Values Shoreline E

Wetland Values and Functions

S HORELINE S TABILISATION & S TORM P ROTECTION t " Sediment & Nutr

Flo o

o ntr o dC

l"

ient RCOASTAL n HURRICANES, CYCLONES SURGES AND OTHER eten WEATHER DISTURBANCES can cause shm,eSTORM i n e l p e immense damage not to mention the loss of r R through flooding and direct destruction tofionproperty, a nd e t a w human life. In Bangladesh 40,000 people were drowned in 1985 during Exp one storm surge. Globally, nd u o ort surges. r Gan estimated 46 million people per year are currently at risk from storm "

Wa

ter against incoming Saltmarshes, mangroves and other forested wetlands act as the frontline defence P storms. They help minimise the impact of storms by reducing wind action, wave uaction rifi and curcat in the rents, while the roots of the plants help to hold the sediment in place. Mangroves i on " Sthe Sundarbans break up storm waves that exceed 4 metres in height, and this has encouraged ore Government of Bangladesh to invest considerable sums of money in re-planting mangroves in hthe li area to assist in storm protection. Following many years of mangrove loss and conversion in the ne St abil Philippines, the Government passed a law in 1986 requiring the extension of a mangrove forest isati o belt along shorelines in areas prone to storm surges or typhoons from a 20 metre width (set by a law in 1975) to a 50-100 metre width. Government sponsored reforestation of mangroves in the In Brief Philippines began in the 1980s with a World Bank funded US$ 3.5 million ✔ Coastal wetlands play a critical role in many parts project. Reforestation is a costly of the world in protecting the land from storm process: in Thailand replanting costs surges and other weather events; they reduce wind, wave and current action, and coastal amounted to US$ 946 per hectare vegetation helps to hold sediment in place. compared to only US$ 189 per hectare for protecting existing man" The value of intact mangrove swamps in Malaysia groves. dimentalone & N has Secontrol for storm protection and flood ent "

utrien

Flo o

m been valued atleUS$ per kilometre – the t Reten ish300,000 n tioThe p cost of replacing n anvalue of intact mangrove swamps r Re them with rock walls. e t a d E for storm protection and w " Loss of vegetation along river banks in eastern in Malaysia nd xpo uEngland o was costed at US$ 425 per metre of bank r flood control rt "alone has been estimatG " – the cost of maintaining artificial bank l ed at US$ 300,000 o Wa per kilometre – tr reinforcement to prevent erosion. n ter them with rock o the cost of replacing " The value of 1 kilometre of coral reef ranged from Pu dC walls. Shoreline stabilisation rifi is equalUS$ 137,000 to almost US$ 1.2 million over a cat In the ly important in inland rivers. 25-year period, based on the economic value of io storm protection, fishing and tourism. " United Kingdom, the loss ofn vegetaS

hor tion along river banks in eastern e

line

Stab i

lisat

io

Pro

du cts

S HORELINE S TABILISATION & S TORM P ROTECTION ...

"

tion " a g i t i M on & S torm Protection " Climate Change

on & S to

lue a lV a r u ult C "

f Bio o s r rvoi e s e R

it ers v i d

y"

o ati e r Re c

n/

Mangroves, saltmarshes and other forested wetlands often act as the frontline defence against incoming storms.

ri Tou

sm

We tl a nd Pro du ct s

Photo:WWF-Canon/Siegfried Voldhek

England was costed at US$ 425 per metre of bank – the cost of maintaining artificial bank reinforcement to prevent erosion.

"

Coral reefs also deliver storm protection. A recent estimate of the value of coral reefs found that the cost of destroying just 1 kilometre of reef ranged from US$ 137,000 to almost US$ 1.2 million over a 25-year period, based on the economic value of storm protection, fishing and tourism. lue a Despite their crucial role, an estimated one third of the world’s 600,000 square lV a r u kilometres of coral reefs have already been destroyed. A recent survey indicates that ult C 58% of the remaining reefs are at risk from human activities, with overfishing and " m destructive fishing practices, as well as coastal development and bleaching associr is u ated with climate change, identified as the major culprits. /To Predicted effects of climate change over the next 50-100 years will place both coastal and inland wetlands in some ty " i parts of the world under a great deal of pressure through ers v i d increased prevalence of tropical storms, changing patterns Bio f o s of precipitation, and sea level rise. # voir

itigat M e g n a rm Protection " Climate Ch

Re ion "

ser

o ati e r Re c

n

Wetland Values and Functions

The Ramsar Bureau Rue Mauverney 28 CH-1196 Gland Switzerland Tel.: +41 22 999 0170 Fax.: +41 22 999 0169 e-mail: [email protected] Web site: http://ramsar.org