THE rows of young mangroves look like thousands of broken lances planted on the desolate shoreline. At night the tide creeps up the seedlings, half-submerged in brackish water, as the sea breeze creates little ripples that sway the young plants in a dancing motion. One or two little leaves are seen emerging from the fledgling mangroves trying to keep upright without support.

"We planted the trees a month ago," says Ismail, a 25-yea