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Thai Villagers Re-cultivate Mangroves to Protect Themselves

06/10/09October 6, 2009

In Thailand, the cost of rapid economic growth in past years is now being paid in the currency of environmental destruction. The destruction of coastal mangroves for development and shrimp farming has resulted in massive coastal erosion, especially in the Gulf of Thailand. But there are communities who hope to halt the loss of more land to the sea by way of mangrove regeneration and rehabilitation.

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Mangroves have long roots that help tackle soil erosion
Mangroves have long roots that help tackle soil erosionImage: dw-tv

Less than two hours from Bangkok in the province of Samut Prakarn a long boat winds its way along the canals of the village of Bang Khun Thien. The unusual feature here is that the waterways that reach to the sea were once streets. Telegraph poles stand on either side, sad markers to the degree of coastal erosion and encroachment in this coastal village. A city boundary marker now stands a kilometre out to sea.

A World Bank report on Thailand’s environment said coastline damage amounted to millions of dollars in lost value. The Thai coastline is disappearing at a rate of one to five meters a year. In Samut Prakarn in the 1980s, as Thailand pressed for economic growth, protective mangroves were cleared to make way for shrimp farms.

Problem of erosion

Janaka de Silva, an environmental scientist and program coordinator with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature IUCN says the erosion has put considerable pressure on local communities.

“The coastal erosion problem here is a function of many factors and climate change is really something that is going to most likely make the situation even worse. How coastal people are adapting and living in what we see as a very dynamic environment that’s changing and being influenced by many different forces – it’s a struggle.”

Mangrove forests stabilize the shoreline, trapping sediment and bolstering the shore. Without them the shoreline quickly becomes a victim of the constant forces of wind, waves and currents.

Local efforts to protect mangroves

The Bang Khun Thien community, which has seen the loss of 95 per cent of the mangroves, is trying to fight back. The community builds coastal sea walls to protect the new mangroves using four meter tall bamboo poles pressed into the muddy seabed. The bamboo protects the young mangroves from the waves, allowing them to grow.

Narin Boonruam, a leader of the group, hopes the government will pay more attention to this work to protect the coastal resources, and be more behind the local people.

Pinsak Surasavadi, a director with the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, says the community’s participation plays a key role in protecting the mangroves. His department looks after some 600,000 acres of coastal mangrove areas.

“The community here not only regenerate the mangroves they also help with other problems like coastal erosion. They also give us local knowledge on how to protect the shoreline from erosion.”

On Monday the global conservation group WWF released a report warning that rising seas were already impacting many countries in South East Asia. Climate change will affect millions more if nothing is done.

Author:Ron Corben (Bangkok)
Editor:Grahame Lucas