Essay On Mangroves

The coastal ecosystem of southern Luzon is rich and varied. A number of coastal ecosystems that have socioeconomic, cultural and ecological significance include bays e.g., Batangas, Balayan, Tayabas and Ulugan bays; and marine corridors such as the Verde Island Passage.

Mangrove forests were reported to provide various services commonly ranging from socioeconomic to ecological services. Socioeconomic services include provision of food and other products for human consumption or as a source of income. Common products are wood for charcoal or as housing material, fish, clams and shellfish; other products are honey, vinegar and traditional medicine. Aside from these products, tourism was also reported to be an additional source of income for the provinces of Marinduque, Romblon, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Batangas and the National Capital Region (NCR).

As for ecological services, the most commonly reported benefits of mangroves are as wildlife habitat; as shoreline protection and stabilization; as protection from tsunami and storm surges, tides and currents; as water filtration; as flood and flow control; in breaking down of pollutants, and as a carbon sink.

In addition to these services, a number of provinces found historical, cultural and spiritual values from mangrove forests. Romblon and Cavite reported that mangrove forests help maintain

It also leaves coastal dwellers vulnerable to strong winds, tidal waves, storm surges, sea level rise and coastal erosion. There has also been an observed effect on wildlife biodiversity such as migratory birds. The LPPCHEA where NCR is located is a stopover of migratory birds journeying the East-Australian flyway. The decline of mangroves affects the availability of food for these birds. Another observed effect is that the seagrass ecosystem becomes prone to runoff and sedimentation with the decline of