Salt Marshes and Mangroves Answers

Traditionally mangrove forests were viewed as wastelands and unhealthy environments. People therefore reasoned that their removal would improve the health of their ecosystems.

Some salt marshes that were converted to other human uses are being restored by converting landfills back to marshland. In other cases, land that was not a salt marsh is being converted into a salt marsh. In areas where salt marshes have degraded, but were not completely removed, tide flows are being restored so that the natural salt marsh will restore itself.

The salt tolerant grasses, rushes, and sedges of salt marshes cannot grow in areas with strong wave action. These high energy coasts are too damaging to such plants and therefore they only thrive in areas with low energy wave action.

Salt marshes and mangrove forests are both coastal habitats that exist where fresh and saltwater mingle. Salt marshes, however, are much more delicate and susceptible to wave action and therefore only thrive on low energy coasts. Mangrove trees provide a refuge on and thrive in high energy coastlines with strong wave action. Because they provide this secure habitat on high energy coasts many species take refuge in mangrove forests against the strong wave action.

Once the importance of mangrove forests to fisheries and the protection of coastlines against erosion were recognized, protecting them and rehabilitating them became a priority. Part of the rehabilitation of mangrove forests is being accomplished through natural regeneration, but it is also being accomplished by active replanting programs.