2.1.2 Construction activities

This is the reclamation of a river for the purpose of constructing roads, residential quarters and industries [4]. These activities are common in areas where there are coastal vegetation e.g. mangrove wetlands. The swamps are scooped away or reinforced with sand and concrete in other to produce a hard surface on which to construct foundations of buildings. Swampy soils are also locally reinforced with hard soils known as "chikoko" and left for some years to solidify before houses are

built on it. Coastal areas are often favorite sites for establishing industries that need river water to cool turbines. Industries also flock around coastal areas because of the

The Impact of Landscape Reclamation on Mangrove Forest and Coastal Areas in the Niger Delta…

Map of some areas around Port Harcourt that had been converted from coastal to terrestrial area.

Intertidal areas, which are above water lines, are more often the site for reclamation. These areas are naturally covered with water during high tides, but are filled with soil and consolidated to prevent tidal flooding during high tide. The solidified area is used as a platform for construction activities. Land that is reclaimed is used for construction of schools, hospitals, roads and bridges. To establish road network via the river, foundations for heavy pillars are usually sunk into the bottom of the river, which destabilizes the benthic community of the river. Areas close to the shore are also sand filled to connect bridges. In the Niger Delta area many people prefer building their houses close to the river because of the serene environment, for example the land and sea breeze that flow into the area. Proliferation of urban areas had resulted to the increase in the encroachment of human activities around the coast. Over population is a major factor that had led to the extension of cities beyond coastal limits. This action had further reduced the width of the coasts, leading to increased tidal flooding of terrestrial areas. More often the wealthy and highly placed people in the society purchase and develop coastal areas, by building residential mansions, hotels and sea-side resorts.

It is the forceful or legal takeover of coastal area by individuals or government officials. Highly placed individuals prefer constructing their houses along coastal areas. Through the use of police power they acquire and take over mangrove forest they bulldoze the forest, dredge and sand fill the site, which they allow to lie fallow for some years or reinforce and develop immediately. Coastal sites are preferred by land speculators because they usually off-city limits and isolated from

ease of transportation of goods and equipments.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.82053

2.1.3 Land acquisition

Figure 3.

the rest of the population.

57

#### Figure 2.

Dredged and sand filled areas in Buguma, Niger Delta, Nigeria. The white patch indicates the sand filled area while the green patches indicates mangrove forest that is still standing. The white patches sum up to give a total of 4.2 million m<sup>2</sup> of mangroves removed in 1984. This estimate was made using Arc GIS [9].

The Impact of Landscape Reclamation on Mangrove Forest and Coastal Areas in the Niger Delta… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.82053

#### Figure 3.

and sand fill a mangrove forest measuring about 4.2 million m<sup>2</sup> in 1984 (Figure 2). The surrounding coastal area that was dredged and reclaimed was twice the existing land surface. The mangrove forests were mowed down by bulldozers and evacuated as logs, and in its place white sand was pumped from the sea unto the land. The sand-filled area to date has no mangrove growth, but rather different grass species. Presently buildings have been erected on the site, which are occupied by some people. The loss to the environment is permanent and enormous because for over

The second example is another site known as Borikiri in the outskirts of Port Harcourt, the capital city of Rivers State. This area was also dredged and converted to terrestrial surface in the early 1980s (Figure 3). So far in this location thousands of houses had been built, which houses over half a million persons. The implication of these landscape reclamations is that the destruction of mangrove forests lead to a colossal loss of ecosystem services to the environment. Anthropogenic activities around the coast is detrimental to its sustainability because of the addition of

This is the reclamation of a river for the purpose of constructing roads, residential quarters and industries [4]. These activities are common in areas where there are coastal vegetation e.g. mangrove wetlands. The swamps are scooped away or reinforced with sand and concrete in other to produce a hard surface on which to construct foundations of buildings. Swampy soils are also locally reinforced with hard soils known as "chikoko" and left for some years to solidify before houses are

Dredged and sand filled areas in Buguma, Niger Delta, Nigeria. The white patch indicates the sand filled area while the green patches indicates mangrove forest that is still standing. The white patches sum up to give a total

of 4.2 million m<sup>2</sup> of mangroves removed in 1984. This estimate was made using Arc GIS [9].

34 years no coastal species had grown in this area.

Landscape Reclamation - Rising From What's Left

pollutants and contaminants [5].

2.1.2 Construction activities

Figure 2.

56

Map of some areas around Port Harcourt that had been converted from coastal to terrestrial area.

built on it. Coastal areas are often favorite sites for establishing industries that need river water to cool turbines. Industries also flock around coastal areas because of the ease of transportation of goods and equipments.

Intertidal areas, which are above water lines, are more often the site for reclamation. These areas are naturally covered with water during high tides, but are filled with soil and consolidated to prevent tidal flooding during high tide. The solidified area is used as a platform for construction activities. Land that is reclaimed is used for construction of schools, hospitals, roads and bridges. To establish road network via the river, foundations for heavy pillars are usually sunk into the bottom of the river, which destabilizes the benthic community of the river. Areas close to the shore are also sand filled to connect bridges. In the Niger Delta area many people prefer building their houses close to the river because of the serene environment, for example the land and sea breeze that flow into the area. Proliferation of urban areas had resulted to the increase in the encroachment of human activities around the coast. Over population is a major factor that had led to the extension of cities beyond coastal limits. This action had further reduced the width of the coasts, leading to increased tidal flooding of terrestrial areas. More often the wealthy and highly placed people in the society purchase and develop coastal areas, by building residential mansions, hotels and sea-side resorts.

#### 2.1.3 Land acquisition

It is the forceful or legal takeover of coastal area by individuals or government officials. Highly placed individuals prefer constructing their houses along coastal areas. Through the use of police power they acquire and take over mangrove forest they bulldoze the forest, dredge and sand fill the site, which they allow to lie fallow for some years or reinforce and develop immediately. Coastal sites are preferred by land speculators because they usually off-city limits and isolated from the rest of the population.
