New Delhi (NVI): The mangrove forests of the Niger Delta in southern Nigeria will soon be restored as part of measures towards ensuring the protection of mangroves and oceans in the country.
The Federal Government of Nigeria is going to come up with a National Mangrove Restoration Project that will deliver environmental and sustainable livelihood benefits for people living in the Niger Delta region.
The Minister of State for Environment, Sharon Ikeazor, announced this project as Nigeria joined the global community to commemorate the 2020 International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem.
Furthermore, four sites have been identified – Taylor Creek Forest Reserve, Num Forest Reserve, Apoi Creek Forest Reserve, and Edumanon Forest Reserve – all in Bayelsa State which would be upgraded to the status of Marine Protected Area.
Mangrove forests are among the most powerful nature-based solutions to climate change, but with 67 percent of mangroves lost or degraded to date, and an additional 1.0 percent being lost each year, they are at a risk of being destroyed altogether.
Mangroves act as buffers between sea and land, protecting shorelines from damaging winds, waves and floods. They also reduce coastal erosion. Mangroves improve water quality by filtering pollutants and trapping sediment from the land.
“Mangrove For Live Project” is the name of the initiative, which aims to restore degraded mangrove forests and maintain those that are still in good condition in Nigeria. The project will soon be launched in this West African country.
According to Minister Sharon Ikeazor, Nigeria has the largest coverage of mangroves in Africa, and the fourth largest in the world. She added that more than 60 percent of these mangroves, equivalent to 6,000 km, are in the Niger Delta region.
The first phase of the Mangrove For Live Project will help promote the health of the mangrove ecosystem in the Niger Delta. It will also enable the people of this region to develop more sustainable livelihoods.
-CHK
