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Saturday, April 26, 2014

MAP News Issue 337 - April 26, 2014

VerticalResponse

Having trouble reading this email? Click here for our on-line version

Partnering with mangrove forest communities, grassroots NGOs, researchers and local governments to conserve and restore mangrove forests and related coastal ecosystems, while promoting community-based, sustainable management of coastal resources.

The MAP News
337th Edition                                April, 2014

Action Alerts:
 

HELP SAVE GOAT ISLANDS - No trans shipping Port Portland Bight Protected Area, Jamaica Sign The Petition
 
Exclusive Interview with Alfredo Quarto, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Mangrove Action Project - See more
  
Save the Date! XIV World Forestry Congress, Durban, South Africa, 7–11 September 2015 READ MORE
 
2015 Children’s Art Calendar Competition - Mangrove Action Project wants you to join us as we celebrate our upcoming 22nd Anniversary of MAP’s ongoing efforts to conserve and restore the world’s mangrove forest wetlands. Again, this year we commemorate those efforts via our inspiring children’s art in MAP’s 14th annual Children’s Mangrove Art Contest for the 2015 Calendar year. READ MORE
Volunteer Needed for Mangrove Ecosystem Monitoring Program READ MORE
 
Your support is needed: Cameroon activists on trial for peaceful
protest against Wall Street land grabber READ MORE
MAP VOLUNTEERS NEEDED IN THAILAND VIEW REQUIREMENTS

Order your 2014 Calendar
2014cld-300x225 
 
Save the Sundarbans from Rampal power plant – View Sample Letter to Minister
Sign the Petition
 
Question Your Shrimp- Don't Buy or Sell Imported Tropical Shrimp! Sign the Petition
Donate to MAP via Paypal
Giving could never be easier
Donate.jpg
It’s the action, not the fruit of the action, that's important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there'll be any fruit. But that doesn't mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.
 
—Mahatma Gandhi


Green Planet Fundraising Assists MAP – LEARN MORE


 
URGENT - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

MAP’s VOLUNTEER INTERNS HELP MAP MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE
READ MORE

 


MANGROVE ISSUES 

View New Videos posted by MAP Asia intern, Delphine. CLICK HERE
 
The importance of restoring mangroves in an effective, long-term manner. Mangrove video - VIEW

Please view our new video for our Question Your Shrimp Consumer/Markets Campaign! It is now on our website under the Question Your Shrimp section heading. WATCH VIDEO

Mangrove Restoration in Asia – Watch Short Video
Mosaic of Life 
READ A MOSAIC OF LIFE” Peek into the underwater world of mangroves, "womb of the sea." By Liz Cunningham Photos By Wes Matweyew and Liz Cunningham

View MAP’s uploaded Videos at MAPmangrover’sChannel

“Education In The Mangroves" can now be seen on the  PhotoPhilanthropy website here!

Marvellous Mangroves – A Curriculum-Based Teachers Guide.
By Martin A. Keeley, Education Director, Mangrove Action Project
Read this 10 page history of the development of MAP’s educational curriculum VIEW DOCUMENT

FOR MORE ON MAPs AWARD WINNING CHINA MANGROVE CURRICULUM VISIT THESE SIGHTS
SLIDE SHOW
    VIMEO SHOW

Education In The Mangroves
Six minute video features discussion of Mangrove Action Project’s Mangrove Curriculum VIEW THE VIDEO
 
Article in Canada's Green Teacher Magazine -
Read More
 


"Question Your Shrimp" Campaign

Learn more about the affects of the shrimp industry on mangroves by visiting our blog

Editor’s Note: Mangrove Action Project’s Executive Director, Alfredo Quarto was interviewed about shrimp by Green Acre Radio’s Martha Baskin

LISTEN TO INTERVIEW


Join MAP on Facebook


Sign the Consumer's Pledge to avoid imported shrimp


Donate.jpg


Not yet a MAP News subscriber?
Click here to subscribe.



Note to Our Readers:
We strive to keep active links in our newsletter. However, due to circumstances beyond our control,
occasionally links to stories may become broken. If you find a link to a story is not functioning, please cut and paste the headline into your browser search bar. In most cases you should be able to locate the original story.




