ACCORDING to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, seven protected public mangrove forests have been established along the coast of Yangon Region as a green belt and will continue to be expanded.

As part of the green belt initiative, seven protected public mangrove forests cover a total of 23,855 acres in Yangon Region. Across the entire country, there are 44 mangrove forests, comprising both reserved forests and protected public forests, totalling 717,238 acres.

Myanmar has over 1.1 million acres of mangroves, ranking seventh globally and third in Southeast Asia. The conservation of natural mangrove forests and the establishment of mangrove forests in coastal areas adjacent to the sea are crucial as they can act as a protective barrier against natural disasters caused by the sea and prevent the intrusion of salty seawater into farmland, thereby reducing the risk of crop damage, according to the ministry.

The ministry will carry out a wide range of awareness campaigns to encourage local people to cooperate in preserving mangrove forests, which are vital resources fostering the breeding of fish, prawns, and other aquatic animals.

ASH/ TH

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