Exploratory review of urban expansion, coastal vegetation environments (CVEs) and the paradox of sustainability

Abstract

Vegetation forms a fundamental proportion of resources used to determine the potential of the land on which they are sustained, unfortunately, urbanization has altered ecological systems and coastal vegetation environments all over the world, and the conservation of the endangered resource is still a serious challenge. Further, urbanization around the coastal vegetation environments is expanding at unprecedented rate, and this has resulted into more people relocating to these areas. For example, urban expansion reduces coastal vegetation, soil moisture and quality, and invariably results in poverty. From the foregoing, there is need for constant monitoring of endangered coastal ecosystems. Therefore, this paper appraises the impact, relevance perspectives threats, and challenges of coastal vegetation resources on account of urban expansion. Also, major advances and key issues relating to coastal vegetation management, as well as recommendations are discussed so as to help move the field forward.