YANGON, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar's Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation has designated a new protected mangrove forest area in the southern region of Tanintharyi, the state-run daily The Mirror reported on Saturday.
The ministry designated 23,370 acres of land in the region's Kyunsu township as the Khokyun protected mangrove forest area, effective from July 22, 2025, the report said.
The move aimed to ensure the long-term sustainability of mangrove ecosystems, enhance biodiversity, protect against wave and wind damage as natural barriers, enable local people to sustainably exploit aquatic resources such as fish, crabs, and shrimp, and improve mangrove ecosystem management, it said.
It will help conserve mangrove tree species, preserving bird habitats, improving the ecosystem where fish, crabs, and shrimp thrive, and maintaining mangroves as a vital ecosystem for marine stability and protection against natural disasters, it added. ■