Help Mangrove Action Project through your recycled E-Waste.  List of Accepted E-waste Items:

Injet Cartidges, Cell Phones, Pagers, GPS, Radar Detectors, Mobile Hot Spots, Calculators, eBook Readers, iPods/MP3 players, Digital/Video Cameras/Camcorders, PDAs, iPads/Tablets/Laptops, Video Game Consoles, Handheld Video Games

Visit the Mangrove Action Project recycle website Click on the recycle button then click on the Download Shipping Label, and follow the instructions.

 

download_shipping_label





 

SHARE MAP'S VISION
CBEMRsuporting MAPs efforts 
Please spread the word by sharing MAP's latest effort to raise awareness of mangroves and the role they play in global climate change mitigation CLICK HERE to watch short introductory video. Together we can work "at the roots of the sea".
 
FEATURED STORY
Editors Note - This latest news is not in our favor! We tried to persuade them to not "green list" imported farmed shrimp, but the temptation to do so was too much for them to resist! They are connected to Packard Foundation, so this makes some sense in that Packard funded WWF $2 million to come up with certified shrimp standards, which the ASC is now releasing. I am assuming that ASC standards will also be soon approved by MBA, and one day may even be merged with GAA and Global Gap, so that there is just one "big" set of standards endorsed by all! This is nothing short of greenwashing, of course.
BAP Farmed Shrimp Equivalent to Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch ‘Good Alternative’
Mangrove 
USA - Two-star Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) shrimp standards of the Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) are equivalent to a yellow “Good Alternative” rating from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch® program. Seafood Watch will recommend that consumers, chefs and businesses consider farmed shrimp assessed under the BAP standards as a “buy” option. The determination came after an extensive evaluation of BAP farm standards for finfish and crustaceans conducted by the Seafood Watch science staff. The process of benchmarking existing eco-certification programs against Seafood Watch criteria began more than two years ago when Seafood Watch business partners sought guidance in navigating a marketplace of proliferating global eco-certification programs. In order to meet the Seafood Watch “Good Alternative” recommendation bar, the GAA strengthened its certification requirements for habitat mitigation, water discharge and escapes. “This is a landmark recognition for the BAP certification program,” said Peter Redmond, BAP vice president of market development. “We have strived for years to deliver high-quality seafood to the marketplace that is farmed in a responsible way.” READ MORE
 
AFRICA
 
Youth learn about Qatar’s mangroves through kayaking
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QATAR – Young people on a recent kayaking trip to Al Thakira Marina got a chance to learn about Qatar’s mangroves while having fun kayaking. The trip was organised by Entalek, an eco-adventure company in Qatar, for members of The Youth Company in Qatar (TYC). The young participants took turns kayaking through the mangrove saline waters, appreciating the natural beauty. The purpose behind the trip was to raise awareness about the country’s hidden natural heritage and the Qatari mangrove eco-system. Steve Rhodes, a professional kayaker and Entalek’s director of operations, provided TYC delegates basic kayaking lessons on how to paddle boats through the mangrove swamps while experiencing the natural beauty of the habitat. Rhodes said, “Qatar has amazing locations to explore and we have the tools to do it. It also has a lot more to offer in the way of outdoor activities than is currently being utilised.”  READ MORE
 
ASIA
 
‘Entrepreneur’ smashes down Phuket mangroves
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THAILAND - They found the mangroves had been removed, the site had been levelled and construction of a property development was well under way. They seized seven trucks and a bulldozer. The case has been passed to the Thalang police to follow up and charge those responsible. The chairman, Punya Sumpaorat, said “Pa Khlok Municipality continually checks for mangrove forest encroachment by ‘entrepreneurs’ because most of the area [along the shore] is forest under the protection of HM the Queen, and locals and the municipality have replanted regularly. “If business people would like to invest in property in the Pa Khlok area, they should ask for proper permission from us and we will check on the area in order to ensure they are not encroaching and are not likely to run into problems with local people in the area.” Mangroves forests in Phuket have come under attack again and again by unscrupulous developers and others who see knocking down the forests as a way to acquire land for nothing. READ MORE
 
Mangroves of Asia-Pacific Countries In View Of Climate Change
MALASIA - The International Conference on Mangroves of Asia-Pacific Countries in View of Climate Change 2014 (MAPCVCC-2014) will be held from 11 to 13 November 2014 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. For the first time, it will be jointly organised by Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), the Forestry Department of Peninsular Malaysia (JPSM), the National Hydraulic Research Institute of Malaysia (NAHRIM), the MARA University of Technology (UiTM), the University of Malaya (UM), the Institute for Environment & Development, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (LESTARI, UKM) and the Asia Pacific Association of Forestry Research Institutions (APAFRI). This Conference offers excellent opportunities and brings together researchers, academicians, students, policymakers, NGO’s, forest managers/foresters and individuals involved in mangrove forest management, development and commercialisation of mangrove products and services from all around the globe to exchange research results and address open issues in various aspects of mangroves. READ MORE
 
