Wetland

Values and
Functions

S HORELINE S TABILISATION &

S TORM P ROTECTION
t " Sediment & Nutr
n ient RCOASTAL
HURRICANES, CYCLONES
le n ishm,eSTORM SURGES AND OTHER eten WEATHER DISTURBANCES can cause
immense damage
a t er R through flooding and direct destruction tofionproperty,
e p
a nd not to mention the loss of
humannd wlife. In Bangladesh 40,000 people were drowned in 1985 Exp one storm surge. Globally,
during
ro u ort surges.
Gan estimated 46 million people per year are currently at risk from storm "
o l" Wa
o ntr ter against incoming
dC
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 cur-
o

cat in the
Flo

rents, while the roots of the plants help to hold the sediment in place. Mangroves i on
Sundarbans break up storm waves that exceed 4 metres in height, and this has encouraged " Sthe
Government of Bangladesh to invest considerable sums of money in re-planting mangroves in hthe ore
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
belt along shorelines in areas prone to storm surges or typhoons from a 20 metre width (set by a
o
law in 1975) to a 50-100 metre
width. Government sponsored refor-
estation of mangroves in the
In Brief
Philippines began in the 1980s with a
✔ Coastal wetlands play a critical role in many parts World Bank funded US$ 3.5 million
of the world in protecting the land from storm project. Reforestation is a costly
surges and other weather events; they reduce process: in Thailand replanting costs
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
ent "
for storm protection and flood dimentalone
Secontrol & N has
utrien groves.
n
been valued atleUS$ m
ish300,000 per kilometre – the t Reten
p
r Re them with rock walls. tioThe
n anvalue of intact mangrove swamps
wa t e
cost of replacing
d E for storm protection and
" Loss
o nd of
uEngland
vegetation along river banks in eastern in Malaysia
xpo
Gr was costed at US$ 425 per metre of bank rt "alone has been estimat-
flood control
o l " – the cost of maintaining artificial bank
ntr ed at US$ Wa per kilometre –
300,000
o reinforcement to prevent erosion. ter them with rock
dC
the cost of replacing
" The value of 1 kilometre of coral reef ranged from Pu
rifi is equal-
walls. Shoreline stabilisation
o

US$ 137,000 to almost US$ 1.2 million over a

cat In the
Flo

25-year period, based on the economic value of ly important in inland rivers. io

storm protection, fishing and tourism. United Kingdom, the loss ofn vegeta-
" S
hor
tion along river banks in eastern e line
Stab
i lisat
io
 S HORELINE S TABILISATION & S TORM P ROTECTION ...

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torm Protection " Climate Change

Mangroves, saltmarshes and other forested wetlands often act as the frontline defence against incoming storms. Photo:WWF-Canon/Siegfried Voldhek

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England was costed at US$ 425 per metre of bank – the cost of maintaining artificial bank rein-

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forcement to prevent erosion.
Pro
nd
tl a

Coral reefs also deliver storm protection. A recent estimate of the value of coral reefs found that
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the cost of destroying just 1 kilometre of reef ranged from US$ 137,000 to almost US$ 1.2 mil-
lue
"

lion over a 25-year period, based on the economic value of storm protection, fishing and tourism.
a
Despite their crucial role, an estimated one third of the world’s 600,000 square
ralV
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kilometres of coral reefs have already been destroyed. A recent survey indicates that
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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 associ-
ated with climate change, identified as the major culprits. /To
u r is Wetland
o n Values and
re ati
Predicted effects of climate change over the next 50-100
Re c Functions
years will place both coastal and inland wetlands in some ty "
i
parts of the world under a great deal of pressure through i vers The Ramsar Bureau
d
Bio
Rue Mauverney 28
s of
increased prevalence of tropical storms, changing patterns CH-1196 Gland
of precipitation, and sea level rise. # voir ser
Switzerland
Re Tel.: +41 22 999 0170
ion "
itigat
Fax.: +41 22 999 0169
on & S an ge M e-mail: ramsar@ramsar.org
to rm Protection " Climate Ch Web site: http://ramsar.org