Staff Reporter Islamabad
Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam has said area covered by mangroves has increased by 300 percent in the country since 1990 as the covered area has increased from 477 square kilometers to 1463 kilometers.
In a video message, the Special Assistant said Pakistan is the only country in the world with an immense production of mangroves. He said “95 percent of mangrove forests in the country were in the Indus delta in Sindh.
He said the Sindh government in collaboration with international organizations has played pivotal role in increasing mangroves in the country.
He said federal government will plant one billion mangroves Under Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Project. Mangrove forests are one of the most productive ecosystems on earth for being useful to mitigate effects of climate change, act as natural fortresses against soil erosion and to protect against tsunamis, cyclones.
Meanwhile,Coastal mangrove forests provide protection from tsunami and cyclones, prevent soil erosion and intrusion from the sea, absorb carbon dioxide, other harmful gases and dust and release oxygen into the atmosphere and help keep fishing channels clean thereby contributing to breeding of good quality fish.
