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LOCAL Monday 27 July 2020
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International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem

ORANJESTAD — Yesterday marked grove forest floor. They are herbi-
the International Day for the Con- vores gobbling up detritus, leaves
servation of the Mangrove Eco- and seedlings. Fiddler crabs also
system, adopted by the General forage on the mud but they are
Conference of UNESCO in 2015 deposit feeders scooping up sedi-
and celebrated each year on ment and sifting through it for ed-
July 26. With this, UNESCO aims ible particles. The males have a
to raise awareness of the impor- huge, brightly coloured claw which
tance of mangrove ecosystems as is useless for feeding but vital when
‘a unique, special and vulnerable defending a territory or attracting
ecosystem’ and to promote solu- a mate.
tions for their sustainable manage- Importance of Mangroves:
ment, conservation and uses. The • Mangroves provide an impor-
most popular mangrove sites in tant breeding site for many
Aruba would definitely be consid- routinely used to strengthen natu- species of migratory and non-
ered Spanish Lagoon and Mangel ral fiber lines used in fishing. Tradi- migratory bird species
Halto in Pos Chikito. tionally they were used much more • Mangroves support a large
intensively than today for example range of wintering and forag-
Mangroves are rare, spectacu- in boat building and basket weav- ing wetland birds
lar and prolific ecosystems on the ing as well as to produce charcoal. • Mangroves are an important
boundary between land and sea. Born survivors nursery site for many aquatic
These extra ordinary ecosystems In fact looking beyond the mud species such as fish and crus-
contribute to the wellbeing, food and the mosquitoes mangroves taceans (i.e. crabs, shrimp, lob-
security, and protection of coastal are fascinating ecosystems. They ster)
communities worldwide. They sup- form dense, often impenetrable • Mangroves provide harvest-
port a rich biodiversity and provide forests, choked with tangled prop able products such as food, in-
a valuable nursery habitat for fish roots and bathed in mud. Man- cluding fish and crustaceans
and crustaceans. Mangroves also groves have evolved the amazing • Mangroves provide regulat-
act as a form of natural coastal ability to thrive under extremely ing functions such as carbon
defense against storm surges, tsu- harsh conditions. during their life. sequestration and water man-
namis, rising sea levels and ero- Not only can they tolerate high Snorkeling through mangrove is agement: mangroves capture
sion. Their soils are highly effective levels of salt but they are also able like visiting the reef in miniature. and store different forms of
carbon sinks, sequestering vast to cope with more or less con- The young of cardinalfish (Apogo- carbon responsible for climate
amounts of carbon. stantly waterlogged soil. Need- nidae) snapper (Lutjanidae), grou- change and slow the passage
Yet mangroves are disappearing less to say there are not many of per (Serranidae), wrasse (Labri- of water, collecting silt running
three to five times faster than over- them, only 40 species have been dae), pufferfish (Tetradontidae), off the land towards the sea
all global forest losses, with serious recorded worldwide. Red man- boxfish (Ostraciidae), butterflyfish • Mangroves protect our coasts
ecological and socio-economic groves (Rhizophera sp) survive by (Chaetodontidae), damselfish from erosion by waves and
impacts. Current estimates indi- breathing through lenticels (pores) (Pomacentridae), scorpionfish wind
cate that mangrove coverage has in their prop roots whilst black man- (Scorpaenidae) and grunts (Hae- • Mangroves provide for tourism,
been divided by two in the past 40 groves (Avecennia sp) send up a mulidae) all can be found milling recreation and hiking
years. field of pneumatophores (aerial around mangroves, darting in and For this reason the Spanish Lagoon
UNESCO is engaged deeply in roots) around the trunk of the tree out of their rootsy home. Some was designated a Ramsar site – a
supporting the conservation of through which they breath. All species such as the commercially wetland site of international impor-
mangroves, while advancing the species of mangrove extrude salt important spiney lobster (Panulirus tance – in 1980 and brought under
sustainable development of their through their leaves, which is why sp) use the mangrove to as spawn- the protection of the National Park
local communities. The inclusion of the leaves glisten in sunlight. Living ing grounds. In all between 60 and in 2017. Spanish Lagoon alone has
mangroves in Biosphere Reserves, as they do, at the interface be- 80 different species of fish can rou- a high biodiversity with 190 animal
World Heritage sites and UNESCO tween land and water, mangroves tinely be found in mangroves. and 64 plant species recorded to
Global Geoparks contributes to im- provide a valuable service in pro- Prop roots date and provides ecosystem ser-
proving the knowledge, manage- tecting land from the buffeting Mangrove prop roots form veri- vices that are important for the
ment and conservation of man- power of the sea. table oases of life. The roots them- economic and social wellbeing of
grove ecosystems throughout the Refugia selves are smothered in encrusting the island.
world. In addition to resident plants and life including mangrove oysters It is of utmost importance that more
Uses of mangroves animals like killifish, tarpon (Mega- and barnacles, mussels and anem- mangrove areas of Aruba are
lops atlanticus), snook (Centropo- ones, sponges, tunicates, stinging brought under protection. Please
Mangroves have been highly mus undecimalis), and mangrove hydroids and worms. appreciate our precious man-
managed ecosystems since the snapper (Lutjanus griseus), man- Crabs are a ubiquitous feature of groves and help us to conserve our
dawn of time. Until the advent of groves provide a safe haven for mangrove ecosystems. Grapsid unique island nature!
synthetic lines the roots of the red nearly every kind of reef fish and crabs live underwater emerging Source: Dutch Caribbean Nature
mangrove (Rhizophora sp) were many invertebrates at some time at low water to feast on the man- Alliance.q