As autumn gives way to winter, a quiet beauty appears on the dunes of Cox’s Bazar. Across the pale sand, sea morning glory spreads a carpet of deep green, dotted with pink and purple flowers. Morning light brings the colours alive. Yet behind this delicate display lies a plant that helps sustain the coast.
Known scientifically as Ipomoea pes-caprae, sea morning glory thrives in salty air, strong winds and poor sand. Roots grow from nodes along its creeping stems, helping hold loose sand in place. Its dense cover slows wind-driven sand movement, while buoyant seeds travel across seawater to colonise other shores. The vines also provide shelter for small coastal creatures. Controlled laboratory studies suggest that, under certain conditions, such vegetation can reduce erosion caused by waves. It is no substitute, however, for protection against severe storms.
Elsewhere, coastal communities are recognising the value of these modest plants. In Mauritius, a UNDP-supported restoration initiative has planted thousands of native coastal plants, including sea morning glory. On Australia’s Gold Coast, designated paths and raised boardwalks help keep visitors off sensitive dunes. Both offer lessons for Cox’s Bazar: protecting a beach sometimes means giving its vegetation room to grow.
Here, that space is increasingly contested. Unregulated foot traffic, beach bikes, dune levelling, sand extraction and poorly planned tourism facilities can damage the habitats on which sea morning glory depends. During quieter periods, vines may have a better chance to spread. Yet the very season when their flowers brighten the shoreline also brings more visitors, and with them the risk of trampling the plants that make the landscape distinctive.
This is not an argument against tourism. Cox’s Bazar depends on its beaches for livelihoods, business and employment. But tourism cannot remain successful if it gradually erodes the natural character that draws people here. Dune vegetation is part of that character, and preserving it makes environmental as well as economic sense.
The response need not be complicated. Authorities should identify and protect remaining habitats, restrict vehicles on sensitive dunes and establish clearly marked walking routes. Local nurseries, involving young people and women, could propagate native vines for carefully monitored restoration. Hotels, tour operators and public agencies should share responsibility for protecting these areas.
Sea morning glory cannot save a coastline on its own. But losing its green cover would weaken one of the natural systems that help dunes endure. Protecting these flowers is not merely an act of conservation. It is an investment in the future of Cox’s Bazar.
By Salam Abu
Editor
