There is urgent need today to effectively incorporate mangrove forest conservation and restoration measures within any effective plan to combat Climate Change, according to Alfredo Quarto, who co-founded The Mangrove Action Project.
He notes that “it is an imperative that we become aware of the vital role that mangroves play in carbon sequestration and long-term carbon storage.”
Mangroves are the rainforests by the sea, found in the tropics and sub-tropics. They serve a wide range of ecological functions, providing people with various economically valuable products and services. Large stretches of the sub-tropical and tropical coastline are dominated by mangroves, once estimated to cover an area of over 36 million hectares. However, due to ongoing conversion to other uses, mangroves in many areas of the world are degraded and their area is substantially reduced relative to their historic range. Now, less than 15 million ha remain—less than half the original area.
The mangrove wetlands are important nursery grounds for a vast array of marine life and serve as feeding and stopover sites for migratory birds. Mangroves play a vital role in protecting sea grasses and coral reefs from sediments and pollution, filtering out heavy metals and halting shoreline erosion. Mangroves also serve as buffers against hurricane winds, storm surges and tsunamis. This living bio-shield has saved thousands of lives and prevented damage to infrastructure.
And, according to Alfredo Quarto, who will teach us on February 13, mangroves also help diminish the problems of Climate Change.
Join us at 12:35 pm in The Little Theater on the main campus of Peninsula College or join us on Zoom. Meeting ID: 890 7589 0152
For more information, please contact Kate Reavey, Studium Generale Coordinator, at kreavy@pencol.edu.