Linking Territorial and Coastal Planning: Conservation Status and Management of Mangrove Ecosystem at the Egyptian - African Red Sea Coast

Abdelwahab Afefe

doi:10.21608/aujes.2021.65951.1013

Abstract

The present study was conducted to get proper knowledge regarding the mangrove forests areas, boundaries, growing geomorphologic forms, understand mangrove importance and threats in Egypt and to helping suggest the remedial measures needed for proper conservation of mangrove ecosystem in Egypt. The major threats to mangroves in Egypt are the exploitation of it for coastal development (as removal for constructing hotels, roads and other infrastructureas), firewood, camel feed and timber. by human beings, this leads to a great loss of mangrove biodiversity. Knowledge of mangrove species zonation is essential in determining suitable areas of different species. Where, it is difficult to generalize planting sites for successful mangrove restoration, as this will depend on local environmental conditions and the species to be planted. Therefore, urgently need to evaluate the success of rehabilitation trials of mangroves that implemented before along Red Sea coast to contribute in success of current and future conservation activities for mangroves. In current study, since the results of restoration activities may vary within the environmental condition and management regime, assessment of the efficiency of restoration activities in different scenarios is necessary. Thus, our focus should be extended from developing the regulatory framework of carbon accounting to improving management and policy in mangrove restoration as forest carbon stock enhancement. This holistic effort would increase the benefit of mangrove ecosystem services for communities.

Highlights

Mangrove forests located at the interface between terrestrial, near-shore marine ecosystems, and estuarine in tropical and subtropical regions (Dodd and Ong, 2008). globally mangroves are cover about 0.7% of total area the world's tropical forests (Giri et al, 2011), and 0.12% of the total land area (Dodd and Ong, 2008)
3.1- Climate Conditions and Topography of Mangroves Areas in Egypt From a geographical point of view, the Egyptian mangroves can be divided into the Sinai mangroves, and mangroves growing on the Egyptian-African Red Sea coast (PERSGA, 2004)
The current findings agree with Afefe et al (2019) they suggested that the environmental aspects of mangrove growth in Egypt can be divided into four groups: climatic conditions; geomorphological aspects (Red Sea lagoons, bays and islands); water characteristics and man-made modifications

Summary

1- INTRODUCTION

Mangrove forests located at the interface between terrestrial, near-shore marine ecosystems, and estuarine in tropical and subtropical regions (Dodd and Ong, 2008). globally mangroves are cover about 0.7% of total area the world's tropical forests (Giri et al, 2011), and 0.12% of the total land area (Dodd and Ong, 2008). The mangroves in Egypt occupy about 525 hectares distributed in 28 different locations along Egyptian Red Sea coasts. Mangroves of Egypt are consisting of Avicennia marina, except for a few stands located southern Red Sea of Egypt, near the EgyptianSudanese borders, where Rhizophora mucronata coexists along with A. marina (PERSGA, 2004). The present study was conducted to get the knowledge regarding the mangroves boundaries, geomorphologic forms, threats in Egypt and design a management plan to conservation of mangroves and their ecosystem along the Egyptian Red Sea Coast. The mangroves in Egypt occupy about 525 hectares (ha) distributed in 28 different locations along Egyptian Red Sea coast, including one large discontinuous stand along the Gulf of Aqaba in Nabq Protected Area and one small stand at the most southern part of Gulf of Suez at Ras Mohammed National Park (Zahran and Willis 2009). The mangroves management plan in the present study were designed according to the global conservation guidelines for marine protected areas that need to preserve mangroves and enhance it ecosystem with analysis of threats and pressure that facing of mangroves protection (Nellemann et al, 2009; Tundi et al, 2011; Flint et al, 2018; Slobodian et al, 2018)

3- RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Conclusion

Methods