What is a swamp?
A swamp is an area of land permanently saturated or filled with water. It could contain freshwater or saltwater. Topographically, swamps are typically found in low-lying muddy areas where shallow-waters collect and do not dry out quickly. Swamps are simply named according to the type of vegetation that dominantly grows in them. Hence, the name mangrove swamps.
Mangrove swamps are home to a wide variety of local plant and animal species including heron, duck, alligators, monkeys, and also provides a medium for microbial growth, all of which makeup our local biodiversity.
Whether it is the popular mangrove swamps from Tanbi-Wetlands in the West Coast Region or the reed-rice swamps of Old Jeshwang or perhaps the Abuko-Lamin rice swamps, not to mention our famous Jahally-Pacharr rice swamps in CRR, the Bao Bolong wetlands in the North Bank Region or the flourishing mangrove swamps of Kombo Kafuta, The Gambia has been endowed with many type of swamps among which mangrove swamps have a predominance. They have gained popularity due to their well-known multi-benefits.
How do swamps, particularly mangrove swamps help in mitigating the impacts of climate change and conserving biodiversity?
Mangroves are one of the most important types of vegetation in coastal areas, and like all other type of swamps that are worth saving, our mangrove swamps provide habitats for many of our beautiful local bird species, reptiles, and, they serve as a spawning ground for fish, and provide ecosystem functions such as edible products in the form of fish, oyster, crabs, slugs etc., that are good protein sources for people, and a source of income for many oyster harvesters etc. These ecosystem functions depend on biodiversity through which human-beings are protected against disasters, pandemics, climate change, food insecurity.
Our mangroves store large amounts of carbon more efficiently than most forest vegetation covers. Thus, when we destroy our mangrove swamps, we would be allowing enormous amounts of greenhouse gasses emitted into the atmosphere to go unabsorbed. Such emissions are among the main contributors to adverse climate change impacts in The Gambia.
Mangroves also protect coastlines and riverbanks from erosion by capturing and trapping sediment; mangrove swamps serve as final collection points for run-offs and excessive flood water from nearby flooded communities during rainy seasons.
A well-known research publication by Bah, et al, (2022) through the University of Rhode Island, identified the key drivers and threats such as rapid urbanization, extraction of mangrove wood for fuel and constructions, open communal waste discharge, natural climatic factors, and sporadic factors as the key contributing factors to the exploitation and degradation of swamp ecosystems especially mangroves in The Gambia.
Population pressure: In The Gambia, typical examples of this situation could be the communities of Tallinding Farokono, Ebo Town, and Old Jeshwang that have their outskirts almost submerged in swamps. Consequently, the swamps are gradually being cleared for residential space whereby household, communal and industrial waste are openly discharged.
Extraction of mangrove wood for fuel and construction: one of the emerging drivers and threats of mangrove ecosystems degradation in The Gambia is the investments in economic development happening in such fragile ecosystems.
Natural climatic factors: climatic and hydrological variations such as sea-level rise, precipitation changes, temperature, and coastal storms impact the mangroves.
Sporadic factors: several other drivers that could lead to changes in the state of mangroves. In times of political instability law enforcement is usually weak and challenged, exposing most resources to unregulated exploitation.
The Gambia’s mangrove cover has shrunk at an average rate of 1.5 percent per year within the last 15 years. This decline in mangrove vegetation cover was mainly due to climate-induced factors.
What have resilient communities done to restore their swamps: mangrove swamps?
Swamps continue to be threatened by both human and climate induced factors. However, certain resilient communities around the country have made remarkable successes in restoring and conserving their mangrove swamps to enhance conservation.
What can we do to save our swamps: mangrove swamps?
For us to sustainably protect swamps including mangroves, we must recognize that our unplanned economic development activities are adversely impacting the thrive of our swamps, leaving us with more serious unintended environmental and climate issues to tackle using our country’s available limited resources.
By adopting and implementing response options including sound land use or urban planning policies, awareness creation, restoration of mangrove ecosystems, legal protection of mangrove ecosystems, and change of attitude for wise use of our limited natural resources, together we can conserve what is left of our country’s degraded mangrove swamps.
Ultimately, saving all type of swamps, whether reed or rice or mangroves should be prioritized as it is an effective way of conserving our gradually depleting biodiversity in this globally changing climate.
