Myanmar launches more mangrove forest rehabilitation project

Myanmar has launched one more project of mangrove forest rehabilitation in Kadonkani forest reserve in Ayeyawaddy delta region with more cyclone shelters to be built there, official media reported Monday. The project, being carried out in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), covers 1,215 hectares of mangrove forest plantations. It is part of the measures to protect the mangrove forests in the region. Myanmar has carried out multi-purpose management and reforestation plan from 2007 to 2013. As a nation with 7th largest mangrove forest in the world, Myanmar has 200,000 hectares of mangrove forest accounting for 3.3 percent of the total area in the world. Most of the mangrove forest lie in Rakhine state, Ayeyawaddy and Tanintharyi regions. According to the report, the vast stretches of mangrove forest in the Ayeyawaddy delta have turned into paddy fields, salt fields and fish or shrimp ponds as changes occur. The remaining mangrove forest gave humans natural protection when cyclone Nargis hit the region in 2008.