Over 1,500 mangrove trees planted in Ann Twsp to mark New Year

By Admin 18 Apr 2023

DMG Newsroom
18 April 2023, Ann

Environmentalists planted more than 1,500 mangrove trees from April 14-16 in Arakan State’s Ann Township to celebrate Thingyan, the Myanmar New Year.

The mangrove trees were planted on Sa Nwin and Myone Ohn islands, and along Kyar Oh Creek, to help protect against coastal erosion and in an effort to repopulate forests depleted by rampant deforestation, said Ann resident Ko Myo Lwin, who led the effort.

“Mainly we grew mangrove trees in places where they are depleted. On Sa Nwin Island, we found that sand and gravel mining is posing a threat to mangrove forests. So, we grew mangrove trees to help protect mangrove forests, and to mark Thingyan,” he said.

Previously, mangrove trees were logged only for firewood, but these days, people chop down mangrove trees on a large scale to make bricks and charcoal too, said residents.

Mangrove forests are depleted year after year in Kyaukphyu, Taungup, Ann, Myebon and Ramree townships. Concerned departments are not taking any action to stop deforestation, and are also not interested in planting new trees, say activists engaged in mangrove conservation.

“Around 70 percent of mangrove forests have been depleted in Ann Township. Of the remaining 30 percent, around 5 percent are plants younger than five years old,” said Ko Myo Lwin.

Mangrove trees are also cut down to make way for traditional agricultural farming and fish farming, he added.

“Logging for firewood and charcoal is the major contributing factor when it comes to mangrove deforestation. And mangrove trees are also illegally logged for construction sites,” said a member of the Wunbaik Mangrove Forest Conservation Group.

The Wunbaik reserve mangrove forest covers more than 150,000 acres and is located in Arakan State’s Ramree and Kyaukphyu townships. But 75 percent of the forest has been depleted by illegal logging for firewood and charcoal, according to local residents.

The Forest Department compiles and updates information on mangrove forests throughout Myanmar once every five years. The most recent tabulations, from 2015, found that Arakan State had 395,726 acres of mangroves in total. There are 5,320 acres of mangrove forests in Maungdaw District, 7,463 acres in Sittwe District, 148,268 acres in MraukU District, 83,660 acres in Kyaukphyu District and 83,876 acres in Thandwe District.