CHAPTER 9 . Conservation and Management of Latin American Mangroves
ery is based on 5 species, which all depend on mangroves for completion of their development. Along the Maranhao coast, northern Brazil, a huge shrimp production depends on two species of shrimp, which develop in mangrove systems locally. In Ecuador, mangroves provided shrimp larvae for the largest mariculture industry in the
Americas, which presently covers more than 140 000 ha.
Apart from indirect benefits, mangrove products are also important for coastal
populations in many localities. Firewood and charcoal seem to be the major uses of
mangroves in Latin America. In countries like Nicaragua, where nearly Bo% of households use wood for cooking, mangroves constitute a significant source of firewood,
amounting to 9 000 m 3 annually. More significantly, in Honduras, the use of firewood
ranges from Bo 000 m 3 to 120000 m3, while in EI Salvador, with only 350 km 2 of mangroves, 30 000 m 3 of firewood are extracted annually. In Brazil, mangroves are a frequentlya source of firewood for bakeries and potteries, even along the most developed
areas along the southeastern coast. In Panama, the annual demand for mangrove fuelwood is 2000 m 3 and the demand for timber for charcoal production 7 x 10 6 m 3 • More
than 1000 families depend directly on this resource (D'Croz 1993).
Charcoal is another major use of mangrove wood in Latin America, although only
a fraction of the total yield is converted to energy due to inefficient extraction techniques. In Costa Rica, as much as 1300 m 3 of charcoal is produced annually in the
Terraba-Sierpe mangroves. The mangrove charcoal production in Panama is 7400 m 3 •
Also, mangrove bark is still an important source of tannin in some Latin American
countries. In Cuba, for example, bark production measured 2700 t annually from 19B7
to 1991, although a decrease has recently been detected (Padron et al. 1993). Bark yields
range from IB40 to 4490 kg ha-' in Costa Rica, while in Panama 400 t a-'. In Colombia, nearly 30 000 t of mangrove bark were harvested between 1945 and 1970, wasting
more than 315 000 m 3 of timber. In the Parnaiba river estuary-delta in Piau!, northeastern Brazil, mangroves support more than 10000 artisinal crab fishermen.
Despite their importance for most coastal tropical countries in Latin America, mangrove ecosystems have experienced an accelerated rate of resource destruction. Estimates of deforestation in mangrove areas of Latin America are scarce. Central America
has significant annual cover losses, estimated to be 3B5 ha for Nicaragua, 560 ha for
Guatemala, and 45 ha for Costa Rica, mostly for conversion of mangrove areas into rice
fields, and salt and mariculture ponds. In Ecuador, nearly half of the mangrove area,
circa 8.0 000 ha, has been deforested for construction of shrimp ponds during the past
two decades. In Ilha Grande Bay in southeastern Brazil, which harbored nearly 600 ha
of mangrove forests in the early 'Bos, Bo% of this area has now been reclaimed to build
condominia and marinas. In Colombia, 2 000 ha of mangroves are presently licensed
for timber exploitation, with a potential timber yield of 70000 m 3 • Planned utilization
for this timber is Bo% for wood for construction and 20% fuel-wood and charcoal
(Alvarez-Leon 1993).
Apart from deforestation, degradation of large mangrove areas is taking place in
many Latin America countries due to misuse of coastal resources. Diversion of freshwater for irrigation and land reclamation are the major actions leading to mangrove
degradation. The mangroves of Guanabara Bay in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which measured 50 km 2 in the beginning of the century, is heavily impacted with less than 15 km 2
of pristine forests remaining. The impact has mostly occurred because of clear-cutting of mangroves along creeks and river bankS} oil spills, solid waste dumping, and
ery is based on 5 species, which all depend on mangroves for completion of their development. Along the Maranhao coast, northern Brazil, a huge shrimp production depends on two species of shrimp, which develop in mangrove systems locally. In Ecuador, mangroves provided shrimp larvae for the largest mariculture industry in the
Americas, which presently covers more than 140 000 ha.
Apart from indirect benefits, mangrove products are also important for coastal
populations in many localities. Firewood and charcoal seem to be the major uses of
mangroves in Latin America. In countries like Nicaragua, where nearly Bo% of households use wood for cooking, mangroves constitute a significant source of firewood,
amounting to 9 000 m 3 annually. More significantly, in Honduras, the use of firewood
ranges from Bo 000 m 3 to 120000 m3, while in EI Salvador, with only 350 km 2 of mangroves, 30 000 m 3 of firewood are extracted annually. In Brazil, mangroves are a frequentlya source of firewood for bakeries and potteries, even along the most developed
areas along the southeastern coast. In Panama, the annual demand for mangrove fuelwood is 2000 m 3 and the demand for timber for charcoal production 7 x 10 6 m 3 • More
than 1000 families depend directly on this resource (D'Croz 1993).
Charcoal is another major use of mangrove wood in Latin America, although only
a fraction of the total yield is converted to energy due to inefficient extraction techniques. In Costa Rica, as much as 1300 m 3 of charcoal is produced annually in the
Terraba-Sierpe mangroves. The mangrove charcoal production in Panama is 7400 m 3 •
Also, mangrove bark is still an important source of tannin in some Latin American
countries. In Cuba, for example, bark production measured 2700 t annually from 19B7
to 1991, although a decrease has recently been detected (Padron et al. 1993). Bark yields
range from IB40 to 4490 kg ha-' in Costa Rica, while in Panama 400 t a-'. In Colombia, nearly 30 000 t of mangrove bark were harvested between 1945 and 1970, wasting
more than 315 000 m 3 of timber. In the Parnaiba river estuary-delta in Piau!, northeastern Brazil, mangroves support more than 10000 artisinal crab fishermen.
Despite their importance for most coastal tropical countries in Latin America, mangrove ecosystems have experienced an accelerated rate of resource destruction. Estimates of deforestation in mangrove areas of Latin America are scarce. Central America
has significant annual cover losses, estimated to be 3B5 ha for Nicaragua, 560 ha for
Guatemala, and 45 ha for Costa Rica, mostly for conversion of mangrove areas into rice
fields, and salt and mariculture ponds. In Ecuador, nearly half of the mangrove area,
circa 8.0 000 ha, has been deforested for construction of shrimp ponds during the past
two decades. In Ilha Grande Bay in southeastern Brazil, which harbored nearly 600 ha
of mangrove forests in the early 'Bos, Bo% of this area has now been reclaimed to build
condominia and marinas. In Colombia, 2 000 ha of mangroves are presently licensed
for timber exploitation, with a potential timber yield of 70000 m 3 • Planned utilization
for this timber is Bo% for wood for construction and 20% fuel-wood and charcoal
(Alvarez-Leon 1993).
Apart from deforestation, degradation of large mangrove areas is taking place in
many Latin America countries due to misuse of coastal resources. Diversion of freshwater for irrigation and land reclamation are the major actions leading to mangrove
degradation. The mangroves of Guanabara Bay in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which measured 50 km 2 in the beginning of the century, is heavily impacted with less than 15 km 2
of pristine forests remaining. The impact has mostly occurred because of clear-cutting of mangroves along creeks and river bankS} oil spills, solid waste dumping, and