MANGROVE PROTECTION AND REVITALISATION NOW IRREVERSIBLE

OVER the years, this column has noticed ‘mangroves’ from time to time because of their importance, and we do so again. Mangroves are one of nature’s gifts to mankind and quietly dovetail into their interests. Mangroves are plant communities which grow along the coasts of tropical and subtropical regions of the world. They grow in the “intertidal” zone, that is, in the area between the sea and the land and unlike most plants, they have the aptitude to survive in seawater by filtering the salt with their shallow roots and excreting it from their leaves.

In Guyana, there are three types of mangroves - the Red Mangrove, the White Mangrove and the Black Mangrove. They grow extensively along the coastline and can also be seen in the estuaries of the Demerara, Berbice and Essequibo Rivers. Though these three vari- eties of mangrove have a few peculiar characteristics, there are some general characteristics which all mangroves share: They thrive in areas of high rainfall, they grow best in clayey soils formed by the buildup of waterborne soil particles, they all have shallow roots which make them vulnerable to high winds and strong waves and their seeds are dispersed by water carrying them both upstream and downstream. Mangroves have many valuable uses, knowledge of which often escapes city dwellers. For one, and most important, they protect the coastline from erosion. In Guyana, the coastal plain where most of the population lives is below sea level and the mangroves along the coastline provide invaluable protection. Additionally, they support wildlife, shelter many aquatic species, and offer good sites for beehives; indeed, mangrove honey is much sought after in Guyana. They provide firewood for domestic cooking and the ingredients of many folk medicines used to treat snake bites, skin disorders and ulcers. Tannin is also extracted from their barks. Fisherfolk get their poles from them, which are used to moor boats

SEE PAGE XXIII