23 Abril 2024, Martes
more birthdays to come JO GOD-SAVES MONTOJO LOPEZ
welcomes Bagong Bayani Monico Lopez Caranay
supports International Autism Day, April 1-8, 2024
supports DENR Earth Day, Every Day campaign
Abandoned fishponds for mangrove restoration
By J.Lo
"Recent order of DENR, using modern technology, helps untangle some knots in the process of AUU pond reversion to mangrove forest," Annadel Cabanban, country manager of Wetlands International Philippines, who also serves as lead convenor of Global Mangrove Alliance Philippines said Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has to assess abandoned, undeveloped, and underutilized (AUU) fishponds to identify potential areas for mangrove restoration.
Environmental organizations and scientists have been calling on government to revert all abandoned fishponds into mangrove forests, crucial in fight against climate change because they serve as natural barriers to storms and absorb planet-heating carbon.
Document signed by Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga on February 26 but was only released to media on Wednesday ordered immediate assessment of AUU areas in Bicol region, Western Visayas, and Zamboanga Peninsula.
Order seeks recommendations for two types of reversion. First objective is administrative reversion, involves returning control of AUU fishponds to DENR from Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR).
Second objective is biophysical reversion, focuses on restoring ecological state of abandoned fishponds by transforming them back into mangrove forests through replanting, enrichment planting, and assisted regeneration.
Regional field assessment teams will gather data such as topographic, fishpond, mangrove and flooding maps as well as DA-BFAR data on areas issued with fishpond lease agreements (FLAs) abandoned, unused and underdeveloped.
Teams will conduct ground validation to assess profile and biophysical status of identified areas, and consult with civil society organizations, academic institutions and local government units.
Following assessment, regional technical working group (TWG) will recommend areas for administrative and biophysical reversion. These recommendations will then be forwarded to national TWG for review and final approval by the secretary.
Cabanban, called DENR order "huge milestone."
Playvolume00:00/02:23TruvidfullScreen
Conservationists earlier raised concern Philippine Salt Industry Development Act new law to boost country's struggling salt industry could result in conversion of fishponds into salt farms.
Wetlands International Philippines said law would increase salinity levels in disused fishponds, making it difficult to revert AUU fishponds into mangrove forests.
More than half of Philippines' extensive mangrove ecosystems, estimated at 450,000 hectares in 1918, have been lost primarily to fishpond conversion and other coastal development projects.
No comments:
Post a Comment