Read the passage below carefully:
For decades, coastal mangrove ecosystems across the Niger Delta suffered extensive degradation due to oil exploration and unsustainable timber harvesting. However, recent community-led rehabilitation initiatives are demonstrating that restoring these tidal forests yields economic benefits far beyond environmental conservation. Restored mangroves serve as natural protective barriers against coastal erosion and storm surges, shielding low-lying fishing villages from rising sea levels. Furthermore, these rich ecosystems act as breeding nurseries for juvenile finfish and crustaceans, directly revitalizing local fisheries and improving food security for shoreline settlements. Recent ecological surveys indicate that intact mangrove soils sequester carbon dioxide at rates up to five times higher than terrestrial tropical rainforests, offering valuable opportunities for carbon credit financing. Ultimately, reforesting the coastline is proving to be an indispensable economic strategy for coastal community resilience and sustainable livelihood restoration.
Which of the following statements best expresses the main idea of the passage?
- Coastal mangrove restoration serves as a vital economic driver for strengthening community resilience and sustaining local livelihoods.Answer
- BMangrove soils sequester carbon dioxide at rates up to five times higher than land-based tropical rainforests.
- COil exploration activities across the Niger Delta have been completely prohibited to protect local fisheries.
- DTimber harvesting remains the principal economic activity sustaining shoreline settlements against storm surges.