The panorama of mangroves growing along the vast coastline of Quezon province is also serving as a defense barrier from trash that used to swamp the beaches and riverbanks. “The growing mangroves act as fine-tooth comb that prevents assorted trash coming from the sea to settle on the beach,” Manny Calayag, deputy head of the Quezon-Environment and Natural Resources Office (Quezon-Enro), said in a phone interview. Mangrove forests, also known as the “rainforests of the sea,” are an important part of the marine ecosystem as the roots of the trees provide shelter for marine life while their fallen leaves provide food for fish and other marine animals.

Mallari, D. T., Jr. (2014, October 2). Mangroves keep sea trash out of villages. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A10.