Mangroves being uprooted for power project in Port Qasim area
PAKISTAN - Mangrove forests are being destroyed in the Port Qasim area, where a private company plans to establish a coal-based power project of 660 megawatts, it emerged recently. The provincial government had declared mangrove forests protected a few years ago and the ones located in the Port Qasim area were accorded the protected status in the 1950s.The private company, according to sources, has started removing mangroves without taking approval from the forest department. The Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) of the project reportedly being built by a Chinese company is yet to be submitted, the sources say. During a recent visit to the site, workers were found uprooting mangroves with the help of bulldozers. Most trees were mature, at least 12 to 15 feet high. Land reclamation activities were also found to be hectically in progress at the site located some distance away from a thermal power plant. READ MORE
 
Local communities key to saving forests
INDONESIA - Indonesia has the third largest area of tropical rainforest on the planet, with 68 percent of its landmass covered by forests and has 50 percent of the world’s tropical peatlands, which are rich in carbon and key to fighting climate change. These forests are also home to tens of millions of Indonesians. Forest-dependent communities have relied on forests for their livelihoods and their culture, developing age-old management practices that carefully protect the forests for the benefit of not just their community but all Indonesians. Forests are vast storehouses of plants and animals, feed the nation’s rivers and help regulate the climate. They are a core part of Indonesia’s identity. Yet since 1900, Indonesia has lost half its forests and despite promises of reform is still losing between 1 and 2 million hectares a year. From 2000 to 2012, more than 15 million hectares were converted to industrial plantations. Oil palm, timber and pulp and paper production are among the biggest drivers of this dramatic deforestation, which has made Indonesia one of the world’s top greenhouse gases polluters through land clearing, draining peat lands and annual forest fires. READ MORE
 
Global partnership tackles threats to mangrove ecosystems
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INDONESIA -Mangroves for the Future (MFF) is a partner-led initiative promoting investment in coastal ecosystem conservation for sustainable development. Co-chaired by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the U.N. Development Programme (UNDP), MFF provides a platform for collaboration among the agencies, sectors and countries addressing challenges to coastal ecosystems and livelihoods. The goal is to promote an integrated ocean-wide approach to coastal management and to build the resilience of ecosystem-dependent coastal communities. MFF builds on its history of coastal management interventions before and after the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which was triggered by a 9.15 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Indonesia’s Aceh province killing about 226,000 people. READ MORE
 
White Spot Syndrome Virus Threatening Shrimp
PHILIPPINES – A lawmaker has called on the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to investigate and eradicate White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) that has infected shrimp farms in various parts of the country. Zamboanga City Rep. Lilia Macrohon-Nuno said the White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) has become a serious threat to the fishpond industry and has affected the livelihood of thousands of Filipinos, reports the Manila Standard Today. “Its presence is practically all over the Philippines as represented by the geographical location of the provinces that were attacked by the virus in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao,” Ms Macrohon-Nuno said. The virus attacked the barangays of Vitali, Tictapul and Mangusu in Zamboanga City recently. It can wipe out all shrimps in a farm in two or three days and the infection can eventually cripple the country’s shrimp industry. Ms Macrohon-Nuno, in her resolution, said the presence of the virus has been detected in various parts of the country and it could affect the status of the Philippines as the world’s third largest export of shimps. READ MORE
 
West Bengal's costly shrimp farming boom
INDIA - Though shrimp farming looks like a money minting mechanism, the inherent risks can hardly be ignored. Dependent on global demand, shrimp farming in West Bengal has come up as an unorganised sector, requiring astute cultivation skills. In 2012, Japan, a key importer of tiger shrimp from Purba Medinipur, rejected almost all exports on account of high anti-oxidant content. Purba Medinipur is known for exporting tiger shrimp, which has select buyers as it is costlier than the commonly exported variety of L Vannamei, cultivated mainly in Andhra Pradesh. “In 2012, there were cases of farmers' suicide, as there were no buyers of shrimp,” said an official. The wheel of fortune turned for farmers in 2013, when a large amount of L Vannamei shrimp was infected with a virus. In general, of the total shrimp export from India, 80 per cent is of the L Vannamei variety. Last year, with the outbreak of disease in the latter, tiger shrimp export surged 150 per cent and profit margins exceeded 100 per cent for farmers in Medinipur. READ MORE
 
