Finding: Darién could present ecosystems of Albinas in Garachiné

According to the latest studies, the community of Garachiné, located in the Ensenada de Garachiné of the Gulf of San Miguel in the Darien Pacific, has been in a process of coastal erosion for half a century that represents the loss of 85 to 90 centimeters of coastline per year. Natural phenomenon that is closely followed by environmental authorities as this is a community bordered by a robust mangrove ecosystem.

But this is not the only manifestation that generates the relationship between the sea and the land in this coastal community, since recently a team from the Ministry of the Environment (MiAMBIENTE) of the Darién Regional Directorate, made the finding (with the support of images from satellites and drone technology), from several areas with little or reduced vegetation near the coasts, which showed all the characteristics of an albino ecosystem.

According to Iris Vargas Miller, head of the Coasts and Seas Section of MiAMBIENTE in Darién, the discovery occurred at the end of February in the Tagualito wetland area in Garachiné, as part of the work carried out during a field trip.

"These images were obtained as part of a virtual sweep made by the technical team of the Coasts and Seas and Forestry sections of the Darién Regional Directorate in response to a citizen complaint about illegal logging and to control the burning in the sector", said the official.

According to Vargas, thanks to the technology of * _Mobile Topographer, WiKiloc, Drone_ * and a community guide, the team was able to reach one of the areas of clarity indicated by the images, which had characteristics of a * _ "Albina" _ *, with scarce vegetation of black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) of about 30 cm in height, which caused surprise to the group of technicians when they were faced with an * ecosystem so arid close to the wetland and, located only 400 meters from the coast and with an area of ??25 hectares in which there was no trace of the hand of man. *

According to the report, it was observed that the leaves of the black mangrove contained salt crystals on both sides due to the excess of salt from the sea waters that periodically flood the ground due to the action of the water.