The importance of Mangrove forest in Egypt and role ofprotected areas

Abdelwahab Afefe, Egypt

The mangrove forests are extremely important ecologically andenvironmentally for the continued existence and maintenance of coastalfisheries, for shoreline protection, for sediment stabilization. Themangroves are of global importance for the in-situ conservation offorest genetic resources. Mangroves are associated with themaintenance of biota (flora and fauna)., such as providing food andshelter for a large group of marine fish and shellfish. also support a

variety of terrestrial wildlife .

Impacts to mangroves include overgrazing, solid waste disposal,over-fishing, urbanization and changes in hydrological patterns whichthreaten the survival of the mangroves. In addition the uses tomangrove are put are surprisingly diverse. The mangrove forests haveconsiderable economic importance to local communities that living

around coastal areas .

Mangrove forests in Egypt are estimated to cover approximately 700hectares. Being the northernmost mangroves in the Indo-Pacific-East

African mangrove realm.

The majority of these are monospecific stands of Avicennia marina whilea few mixed stands of Rhyzophora mucronata and Avicennia marinaoccur near the southern extent of the Egyptian Red Sea coast.Mangrove heights in Egypt (Avicennia marina) rarely exceed 5 m,reflecting the generally limiting environment (high salinity, low rainfall,

extreme temperatures) in which they occur .

All mangroves in Egypt are now protected and three main nurseries, oneat Nabq (south Sinai governorate) the other in Safaga and Wadi ElGamal (Red sea governorate), have been established to propagate

mangrove.

In Egypt the National and international Non Governmental Organizationshave also contributed through various projects and programmes on theconservation of biodiversity and sustainable management of Mangrovewith supporting of local communities in mangrove areas. Such as,Project of Assessment and Management of Mangrove forests in Egyptfor Sustainable Utilization and Development (2003-2005) throughsecure the Egyptian Red Sea mangrove population and ensure itsconservation and sustainable management. Also the research project "astudy of human subsistence ecosystems in Arab (2009-2013)" through

study the current status of the biological environment and the socialenvironment of the Red Sea coast in Egypt, focusing on the detailed

status of human impacts on mangrove habitat.