Powering up with mangrove

I RECENTLY came across an article calling for a ban on the conversion of natural mangrove reserves for commercial purposes. According to the writer, a senior lecturer from UKM Lestari, “mangroves protect tropical and subtropical coastlines from the impacts of coastal and oceanic hazards, including tropical storms and cyclones”.

How true. We saw evidence of this during the Aceh tsunami of 2014 when coastal communities living in areas where mangroves were thriving were spared the damage of the giant waves.