DENR-7 plants thousands of mangrove in Olango

By Hazel F. Gloria

Saturday 23rd of June 2012

CEBU CITY, June 23 (PIA) -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7) in the region planted more than 2,000 mangrove propagules within the 1,028-hectare Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary in Lapu-Lapu City, as part of its environment month celebration.

DENR-7 regional executive director Dr. Isabelo Montejo said the DENR wants to make sure that the coastal areas are maintained by conducting a regular mangrove planting and maintenance, and coastal cleanup by enlisting the assistance of the communities and other stakeholders.

“Mangroves are salt-tolerant, woody, seed-bearing plants ranging in size from small shrubs to tall trees, and they exist along sheltered intertidal coastlines and in association with estuaries and lagoons,” Montejo added.

In a similar event last June 20, nearly 70 volunteers from DENR, local government units, and other stakeholders conducted maintenance and monitoring on the planted mangroves by removing tidal debris that included algae and plastics, which were attached to the branches and stems.

They also collected around 20 kilos of garbage mostly plastics and other litters.

Montejo explained that although mangroves live on saline soils, they have the usual plant requirements of freshwater, nutrients, and oxygen, which is why maintenance is part of ensuring their survival.

Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary in Lapulapu City, with a spread area of over 1,028 hectares, is the Philippines' first wetland of international importance for waterfowl and covers vast mangrove forest.

Out of 70 mangrove tree species in the world, 34 are in the Philippines, and one hectare of mangrove trees produces up to 3.6 tons of litterfall annually, and one hectare of healthy mangrove ecosystem produces about 1.08 tons of fish per year, Montejo said.

Mangroves provide nursery grounds for fish, prawns, and crabs, and support fisheries production in coastal waters; protect the environment by protecting coastal areas and communities from storm surges, waves, tidal currents and typhoons; produce organic biomass (carbon), and reduce organic pollution in nearshore areas by trapping or absorption, the DENR-7 brochure read.

Montejo urged coastal communities to help in protecting the mangroves and participate in the maintenance as they provide shelter for local and migratory wildlife, and serve as roosting and foraging grounds.

Meanwhile, from September to November, thousands of shorebirds migrate to Olango and farther south to Australia and New Zealand, after breeding in China, Russia, and Alaska following the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, the DENR official shared.

Soon after winter, from March to May, the shorebirds begin their northward migration and thousands of them pass by Olango en route to the breeding areas in northern hemisphere.

The mangrove planting and monitoring, and coastal cleanup is one of the features of the Environment Month 2012 celebration with theme, “Green Economy: Does it include you?”. (mbcn/hfg-PIA7/DENR-7)