Community

Earth’s coastal wetlands are disappearing, new high-resolution maps reveal

Published

4 years ago

May 16, 2022

FOUR thousand square kilometres of the world’s tidal wetlands have been lost over twenty years, but ecosystem restoration and natural processes are helping reduce total losses, according to Aberystwyth University researchers.

An international group’s analysis of more than one-million satellite images shows that global change and human actions are driving rapid changes of tidal wetlands.

The global intertidal change data indicates that 13,700 square kilometres of tidal wetlands — tidal marshes, mangroves and tidal flats – were lost around the world, offset by gains of 9,700 square kilometres. This meant there was a net loss of 4,000 square kilometres over the two-decade period, between 1999 and 2019.

Over one billion people now live in low-elevation coastal areas, and are vulnerable to losses of these wetlands, including through disruption of ecosystem services, such as biodiversity and coastal protection.

Professor Richard Lucas from Aberystwyth University, who was involved with the project, commented:

“Tidal wetlands are of immense importance to humanity, providing benefits such as carbon storage and sequestration, coastal protection, and fisheries enhancement. Global-scale monitoring is now essential if we are going to manage changes in coastal environments effectively.”
“Efforts to estimate the current and future status of tidal wetlands at a global scale are hindered by uncertainty about how they respond to drivers of change. Along with colleagues in Australia, we wanted to address that and provide a basis for conserving coastal ecosystems. To do this, machine-learning analysis of vast archives of historical satellite images was undertaken to detect the extent, timing and type of change across the world’s tidal wetlands between 1999 and 2019.”

“The analysis found 27 per cent of losses and gains were associated with direct human activities, such as conversion to agriculture and restoration of lost wetlands. All other changes were attributed to indirect drivers such as human impacts to river catchments, extensive development in the coastal zone, coastal subsidence, natural coastal processes and climate change.”

About three-quarters of the net global tidal wetland decrease happened in Asia, with almost 70 per cent of that total concentrated in Indonesia, China and Myanmar.
Dr Nicholas Murray, Senior Lecturer at Australia’s James Cook University, led the study. He added:

“Asia is the global centre of tidal wetland loss from direct human activities. These activities had a lesser role in the losses of tidal wetlands in Europe, Africa, the Americas and Oceania, where coastal wetland changes were primarily caused by indirect factors such as wetland migration, coastal modifications and catchment change.”
The scientists found that almost three-quarters of tidal wetland loss globally has been offset by the establishment of new tidal wetlands in areas where they formerly did not occur – with notable expansion in the Ganges and Amazon deltas.

Dr Murray added:

“Most new areas of tidal wetlands were the result of indirect drivers, highlighting the prominent role that broad-scale coastal processes have in maintaining tidal wetland extent and facilitating natural regeneration. This result indicates that we need to allow for the movement and migration of coastal wetlands in the future to account for rapid global change.”

Community

Kurtz thanks Narberth postal workers for Christmas effort

Published

48 minutes ago

December 15, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Annual visit to Royal Mail delivery office recognises “exceptional dedication”

SAMUEL KURTZ MS has paid tribute to postal workers at the Royal Mail Delivery Office in Narberth during a visit this week, thanking staff for their hard work at the busiest time of the year.

The run-up to Christmas is the peak period for Royal Mail, with teams processing and delivering thousands of cards, parcels and festive packages for households and businesses across west Wales. During his tour of the depot, the Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire Member of the Senedd met with postal workers and heard first-hand about the pressures they face in keeping deliveries on track.

As part of the now annual tradition, Mr Kurtz also donated a bottle from Pembrokeshire’s award-winning Velfrey Vineyard for a free staff raffle.

Speaking after the visit, Samuel Kurtz MS said: “Every year, postal workers go above and beyond to make sure our Christmas cards and parcels arrive safely. Their dedication keeps communities connected, and I want to pay a heartfelt thank you to the team in Narberth for the incredible work they do at the most demanding time of the year.”

Community

Festive creativity shines as Kurtz MS meets card competition winner

Published

2 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Tom Sinclair

SAMUEL KURTZ, Member of the Senedd for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, visited Pembroke Dock Community School on Friday 12th December to present a prize to the winner of this year’s Christmas Card Competition.

The competition invited pupils to design a festive Christmas card, with entries received from schools across the area. The standard of artwork was exceptionally high, showcasing the creativity, imagination and talent of young people in the community.

During the visit, Samuel Kurtz congratulated the winning pupil and thanked all those who took part, as well as the teachers and staff who supported the competition. Each child who entered also received a certificate in recognition of their hard work and effort.

Speaking after the presentation, Samuel said, “It was a real pleasure to visit Pembroke Dock Community School today and announce the winner of my Christmas Card competition. This year the winner is Mair Moseley, aged 10, and she designed a wonderful Santa image that really stood out. She has won a chocolate selection set and a £20 book token to enjoy over Christmas.”

He added, “ The creativity and enthusiasm shown by all the children was fantastic, and it made choosing a winner extremely difficult. I want to congratulate all the entrants and thank the staff for their ongoing support.”

Pembroke Dock Community School Headteacher, Mrs Katie Crockford-Morris, added, “We were delighted to welcome Samuel Kurtz MS to the school to present the prize. The children thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the competition, and they were incredibly proud to receive their certificates.”

The winning design will now be used as Samuel Kurtz’s official Christmas card this year, with one copy already on its way to His Majesty, King Charles.

Community

Narbelles WI support Food Bank with festive donation

Published

21 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Group marks December meeting with charity collection and Christmas celebrations

NARBELLES WI rounded off the year with a festive December meeting featuring a bring-and-share buffet, party games and a Secret Santa gift exchange.

Members also used the occasion to support families in need across the county, collecting food items and presenting a £120 cheque to Ann Watling from Pembrokeshire Food Bank. The donation represents the proceeds of the group’s bucket collection during Narberth Civic Week 2024.

A spokesperson for the WI said the group was delighted to finish the year “with fun, friendship and a chance to give something back to the community.”

(Photo: Narbelles WI members presenting the cheque to Ann Watling, Pembrokeshire Food Bank.)