By capturing carbon dioxide and storing it in its biomass, mangrove species are able to reduce the amount of excess carbon in the air, thereby lessening the greenhouse gas' contribution to global warming.
Forest researchers Dixon T. Gevana, Florencia B. Pulhin and Nelson M. Pampolina of the UPLB College Forestry and Natural Resources (CFNR) recently assessed the capability of mangrove forests to sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas which contributes as much as 26% to the greenhouse effect.
In an article entitled “Carbon Stock Assessment of a Mangrove Ecosystem in San Juan, Batangas” published in the Journal of Environmental Science and Management (JESAM) in June 2008, the UPLB researchers mentioned two mangrove systems in San Juan, Batangas: in Barangays Potcol and Catmon, where 100 hectares are planted to mangroves. In these sites, the Bakawan (Rhizophora sp.), Tabigi (Xylocarpus granatum), and Bungalon (Avicennia marina) are dominant mangrove species planted.
According to the report, San Juan's mangrove forests can store about 13,000 tons of carbon- already a huge quantity absorbed and not trapped in the atmosphere.
San Juan's mangrove forests serve as very good “carbon sinks”, thus the local government unit should continue to preserve and protect the forests. The researchers estimated that if one-third of San Juan's coastal area is converted to mangrove forests, the carbon that may be mitigated can reach up to 25,652 tons.
