Thailand marks mangrove conservation day by calling for more cooperation
Thailand has made good progress in its commitment to save its mangroves, but there is still much to be done with cooperation from other sectors, the environment minister said.
In a message marking the International Day for Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem on Wednesday, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa said environment protection policies have helped expand the country’s mangroves by 200,000 rai compared to 2014.
According to images captured by the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (Gistda) satellite, Thailand now has 1.74 million rai of mangrove forests, compared to 1.53 million rai in 2014, he said.
However, he added, the government has not achieved its long-term goal of covering 40% of the country’s area in forests and mangroves.
Boosting forested areas will help Thailand reach its net-zero goal by 2065, Varawut added.
“Reforestation, rehabilitation and conservation of mangroves is still a goal and challenge for Thailand, and it needs cooperation from all sectors,” Varawut said.
“So, I will need to seek cooperation from the people, and would like to extend moral support to officials who are working to protect the fertile mangrove ecosystem.”
In his speech, Varawut also noted that Thailand is the fifth Southeast Asian nation with the biggest area covered by mangroves.
To mark the international conservation day, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) said on its website that the day has been marked every July 26 since 2015 to raise awareness of the importance of mangroves as “a unique, special and vulnerable ecosystem" and to promote solutions for their sustainable management, conservation and uses.
“Mangroves are rare, spectacular and prolific ecosystems on the boundary between land and sea. These extraordinary ecosystems contribute to the well-being, food security, and protection of coastal communities worldwide,” Unesco said in a statement marking the day.
“They support rich biodiversity and provide a valuable nursery habitat for fish and crustaceans. Mangroves also act as a form of natural coastal defence against storm surges, tsunamis, rising sea levels and erosion. Their soils are highly effective carbon sinks, sequestering vast amounts of carbon.”
As per data released by Unesco, mangroves are disappearing three to five times faster than forests across the world, so people, especially the youth, need to be educated about the importance of the mangrove ecosystem.
As part of the education campaign, Unesco Bangkok organised a field trip to the Salakphet Mangrove Walkway on Koh Chang in 2020.
During the trip, experts in the field briefed young people and other participants attending the event. The aim was to have participants conduct their own activities related to concerns and innovations on the degradation of the environment and solutions for a sustainable future.
