As part of its mandate to conserve and protect biodiversity, the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) is urging developers to remember their responsibility to protect the Mangrove tree. On the occasion of Mangrove Action Day, which the international community recently observed, EAD is promoting the importance of this unique tree species in reducing climate change, acting as a buffer against extreme weather events and as a nursery to the emirate’s fish stocks.

Mangroves are a natural habitat for 75% of all tropical juvenile commercial fish species. They act as a nursery ground offering them shelter and food. Other species such as mud crabs, shrimps, as well as some water birds and waders depend on the mangroves. However, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, the mangrove species is threatened by the loss of habitat throughout its range, primarily due to extraction and coastal development. There has been an estimated 21% decline in mangrove area within this species range since 1980.

In 2003, Mangrove Action Project (MAP) - a non-governmental organization run by a global network with a mission to save mangroves - introduced Mangrove Action Day to help raise awareness on the species, its benefits, and what factors are causing it to be constantly threatened. EAD is marking this day by urging residents not to litter around mangroves, especially as plastic bags can interfere with mangrove growth by smothering them and may release pollutants which could affect the health of the mangrove. EAD is also calling on developers to protect this vulnerable species by considering the environment in the early planning stages of their development.

Back in the late 1970s, massive mangrove plantation programmes put in place by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan substantially contributed to the increase of mangrove plantation over the past decades. Today, out of the 110 square kilometres of mangrove forests that exist in the UAE, 64% occur in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Presently, EAD is rehabilitating, conserving and protecting mangrove forests in seven main sites across the Emirate of Abu Dhabi: Saadiyat Island, Jubail Island, the Marawah Marine Biosphere Reserve (where Bu Tinah lies), Bu Syayeef Protected Area, Ras Gharab, the Eastern Mangroves and Ras Ghanada.

The Agency is proactively supporting several mangrove planting programmes as part of alleviation measures to strengthen these mangrove habitats. Such planting schemes help alleviate the effects of dredging, as well as mitigate the loss of habitat that occurs when mangroves are removed. The most recent successful mangrove planting project took place in February 2011, when EAD successfully planted 800,000 mangroves on the coast of Saadiyat and Jubail Islands.

Mangrove forests grow in areas between the high tide and the low tide mark, and substantially contribute to the preservation of the environment. They prevent coastline erosion caused by waves and ocean currents. In addition to being a major source of food and fuel, mangrove wood was used in the past for building houses and ships because of its rigidity and high resistance to rot and termites.

Mangroves are a resilient shelter for wildlife and nature’s way of lessening the impacts of global warming by absorbing carbon dioxide and keeping it locked away in a thick organic layer in the soil. However, mangroves remain a species under threat. Today, development poses many challenges to these conditions and consequently threatens the health of mangroves.

Thabit Al Abdessalaam, Director of Biodiversity Management Sector at EAD, said: "The Mangrove plays an integral role in the marine ecosystem, providing a habitat for aquatic and terrestrial fauna and flora, as well as offsetting carbon emissions which help reduce the effects of climate change. It is essential that each one of us assume responsibility for the conservation of this species, as it is a treasured part of our natural heritage. We live on this blessed land and we are all responsible for preserving it for our children and grandchildren." He added: "The Emirate of Abu Dhabi is developing at a rapid rate; it is important for us to ensure that our surrounding land and marine habitats are not disrupted as a result. By working together towards the same goal, we can preserve the natural habitats for the Emirate’s precious flora and fauna for years to come." According to an EAD report, Bu Tinah Island, the Eastern Mangroves, Ras Gharab and Ras Ghanada have been identified as sites with dense mangrove occurrence. Bu Tinah Island lies within the Marawah Marine Biosphere Reserve - the region’s first and largest UNESCO marine reserve - and is the only contender from the Gulf region in the international New 7 Wonders of Nature competition. Its mangrove forests, which lie in intertidal areas (between the low and high tide lines), are high in biodiversity value and are attracting mud crabs and shrimps as well as various species of birds.

To help make Bu Tinah Island one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature, local residents can SMS the word ’BuTinah’ to 3888 as many times as they wish.

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