Mangrove forests and seagrass beds as natural barriers for coastal floods and erosions

Advocates of Science and Technology for the People (AGHAM) advises the government, for a more efficient and sustainable way to protect coastal communities, from any hazards of possible storm surges and produce habitats for marine life around the area. This can be made possible by planting mangroves and beach forests, as well as nurturing seagrass beds that may help reduce the impact caused by high winds and waves which are the common cause of erosion. Due to the casualties and destructions brought about by the Supertyphoon Odette, AGHAM, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) suggested in Thursday that in lieu of relocating coastal residents within the area, growing coastal greenbelts are a better solution. “This shows that DENR and DILG should exhaust all means to mitigate hazards first, such as developing coastal greenbelts, improving early warning systems and enhancing disaster risk reduction measures up to the local level, before considering totally and permanently uprooting residents from their homes and livelihood,” AGHAM announced.