CHALLENGES TO CHALLENGES TO MANGROVESMANGROVES

TRIMMINGTRIMMING STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT

ONLY LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS ONLY LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS MAY TRIM MANGROVES. THE MAY TRIM MANGROVES. THE LAW SAYS THE MANGROVES LAW SAYS THE MANGROVES MUST REMAIN “VIABLE” (ABLE MUST REMAIN “VIABLE” (ABLE TO SUPPORT LIFE).TO SUPPORT LIFE).

CUTTING MANGROVE TREES CUTTING MANGROVE TREES BACK TO BUSHES REDUCES BACK TO BUSHES REDUCES THEIR VIABILITY.THEIR VIABILITY.

THEY ARE NO LONGER VIABLE IN THEY ARE NO LONGER VIABLE IN CLEANING WATER, AIR, AND CLEANING WATER, AIR, AND SOIL.SOIL.

REPRODUCTION IS REDUCED.REPRODUCTION IS REDUCED. ANIMALS THAT ATTRACT ANIMALS THAT ATTRACT

TOURISM BECOME RARE OR TOURISM BECOME RARE OR EXTINCT.EXTINCT.

AQUATIC BABIES WILL LOSE AQUATIC BABIES WILL LOSE SHELTER AND FOOD (DETRITUS).SHELTER AND FOOD (DETRITUS).

SOLUTION TO TRIMMINGSOLUTION TO TRIMMING

RATHER THAN CUT DOWN THE RATHER THAN CUT DOWN THE TREES TO BUSHES, TRIM A FEW TREES TO BUSHES, TRIM A FEW BRANCHES TO LOOK THROUGH.BRANCHES TO LOOK THROUGH.

BUILD A BOARDWALK AND/ OR BUILD A BOARDWALK AND/ OR PIER ABOVE THE MANGROVE PIER ABOVE THE MANGROVE MAKING NONAGRESSIVE MAKING NONAGRESSIVE OBSERVATION POSSIBLE.OBSERVATION POSSIBLE.

REPLACED BY SEAWALLREPLACED BY SEAWALL NATURAL EBB AND FLOW IS NATURAL EBB AND FLOW IS

REDUCED OR STOPPED.REDUCED OR STOPPED. BARRIER FOR STORM SURGES IS BARRIER FOR STORM SURGES IS

GONE.GONE. SURFACE AREA FOR SESSILE SURFACE AREA FOR SESSILE

HABITATS IS GREATLY REDUCED.HABITATS IS GREATLY REDUCED. BUILD UP OF TOXINS AND BUILD UP OF TOXINS AND

WASTES CAN OCCUR.WASTES CAN OCCUR.

STORMWATER RUNOFFSTORMWATER RUNOFF (“FIRST FLUSH”) (“FIRST FLUSH”)

PESTICIDES, HERBICIDES, & PESTICIDES, HERBICIDES, & FUNGICIDES FROM LAWNS END FUNGICIDES FROM LAWNS END UP IN THE WATER KILLING UP IN THE WATER KILLING WILDLIFE AT MANY TROPHIC WILDLIFE AT MANY TROPHIC LEVELS.LEVELS.

FERTILIZERS INCREASE FERTILIZERS INCREASE EUTROPHICATION RESULTING IN EUTROPHICATION RESULTING IN ALGAE BLOOMS THAT REDUCE ALGAE BLOOMS THAT REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF OXYGEN IN THE THE AMOUNT OF OXYGEN IN THE WATER.WATER.

INCREASED ORGANIC MATTER INCREASED ORGANIC MATTER AND DEBRIS DECOMPOSED AND DEBRIS DECOMPOSED USING UP DISSOLVED OXYGEN.USING UP DISSOLVED OXYGEN.

DIRT AND CONSTRUCTION DIRT AND CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS REDUCE THE CLARITY OF DEBRIS REDUCE THE CLARITY OF THE WATER THUS LIMITING THE THE WATER THUS LIMITING THE AMOUNT OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS AMOUNT OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS IN THE SUBMERGED PLANTS.IN THE SUBMERGED PLANTS.

INCREASED PLASTICS AND INCREASED PLASTICS AND DEBRIS SLOWLY KILL ANIMALS.DEBRIS SLOWLY KILL ANIMALS.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF JUST WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF JUST ONE ROAD IS ADDED TO THIS ONE ROAD IS ADDED TO THIS

MANGROVE SWAMP?MANGROVE SWAMP?

THE NATURAL FLOW OF WATER THE NATURAL FLOW OF WATER IS REPLACED WITH SEAWALL IS REPLACED WITH SEAWALL

AND MUCH MORE.AND MUCH MORE.

AND ONCE ONE ROAD AND ONCE ONE ROAD IS BUILT . . .IS BUILT . . .

MORE DEVEOPMENT,MORE DEVEOPMENT,

AND EVEN MORE AND EVEN MORE DEVELOPMENT TAKES OVER.DEVELOPMENT TAKES OVER.

THE END???THE END???

THAT’S UP TO US.THAT’S UP TO US.