Mangrove Sedimentation and Surface Accretion – Indonesia

Sea level is rising globally at an average rate of 1.8 mm per year.  Yet in some areas it has been demonstrated that mangrove forests may help protect against the effects of sea-level rise by reducing the energy from waves and tidal currents that lead to coastal erosion.  

SWAMP (Sustainable Wetlands for Mitigation and Adaptation Program) scientists, led by CIFOR (Center for International Forestry Research), USFS (US Forest Service, are examining how mangrove forests may adapt to sea-level rise in Indonesia.  They have deployed Rod Surface Elevation Tables (rSET) in various locations throughout Bintuni Bay, West Papua, Indonesia for long-term monitoring of sedimentation, surface accretion, and subsidence processes in mangrove ecosystems.

For more information, contact Dr. Daniel Murdiyarso of the Center for International Forestry Research, (D.Murdiyarso@cigar.org).