Two million people depend for their survival on this biologically rich ecosystem, where they find honey, shells, crabs, shrimps, fishes, wood and fuelwood. Friends of the Earth-Bangladesh warns that oil and gas exploration could interrupt fresh water flow to the mangroves, alter the flow of tidal sea water to the mangroves and the forest, and alter drainage patterns, vegetation and soil composition. Low altitude flights could destroy the breeding, migration and growth patterns of many sensitive bird species. Deforestation would occur during the construction of platforms, camps, wells, heliports and access roads. In response to environmentalists' protests, Shell Bangladesh claims it will not conduct oil activity in sensitive areas of the Sundarbans.
Mangroves are the rainforests by the sea.
Mangrove forests literally live in two worlds at once, acting as the interface between land and sea. Mangrove forests are vital for healthy coastal ecosystems. Fallen leaves and branches from the mangroves provide nutrients for the marine environment and support immense varieties of sea life in intricate food webs. They offer refuge and nursery grounds for juvenile fish, crabs, shrimps and mollusks. Mangroves help protect coastlines from erosion, storm damage, and wave action.