Locals told to develop mangroves to protect coasts
INDONESIA - The Environment Ministry is encouraging locals in several regions across the country to develop mangroves as part of larger efforts to protect coastal areas and tackle climate change. The ministry initiated the coast rehabilitation program in 2011 and endorsed it again during the 18th Indonesia Environmental Week. The exhibition, part of activities to commemorate of World Environment Day on June 5, will be held from May 29 until June 1 in Jakarta. Environment Minister Balthasar Kambuaya said the ministry wanted to promote the protection of the coastal ecosystem to sound the alarm over the dangers of climate change. “The rising of earth’s temperature impacts sea levels. This will affect our coasts and small islands in the archipelago,” Balthasar said in his speech during the announcement of the event on Thursday. According to the ministry’s statistics, Indonesia owns 30 percent of world’s best mangroves and coral reefs, with 85 percent of its coasts contributing to the country’s fishery industry. READ MORE
 
Locals, scientists fear slow extinction of Mangrove Clams
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INDIA - The thriving mangroves of Chorao island in the backwaters of the River Mandovi, with a rich distribution of shellfish, was once a thriving habitat for mangrove clams, but local fishermen are painfully aware of the dwindling population. Locals would ferret out clams in this mangrove area almost throughout the year. "But these clams are much lesser now as compared to the past when they could be harvested almost any time of the year," said Anant Kundaikar, a local resident. The bivalves could be found in the mangrove swamp, and often had to be fished out by sticking out one's toes in the soil. "They would sell for between 10 and 20 a piece, and five of them were enough to make a parcel," said another resident Shrikrishna Haldankar. READ MORE
 
AMERICAS
 
Why Is Jamaica Selling Out Its Environment to a Blacklisted International Conglomerate?
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JAMAICA – A $1.5 billion investment and the promise of 10,000 jobs were enough incentive to convince Jamaican officials to turn their backs on conservation. Tourism has long been the leading economic sector in Jamaica, bringing in half of all foreign revenue to support a quarter of all jobs. Yet government officials now risk jeopardizing that lucrative business, and Jamaica’s reputation in the international community, with a secretive deal to let a Chinese company build a mega-freighter seaport smack-dab in the nation’s largest natural protected area. The planned port would occupy the Goat Islands, in the heart of the Portland Bight Protected Area, which only last year the same government officials were petitioning UNESCO to designate a Global Biosphere Reserve. Instead, the lure of a $1.5 billion investment and a rumored 10,000 jobs has resulted in the deal with China Harbour Engineering Company, part of a conglomerate blacklisted by the World Bank under its fraud and corruption sanctioning policy. READ MORE
 

LAST WORD
 

Dear MAP
 
Here a very special picture for you. Seu Miro asked me to take this to send for you. But he had a question : "In which month should I open the calendar for the photo?" I suggest him April, the month he received the gift. And he accepted. You can share with your friend Alfredo (?) if you like.
happy Miro  
Here is a holiday. A family friend invited me to have holiday in their farm in Pernambuco State. They will pass by soon, by car, and I will return on Wednesday next week.
 
Hope have access to internet by mobile there, but not sure.
 
Um beijo!
 
Juliana
 
 
~ WE WELCOME YOUR LETTERS - If you’d like to have the last word on this or any other mangrove related topic, please send us your submission for upcoming newsletters. We’ll choose one per issue to have “the last word”. While we can’t promise to publish everyone’s letter, we do encourage anyone to post comments on our Blog at www. mangroveactionproject.blogspot.com

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Mangrove Action Project

Friday, April 11, 2014

MAP News Issue 336, April 12, 2013

VerticalResponse

Partnering with mangrove forest communities, grassroots NGOs, researchers and local governments to conserve and restore mangrove forests and related coastal ecosystems, while promoting community-based, sustainable management of coastal resources.

