Salontaung Island mangrove forest designated protected
THE Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental
Conservation of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar has officially designated
a mangrove forest area in Salontaung Island as a protected mangrove forest
reserve under Notification 72/2025, effective from 22 July 2025 (13th Waning of
Waso, 1387 ME).
The newly designated “Salontaung Island Mangrove Buffer
Protected Forest” covers a total area of 11,786.8 acres in Kyunsu Township,
Myeik District, Taninthayi Region. The designation was made under Section 6,
Subsection (e) of the 2018 Forest Law, which authorizes the ministry to manage
and conserve designated areas.
The reserve aims to ensure the long-term sustainability of
the mangrove ecosystem, preserve biodiversity, reduce the impacts of coastal
erosion and storms, and support local communities with sustainable harvesting
of marine resources such as fish, crabs, and shrimp. It also intends to
strengthen the overall management of mangrove areas in the region.
By protecting the Salontaung Island mangroves, key native
tree species, including Bruguiera cylindrica, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, Rhizophora
mucronata, Ceriops decandra, and Nypa fruticans, will be preserved, along with
important bird species such as herons, egrets, kingfishers, storks, and
shorebirds. The reserve will also help maintain essential breeding grounds for
fish and other marine species.
This initiative reinforces the role of mangrove ecosystems
as critical coastal barriers that protect against natural disasters and
contribute significantly to the stability of marine biodiversity. — Ministry of
Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation
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