Being a scientific society with a vested interest in the protection and restoration of mangroves\ud
and other coastal environments, it is with great pride that The International Society for Mangrove\ud
Ecosystems (ISME) provides the foreword to this important new work. In recognising the\ud
economic and ecological importance of mangrove forests and ecosystems, we have a responsibility\ud
to provide the means to sustainably manage and protect this vital coastal resource for future\ud
generations.\ud
Edited by three outstanding mangrove experts—Prof. Y. Mazda, Dr. E. Wolanski and Dr.\ud
P.V. Ridd—this book targets members of the scientific community who are interested in the\ud
preservation and sustainable utilisation of mangrove forests. The book has set itself five principal\ud
objectives:\ud
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1) To instruct mangrove researchers and engineers in developing countries on the physical\ud
processes taking place in the mangrove environment;\ud
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2) To encourage students to undertake studies of physical processes in mangrove areas;\ud
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3) To make coastal physical researchers recognise the peculiarity of mangrove physics;\ud
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4) To show the physical mechanisms that have been solved and need to be solved; and\ud
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5) To save research time by providing ready access to scientific articles and papers that appear\ud
in diverse media in different countries.\ud
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As reliable information is fundamental to the long-term health of mangrove ecosystems,\ud
ISME believes that this book will provide and contribute to the strengthening of scientific\ud
understanding, as well as the development and exchange of essential data and information\ud
required for the conservation, restoration and management of mangrove forests. The information\ud
developed and provided in the book constitutes a vital new resource for effective decision-making\ud
and policy formulation in the sustainable management of all mangrove ecosystems
