Mangroves: The Story Behind our Tangled-Root Trees

            For years, humans living in the coastal regions of Fiji, and all of Oceania for that matter, have shared a mutual relationship with the mangrove forest ecosystem. These durable forests are serve humans interests and provide local habitats with essential natural services such as water quality maintenance and erosion control.                  
                                                                     

             (Carlos Cuba Photography Black & White)

            Serving as a buffer between the vast oceans and the lush tropical coastal environment along the Fijian coast, mangroves have many special characteristics that allow them to survive in quite complex environments. The mangrove trees are able to survive because of their complex root systems that consist of a bundle of shallow roots that ebb up and down with the tide. The bundled roots of the mangrove tend to slow the flow of shallow ocean currents, which causes sediment and nutrients to settle in the muddy bottom, essentially cleansing the water of sediment. In addition, mangrove forests filter freshwater runoff from coastal rainfall keeping coral reefs free from invasive algae or pollutant buildup.         
                                                                                                                   

(Ellison pp. 23)

            Unlike in most developed countries such as the U.S., Fijians cannot simply drive to superstores such as Home Depot, Costco, or Wal-Mart to purchase living essentials; rather, they have learned to make best use of the environment around them to suit their needs. Local communities utilize the timber from mangrove trees for the construction of houses, huts, and fences. Within the household, Fijians put Mangrove wood to use building furniture, fishing poles, traps, medicines, and alcohol to suit their needs. 
                                                 

             Historically, the mangrove ecosystem has prospered in the Indo- Malaysian areas of modern day India and Bangladesh. From this cradle of origin, these vital trees spread by way   of ocean currents to places as far away as South America, Eastern Africa, and of course Fiji. Mangroves thrive in shallow, reef-lined coastlines found in the many island systems South Pacific. In Fiji, the there are two main islands called Viti Levu, and Vanua Levu. The Ba, Rewa and Nadi rivers on Viti Levu and the Labasa river on Vanua Levu make up the largest strands of mangroves in the Fijian region.

            

Mangrove Trees, 1934 (colour litho), European School (20th century) / Private Collection / The Bridgeman Art Library. 

              Fijians have always depended on the mangrove ecosystem for survival, and continue to reap the benefits of this useful natural environment. A rise in recent external human activity such as timber extraction and development have begun to take a toll on these trees. The security of mangroves has been more and more of a topic in recent years amongst those concerned about the long term preservation of the Fijian coastline.

By: Max McGee

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 Works

"Art, Culture & History Images." Mangrove Trees, 1934 (colour Litho) by European School (20th        Century). N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2012. Trees-1934-colour- litho?lang=en-GB>.

"Carlos Cuba Photography » Black & White." Carlos Cuba Photography » Black & White. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2012. <http://www.carloscubafineart.com/blog/black-white/>.

D.M. Alongi “Present state and future of the world's mangrove forests” Environmental Conservation, 29 (2002)

Ellison, J.C. 2004. Vulnerability of Fiji’s mangroves and associated coral reefs to climate change.   Review for the World Wildlife Fund. Launceston, Australia: University of Tasmania.

           

"Mangroves Are a Group of Trees and Shrubs That Live in the Coastal Intertidal Zone." What Is a    "mangrove" Forest? N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2012. <http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/factsmangroves.html>.