon sequestration, and protecting against soil erosion and coastal damage.

“Mangroves provide fish biomass, nursery, and habitat provision in support of fisheries, wood, grazed biomass and livestock provisioning services, global climate regulation, soil erosion control, coastal protection, solid waste remediation, and recreation and education-related services,” he said.

However, he also pointed out the direct threats they face, including freshwater shortages, silt deposition, increased salinity, coastal erosion, sea intrusion, pollution, and exploitation for fuel and fodder.

He also emphasised the importance of maintaining a minimum freshwater discharge of 10 MAF into the delta for sustainable mangrove management. “Environmentalists advocate a minimum of 10 MAF freshwater discharge into the delta for sustainable management,” he said.

He also noted that mangroves significantly reduce wave damage, storm surges, high winds, tsunami impact, and erosion, and support adaptation to rising sea levels. “Due to continuous rehabilitation efforts since 2008, Pakistan currently occupies the 10th position globally and the 5th position in Asia for mangrove restoration,” he added.

Keynote speaker Dr Dolly Priatna from Pakuan University, Indonesia, while speaking through video link shared that Indonesia hosts the world’s largest mangrove area, covering 3.36 million hectares. However, he pointed out that “about 40 per cent of Indonesia’s mangroves were lost in the last three decades.”

Dr Priatna emphasised the critical role of mangroves and said they support the restoration, protection, and conservation of endangered species like the Sumatran Tiger, elephants, and Sumatran and Bornean Orangutans.

“Mangroves play a major role in carbon sequestration, nutrient cycling, water filtration, and boosting ecotourism. Despite these benefits, they face threats from deforestation, land conversion, urban development, pollution, illegal logging, mining, policy issues, community practices, economic incentives, climate change, and rising sea levels,” he said.

Earlier, KU Dean Faculty of Science Prof Dr Masarrat Jahan Yousuf called for collaboration between biologists and zoologists to improve the world’s ecosystem and environment. “Biologists and zoologists should work together for the betterment of the world’s ecosystem and environment,” she said.

She also suggested that mangroves could potentially be used for honey production. “Mangroves can also be used for honey production, but it would require detailed research to know which species can be helpful in this regard,” she observed.

Former Director MAK-ISHU Prof Dr Salman Gulzar read a message from Unesco Director General Audrey Azoulay, emphasising the fragile and crucial nature of mangroves.

“Mangroves are a link between land and sea and form a rare and fragile universe; a haven of life that must be protected,” he quoted Azoulay.

KU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi stressed the need for regular scientific events to raise awareness about climate research among students, faculty, and the general public.

“Scientific events should be arranged regularly to educate not only students and faculty members but also the general public about the real threats to our future generations,” he stated.

Dr Iraqi highlighted climate change as the most significant threat today, driven by high levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. “Climate change is the biggest threat we are facing today, and global temperatures are rising at an alarming rate,” he said.

He stressed that urbanisation and concrete structures in cities like Karachi exacerbate extreme weather events, urging immediate action to improve the environment. “Concrete structures in cities like Karachi will cause extreme weather events, such as unexpected high rains, flooding, or drought,” he said.

He also underscored the benefits of mangrove forests, describing them as “one of the most productive ecosystems,” and noted their role in fisheries support, cyclone and tsunami protection, and carbon sequestration.

“Mangrove forests hold several benefits for mankind, including protection against cyclones and tsunamis and serve as carbon sinks to clean the air we breathe,” he said.

Finally, Director KU MAK-ISHU Prof Dr Irfan Aziz highlighted the unique ecological and economic benefits of mangroves, noting their widespread presence in tropical and subtropical regions.

“Mangroves have a very unique ecosystem for our coastline and deltaic region,” he explained.

He highlighted their role in sequestering large amounts of blue carbon, making them a crucial natural tool for climate change mitigation.

“Mangroves can trap sediments and organic matter via their complex roots, allowing them to accumulate significant amounts of blue carbon over time,” Dr Aziz explained.

He noted that mangroves store carbon in both their biomass and the surrounding soil. “The amount of blue carbon stored in the mangrove ecosystem can be massive, with estimates up to 1,000 metric tons per hectare,” he shared.

Explaining their importance, particularly for Karachiites facing rising air temperatures, he said “Mangroves cover over 100,000 hectares of our coastline, so one can imagine how important they are to us, especially for Karachiites given increasing air temperatures.”

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2024