Philippines Races to Save Mangroves Amid Climate Threats

In the Philippines, a critical natural defense against storm surges and coastal erosion is under threat: its mangrove forests. The archipelago, battered by around 20 typhoons annually, relies heavily on these ecosystems, yet has lost over 60% of its mangrove cover since 1918, according to government data. Increasingly powerful storms are exacerbating the situation by stirring up sediment that chokes mangroves at their roots. "Our typhoons are becoming frequent and getting stronger," said Andrea Pimentel, project manager for environmental organization WWF-Philippines. "Even (if) mangroves are resilient, they can also be affected, and eventually they could die." Pimentel works with local communities to rehabilitate mangroves across 245 hectares, including a two-hectare stretch in Batuan town, Masbate province, where repeated typhoons have left bare patches in a once-dense forest. Park ranger Bernard Almogera, who fished at the site with his father decades ago, has witnessed the mangroves deteriorate. "Some of them were snapped off, others like this one were uprooted," the 58-year-old told AFP, pointing to a storm-damaged tree. Workers are now building bamboo fences to slow incoming waves, allowing suspended sediment to settle before it clogs the tidal channel that sustains the mangrove forest. If the channel becomes clogged, water stagnates, depriving the mangrove roots of oxygen and leading to their death. Scientists caution that while bamboo fences are a cheap method, they can rot within three years. Nevertheless, they offer a quick and affordable solution in one of the world's most climate-vulnerable countries. Warming oceans, fueled by climate change, are producing stronger tropical storms. The world's oceans experienced their hottest June on record, with a strong El Nino pattern expected to bring further heat. Pimentel stresses the urgency of mangrove protection and rehabilitation. "If we don't act now, our mangroves will be vulnerable to climate change." The urgency is global; a 2024 IUCN study found half of the world's mangrove ecosystems are at risk of collapse due to climate change, rising sea levels, and human activity. A 2023 survey led by Filipino scientist Severino Salmo identified the Philippines as having the second-highest mangrove losses in Southeast Asia, largely due to climate impacts and conversion to aquaculture ponds. "It will be more difficult (for the mangroves) to adjust now because of the massive losses in the past," Salmo warned. He believes without proper restoration and better government policies, mangroves will continue to decline. "It's disappointing that we keep losing mangroves given how important they are. For now, (the best response) should be to conserve whatever is left." As workers continued assembling the bamboo fence, Pimentel observed the blackened roots of suffocated trees, stating, "Mangroves have always protected us from typhoons. It's time we protect them too." Source: GMA News Philippines