Planting mangroves in Tambobo

What better way to experience mangroves than to plant one yourself, feet sunk into the nutrient-rich mud? On the 25th of January, we met Evelyn, one of the members of PAPSIMCO (Palayuhan, Palimpinon, and Siit Multipurpose Cooperative), to plan where to plant the ready mangrove saplings in Tambobo Bay. PAPSIMCO is one of the people’s associations in the Municipality of Siaton that MCP has been collaborating with on several projects, including mangrove restoration.

Mangroves are salt-water loving trees and a vital ecosystem for conservation in the Philippines. As we’ve written about before, these salt-tolerant plants are remarkably efficient at trapping sediment from upland areas before it reaches the sea. They are also an important nursery habitat for juvenile reef fish, particularly snappers. Aside from their role in helping corals survive and providing a fish nursery, mangroves matter to the local community in Tambobo Bay because they protect against strong waves during typhoon season. The mangrove forest in Tambobo Bay has approximately 23 species, including landward mangroves, though the nursery itself held only three species at the time, since the project had only started the year before.

Evelyn and MCP staff decided the most efficient approach was to mark the planting area with colored flags, to guide the volunteers and community on where to plant. So the team prepared bamboo sticks and long tree branches, and tied ripped strips of green and red cloth to each one. Two lines, 30 metres and 10 metres, were measured out, since the plan was to plant 300 mangrove saplings spaced 1 metre apart, the density recommended nationally for seafront mangrove plantings exposed to daily tides. Each metre along the line had a strip of cloth tied to it to guide the spacing. The red cloth marked Sonneratia alba, locally known as “Pagatpat,” while the green cloth marked Avicennia officinalis, locally known as “Bungalon.” The two aren’t interchangeable: Pagatpat is a natural pioneer of the open coast, built to handle daily tidal flooding, and its sour fruit is even used locally as a vinegar substitute, while Bungalon typically belongs further inland, in the higher, more sheltered part of the mangrove zone. Marking them separately meant each sapling went into the part of the mudflat it was actually suited to. Both species can withstand strong winds, waves, and salt water, thanks to adaptations that let them survive in this harsh environment.

The walk from the PAPSIMCO group’s building to the planting site is only about 200 metres. Mangrove mud, though, tends to hide sharp shells that can cut bare feet, so all volunteers wore heavy-soled dive boots. Once at the site, close to the mangrove forest and in mud that was ankle-deep, Evelyn and the team placed the flagged sticks at the four corners and tied rope between them. It looked, for a moment, like a course had been set up for a race.

On planting day, the lowest tide was reported at 8:52am, so the team arrived at 8:30 for a short briefing before splitting into two groups: one to dig, the other to bring saplings from the nursery. Low tide isn’t just a formality: it exposes the mudflat and gives young saplings a full window to get anchored before the water returns. The digging team spent some time waiting at first, since walking 200 metres of ankle-deep mud back and forth slowed things down. So the approach changed: instead of walking back and forth, everyone formed a line and passed the saplings hand to hand, like ants following a scent trail. With help from local science high school students and PAPSIMCO members, MCP volunteers planted 240 of the 300 mangrove saplings before the tide turned.

It wasn’t easy. Every step in the mud is a trap for whoever follows, since the more people who walk the same path, the deeper it gets. It’s a fitting reminder of an old saying, often credited to Emerson though it actually traces back to a 1903 poem by Muriel Strode: “I will not follow where the path may lead, but I will go where there is no path, and I will leave a trail.” Good advice before a day of mangrove planting.

We hope these young mangroves survive the test of time. More updates to come in the months ahead.