Mangroves guardians on our shores
IN North Queensland, when we think about mangroves, we often think about three things: trees with weird roots, crocodiles and mosquitoes.
However, there is much more to the mangrove forests you see around our region.
Mangroves grow in 124 countries around the world and are only found in places where rivers meet the sea.
They are productive ecosystems and although many of us see them as fishing grounds or a place for crab hunting, mangroves do more than just provide us with food.
They protect us from tsunami waves, storm winds and sea- level rise.
They also help to purify water and prevent erosion of beaches.
It is estimated that one hectare of mangroves provides a value of more than $ 400,000 to the surrounding community.
In some situations, a mangrove forest can be the difference between large and limited property damage in a storm. Monitoring mangrove forests is essential for ensuring these important ecosystems stay healthy so they can continue to provide us with food and protection from the elements.
However, it’s not always easy to conduct field surveys and scientists are looking to technology to improve mangrove monitoring.
Field surveys are very helpful because they allow us to see and measure mangrove growth, identify species, record animal sightings and much more.
However, field surveys can only cover a small portion of the ecosystem, they are time consuming, and require a lot of human effort.
They involve researchers and volunteers navigating roots, mud and insects in high heat and humidity, while mitigating the risks of mosquitoes and crocodiles.
Satellite technology is another way to monitor these forests, and provides important information that is difficult to obtain from the ground.
By using satellite imagery, we can see if mangrove forests expand or contract, grow or die, if they have been burned or bashed by storms, or if they have been chopped down.
Because mangroves are so important to our communities, knowing if they are healthy or sick will allow us to determine where sick mangroves are and why.
By protecting the mangroves, we protect our communities from natural disasters and ensure a better and healthier environment for future generations.