The MAP News
336th Edition                                April 12, 2014

Action Alerts:
 

Save the Date! XIV World Forestry Congress, Durban, South Africa, 7–11 September 2015 READ MORE
 

2015 Children’s Art Calendar Competition - Mangrove Action Project wants you to join us as we celebrate our upcoming 22nd Anniversary of MAP’s ongoing efforts to conserve and restore the world’s mangrove forest wetlands. Again, this year we commemorate those efforts via our inspiring children’s art in MAP’s 14th annual Children’s Mangrove Art Contest for the 2015 Calendar year. READ MORE
Volunteer Needed for Mangrove Ecosystem Monitoring Program READ MORE
 
Your support is needed: Cameroon activists on trial for peaceful
protest against Wall Street land grabber READ MORE
MAP VOLUNTEERS NEEDED IN THAILAND VIEW REQUIREMENTS

Order your 2014 Calendar
2014cld-300x225 
 
Save the Sundarbans from Rampal power plant – View Sample Letter to Minister
Sign the Petition
 
Question Your Shrimp- Don't Buy or Sell Imported Tropical Shrimp! Sign the Petition
Donate to MAP via Paypal
Giving could never be easier
Donate.jpg
It’s the action, not the fruit of the action, that's important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there'll be any fruit. But that doesn't mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.
 
—Mahatma Gandhi


Green Planet Fundraising Assists MAP – LEARN MORE


 
URGENT - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

MAP’s VOLUNTEER INTERNS HELP MAP MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE
READ MORE

 


MANGROVE ISSUES 

View New Videos posted by MAP Asia intern, Delphine. CLICK HERE
 
The importance of restoring mangroves in an effective, long-term manner. Mangrove video - VIEW

Please view our new video for our Question Your Shrimp Consumer/Markets Campaign! It is now on our website under the Question Your Shrimp section heading. WATCH VIDEO

Mangrove Restoration in Asia – Watch Short Video
Mosaic of Life 
READ A MOSAIC OF LIFE” Peek into the underwater world of mangroves, "womb of the sea." By Liz Cunningham Photos By Wes Matweyew and Liz Cunningham

View MAP’s uploaded Videos at MAPmangrover’sChannel

“Education In The Mangroves" can now be seen on the  PhotoPhilanthropy website here!

Marvellous Mangroves – A Curriculum-Based Teachers Guide.
By Martin A. Keeley, Education Director, Mangrove Action Project
Read this 10 page history of the development of MAP’s educational curriculum VIEW DOCUMENT

FOR MORE ON MAPs AWARD WINNING CHINA MANGROVE CURRICULUM VISIT THESE SIGHTS
SLIDE SHOW
    VIMEO SHOW

Education In The Mangroves
Six minute video features discussion of Mangrove Action Project’s Mangrove Curriculum VIEW THE VIDEO
 
Article in Canada's Green Teacher Magazine -
Read More
 


"Question Your Shrimp" Campaign

Learn more about the affects of the shrimp industry on mangroves by visiting our blog

Editor’s Note: Mangrove Action Project’s Executive Director, Alfredo Quarto was interviewed about shrimp by Green Acre Radio’s Martha Baskin

LISTEN TO INTERVIEW


Join MAP on Facebook


Sign the Consumer's Pledge to avoid imported shrimp


Donate.jpg


Not yet a MAP News subscriber?
Click here to subscribe.



Note to Our Readers:
We strive to keep active links in our newsletter. However, due to circumstances beyond our control,
occasionally links to stories may become broken. If you find a link to a story is not functioning, please cut and paste the headline into your browser search bar. In most cases you should be able to locate the original story.




Help Mangrove Action Project through your recycled E-Waste.  List of Accepted E-waste Items:

Injet Cartidges, Cell Phones, Pagers, GPS, Radar Detectors, Mobile Hot Spots, Calculators, eBook Readers, iPods/MP3 players, Digital/Video Cameras/Camcorders, PDAs, iPads/Tablets/Laptops, Video Game Consoles, Handheld Video Games

Visit the Mangrove Action Project recycle website Click on the recycle button then click on the Download Shipping Label, and follow the instructions.

 

download_shipping_label





 

SHARE MAP'S VISION
CBEMRsuporting MAPs efforts 
Please spread the word by sharing MAP's latest effort to raise awareness of mangroves and the role they play in global climate change mitigation CLICK HERE to watch short introductory video. Together we can work "at the roots of the sea".
 
