Conserving Mangroves - an arduous task or an antidote to the depleting resource

Mangrove vegetation is characteristically present in river estuaries and along the coast where the land meets the sea. It proliferates in most of the places to stabilise some of the land which otherwise would be eroded every year due to wave action. The major components of the mangrove swamps are salt tolerant trees along with the associated fauna.
Tropical coastal communities have utilised mangrove resources for centuries without upsetting the ecological balance in the area. This may largely be attributed to smaller population levels etc. Later, overexploitation and destruction of the mangrove areas become a consequence of population pressures. The forests diminished at an alarming rate because it was branded as wastelands, stinking, impenetrable, mosquito ridden dirty areas. During this time, it was commonplace for mangrove land to be readily reclaimed. It was only in the 1960s when there was a gradual realisation of their ecological and economical importance. It changes the scenario and countries harbouring mangroves started various programs to reverse the cycle of degradation.
Pakistan - a subtropical country, also blessed by nature to have mangroves along its 1,046 Km coastline. The mangrove spread is not ubiquitous Sindh coast is studded with these forests, while along Balochistan coast they are present at three different locations viz: Miani Hor, Kalmat Khor and Gwatar Bay, equidistant to each other. According to a study of IUCN Pakistan, published in 2003, which is based on satellite imageries and ground truthing, revealed that the total area under the mangrove cover is 86,727.86 hectares, which was used to be 220,000 ha with an estimate wood at 16,000 cubic metres as reported by SUPARCO in 1983. This huge loss within a span of twenty years alarmed the policy makers, line departments and conservationists to take imperative measures for rehabilitation of this vital eco-system.
Sindh Forest Department took the lead in planting mangroves at the denuded areas of Indus delta, which was later on followed by KPT, Balochistan Forest Department and PQA in their respective jurisdictions. IUCN and WWF are also playing vital role for their preservations and restorations all along the Pakistan coastline.
Efforts of Karachi Port Trust to save mangroves Planting mangroves is not an easy task. It is unique in a sense that it needs knowledge of forestry, marine sciences, coastal hydrology, socio-economic conditions of coastal dwellers and last but not the least an integrated and holistic approach.
Karachi Harbour is spread over an area of 62 sq.km and it possesses 1,000 ha of mangrove area under its jurisdiction. This natural harbour has been developed over more than a century by a process of reclamation and dredging. This area has always received non-saline water historically from the Lyari river flowing down from mountains and presently the wastewater of the city through same river passage. The influx of non-saline water and organic silt provides an ideal condition for growth of mangroves forest in the two backwaters of the harbour. However, the diminishing ingress of sweet water and influx of untreated industrial effluents have played havoc with the marine ecology in this area. Three species of the mangroves used to be found in the area three decades back but now only one species exists, which is tolerant to 400 million gallons per day of municipal and industrial liquid waste from the city. This nonstop wastewater pouring into the harbour from Lyari river, Nehr-e-Khayam and 13 small outfalls serving the population, peripheral to the backwater. Apart from these ecological stresses, the mangroves are also being cut down by the poachers for firewood on commercial basis. This unsustainable practice drives the eco-system to extinction.
Realising the importance of the mangroves and the need to promote awareness valued eco-system, Karachi Port Trust has embarked upon a project to conserve and rehabilitate the mangroves in the port and its adjacent areas. The strategy adopted by the KPT in the project is multipronged such as by developing partnerships with other organisations, direct actions on the poachers by facilitating the law enforcement agencies for action, raising awareness campaigns, planting mangroves and establishing nurseries from the knowledge acquired, developing projects to treat the waste water entering into the harbour and social uplift programmes of fisherfolk communities at Baba, Bhit Islands. In early 90s, KPT invited IUCN to plant mangroves in the China Creek and Sandspit backwaters. In late 90s, KPT assigned a piece of land in the middle of jungle to WWF for establishing a wetland center on public private partnership concept. The main objective of this center is to create awareness among different levels about natural resources, including mangroves. KPT also suggested them to plant one thousand mangrove saplings each year to makeup for the losses.
Acquiring sufficient knowledge on the mangroves, KPT started direct measures for their restoration. The mangroves areas have been surveyed extensively to assess the losses and potential. On the basis of these surveys, the environmental sensitised area has been mapped, inventory of the natural resources being carried out, the areas have been identified which need plantation and the areas which need only protection. Mangrove safeguard policy for the port area has been developed and any future development projects shall be screened through the guidelines of the policy document.
Each year mangrove nursery containing 2,000 saplings are being developed and these saplings are planted in the denuded areas. Some areas of mangroves need only the protection from the poachers where KPT has equipped its security personnel with high speed boats to curb illegal activities immediately on the site. Moreover, KPT has given legal protection to its mangroves through KPT Act and is ever cognisant of its responsibilities in this area.