Pakistan Navy’s campaigns ‘instrumental in raising awareness of mangroves’ importance’

The Pakistan Navy, in collaboration with various other governmental and non-governmental organizations, is undertaking mangrove plantation campaigns every year.

A report issued by the Pakistan Navy says that these campaigns are instrumental in raising awareness of the importance of mangroves as well as improving the overall health of the entire mangrove forests in the country.

The essential role that mangroves could play in the protection of the coastal zone, their role in carbon sequestration and the increased risks posed by the predicted rise in sea levels and the rising cost of maintenance of the maritime infrastructure have prompted a commitment on the part of the Pakistan Navy to conserve, restore and protect the mangrove forests.

The mission of these campaigns is to rejuvenate the mangroves ecosystem of Pakistan through mangroves forestation and awareness campaigns for the protection of the environment and for boosting economic sustenance and growth of Pakistan.

The overall objective is to respond to climate change and to mitigate its effects through protection, rehabilitation and wise use of Pakistan’s mangroves ecosystems through processes that maintain their protective function, values and biodiversity while meeting the socio-economic development and environmental protection needs in estuarine and coastal areas.

In 2016, in collaboration with the forest departments of Sindh and Balochistan, International Union for Conservation of Nature and World Wild Life Fund, the Pakistan Navy planted one million mangrove plants along the coastal line.

In 2017 more than one million mangroves were planted in the coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan. In 2018 the target of mangrove plantation was raised to 2.5 million from Sir Creek to Jiwani and was divided into different phases over the year 2018.

This campaign included forestation, protection, and monitoring along with awareness-raising in collaboration with various stakeholders at various levels. Also, 772,000 seeds/propagates and 220,000 of Rhizophora Species were planted in 2018 to achieve the plantation target.

In 2019 the Pakistan Navy has planned to plant more than four million mangroves along the coasts of Balochistan and Sindh to promote sustainable management of mangrove forests. The objectives of this campaign are to support national efforts aimed at the protection and/or rehabilitation of mangroves eco-systems, to establish a monitoring system to ensure sustained protection of mangroves, encourage community participation and enhance public awareness and education on the benefits of mangrove forests especially amongst children and local communities.

ln addition, a nursery of mangroves has been established at Shah Bandar for raising mangrove seedlings and propagules to provide mangroves plants throughout the year.

To undertake mangrove plantation campaigns, the Pakistan Navy is constantly working on collaborative meetings with governmental and non-governmental organisations, capacity building of PN personnel to undertake plantation, protection and monitoring of planted mangroves, developing collaborative monitoring protocols for data collection and impact analysis and generating resources and support through partner organisations and other stakeholders for collaborative and sustained protection of plantation and awareness-raising.

The Pakistan Navy is leading by example in coastal protection for raising awareness of the need to do more and is undertaking various projects to preserve marine environment and protect and rehabilitate mangroves along the coastal area.

The PN mangroves plantation campaign is a particularly impressive and important initiative, which should be supported on all levels. The campaign has the potential for wide-reaching and positive outcomes.

Improving the health of the environment will contribute to reducing the risk of local and national disasters through better flood management and protection, sustainable livelihood, levels of food security, and the impacts of climate change and rising sea levels.