FEATURED STORY
Are Mangroves the Answer Against Global Warming Vulnerability to Disaster?
2_58558_1396705696 
USA- Alfredo Quarto is executive director of the Mangrove Action Project. He was recently asked the role mangroves can have in mitigating the effects of climate change. "Mangroves typify the important role that coastal wetlands play in protecting coastlines from erosion and natural disasters such as hurricanes and tsunamis. Our coasts are more vulnerable now to these natural disasters, whether they be from hurricanes, tsunamis or wave surges because of the loss of natural coastal barriers, such as mangroves, sea grasses, corals, salt marshes or other coastal wetlands. Even sand dunes play an important part in acting as natural barriers against the occasional, but devastating ravages of Nature. Mangroves are especially important today in reducing the adverse effects from climate change, because they sequester more carbon dioxide and store more carbon than any other plant species. Conserving and restoring our coastal wetlands will not stop climate change, but will help lessen the adverse impacts that we now expect. We still need to reduce our CO2 emissions and commit ourselves duly to this urgent, life-saving need. READ MORE
 
ASIA
 
Typhoon Haiyan and beyond: the role of trees and forests in rebuilding communities
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PHILIPPINES - In early November of last year, Typhoon Haiyan ripped across the central Philippines with wind speeds exceeding 300 kilometres per hour – the strongest ever recorded in a storm making landfall. The storm killed more than 7000 people and left millions homeless. Patrick had previously lived and worked in the Philippines for many years and since the typhoon has made several trips to the country, helping to assess the impacts of the storm on tree- and forest-dependent people, and make proposals on how forests and trees should contribute to FAO and partner efforts to rebuild shattered lives and strengthen communities’ resilience against future disasters. With strong support from colleagues at the regional office in Bangkok as well as FAO Forestry colleagues at Headquarters, and even from retired forestry colleagues, advice was provided on approaches and techniques for salvaging millions of downed coconut trees to produce coco lumber for rebuilding houses and community buildings. This also included proposals on the legal and appropriate options for using wood for building boats, which local people rely on for fishing and public transport. This was an important aspect as wood is a major link in the social and economic ties that bind the livelihoods of the forest and fisheries communities; without it people would be pushed further into poverty. READ MORE
 
1,471 hectares of mangroves notified as ‘reserve forests’
INDIA -  Around 1,471 hectares of mangroves on government land in Navi Mumbai have been notified as “reserved forests”. This comes nearly nine months after the state’s decision to notify all mangroves on public land in the state as “reserved forests”. “With this notification, only around 4,478 hectares in Dahanu division of Thane district are left to be notified as “reserved forests”,” said N Vasudevan, chief conservator of forests, mangrove cell. These mangroves in Navi Mumbai were notified as “protected forests” in 2008 as per a 2005 High Court directive to map and notify mangroves.  While limited human activity is permitted in “protected forest” areas, once a forest settlement officer settles claims of all inhabitants in “reserved forests”, all human activity is strictly prohibited. READ MORE
 
Act now to save our seas
THAILAND - For decades, local fisherfolk and environmentalists have been trying in vain to stop destructive fishing by commercial trawlers from annihilating the country’s coastal seas. Now they are pinning their hopes on market forces to save the country’s once abundant seas from the menaces of big trawlers and the fish meal industry. Their campaigns are banking on the increasing external pressure from the European Union and the United States on the seafood and fish meal industries to clean up their acts — or face a trade boycott. It is common knowledge that commercial trawlers have long been using environmentally destructive fishing methods which destroy the seabed and fish stocks in the Gulf of Thailand and along the coasts of of the Andaman Sea. By using finely meshed nets to catch fish, trawlers scoop up baby and trash fish along with other marine life in one go. The seabeds, which are nurseries and home to marine lives, are also destroyed, leading to a rapid decline in marine fertility. READ MORE
 
Mangrove reforestation highlighted International Women's Day celebration
PHILIPPINES - More than 1,000  propagules were planted at the mangrove reforestation site located at Baragay Pikinit, in the coastal town of Sultan Naga Dimaporo (SND), this province, on March 7, 2014. This is in celebration of the International Women’s Day (IWD) set on March 8. “Instead of the usual song and dance gathering of the different women groups, this year we opted to shift the focus towards environmental protection and preservation because this is something that we – the women sector feel strongly about”, explained Provincial Population Officer Ananette Daniel. The activity was organized by the Provincial Gender and Development (PGAD) Committee which is chaired by Governor Khalid Dimaporo. More than 1,000 participants, joined  the event composed of provincial and municipal government employees, provincial board members, AFP personnel, police officers, women organizations, local cooperatives and  barangay officials. READ MORE
 
Forest heroine puts law to work in defense of forests
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PHILIPPINES - After her father — a well-respected prosecutor — was shot on the steps of the justice hall in Puerto Princesa, the capital of the northern Philippines province of Palawan, Gerthie made it her business to extend justice to more people. She earned a law degree, then turned her focus toward environmental and social justice in Palawan, a heavily forested archipelago designated a UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) biosphere reserve in 1990. She worked to protect the rights of indigenous peoples, building her own environmental defense unit called the Environmental Legal Assistance Center (ELAC), where she is now executive director. Gerthie’s energetic spirit and commitment galvanized many communities to protect forests, both upland and coastal, through the creation of citizen watchdogs, forest guardians and multisectoral advocacy networks. They stopped mining in almost 200,000 hectares of forest in Palawan; secured the passage of village and municipal watershed ordinances; and supported the establishment of mangrove sanctuaries to the cessation of mining activities in forest areas. READ MORE
 
AMERICAS
 
Top judge warns against permits for Bimini developer
mangrovegw-a 
BAHAMAS - One of the country's top judges has warned of implications for the rule of law if the controversial Bimini Bay development is allowed to forge ahead while still subject to judicial challenge. Court of Appeal Justice Abdulai Conteh told lawyers for the government and Resorts World Bimini that any construction at the resort site could put the entire case at risk. "In a democracy, no self-respecting government would do anything to jeopardize proceedings before the court," he said. "When there is a contested issue, one should not change the facts on the ground until a decision is made." Justice Conteh's comments came as the appeal, lodged by environmental groups Bimini Blue Coalition and Save The Bays, was again adjourned - this time to June 2. When the new date was announced, lead lawyer for the environmentalists Fred Smith, QC, expressed concern that construction would be allowed to advance in the meantime. "Development continues, dredging continues," the Callenders & Co attorney and partner said. READ MORE
 
Editor’s Note – Regardless of where you stand on the concept of Environmental Markets, your input is needed during this upcoming event.
International Forum on Payments for Environmental Services of Tropical Forests
COSTA RICA – Ensuring sustainable supply of goods and services from forests to enhance their vital contributions to socio-economic development lies at the core of Sustainable Forest Management (SFM). Yet, SFM in the tropics is often less profitable than other land-uses because many of the goods and services forests produce lack formal markets.  Payments for forest environmental (or ecosystem) services such as biodiversity, tourism and recreation, water conservation, soil protection and climate change mitigation, known in general as PES, is one such innovative means of financing SFM. The International Forum on Payments for Environmental Services of Tropical Forests aims to highlight the importance of developing and implementing PES mechanisms in tropical countries and to share best practices and lessons learned. The Forum is expected to recommend actions at local, national and international levels for the development and effective implementation of PES mechanisms in support of SFM in the tropics. It will bring together policymakers, researchers and academicians, practitioners, civil society, the private sector, and regional and international organizations engaged in the development, implementation and support of of PES mechanisms. READ MORE
 
EUROPE
 
The world must invest in mangroves
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U.K. – As the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) prepares to launch its latest climate report, Mark Spalding reports that mangrove swamps don't just protect coastlines from storms, flooding and erosion - they also sequester huge tonnages of carbon. And that makes them a super-smart investment. “My colleagues and I have worked out how much carbon there is in the world's mangrove forests, give or take a bit,” says Spalding. “And we mapped it. And here's why these findings are tremendously important. They quantify what some of us in marine conservation have been saying for a decade or more: that mangrove forests are among the most carbon rich habitats on the planet; and that, although they occupy just a fraction of the world's surface, they pack a punch. Anyone concerned about preserving nature's value - carbon sequestration and all the other benefits mangroves provide us - needs to think hard about this. There's no magic cure to the challenges of global change - warming, rising seas, worsening storms and ocean acidification - we'll only ever get there through a combination of interventions. Mangroves aren't sufficiently widespread to tip the scales, but they give a greater return on investment than many other mitigation efforts.” READ MORE
 
Cities on frontline of climate change struggle
U.K. - Half of the world's population now lives in cities, and this proportion is set to rise to two-thirds by 2050. Yet cities are particularly vulnerable to the worst impacts of climate change precisely because their locations are fixed. The latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) re-emphasises the vital role cities can play in cutting greenhouse gas emissions. This should come as no surprise, since urban centres are responsible for three quarters of global energy consumption and for 80% of greenhouse gas emissions. "In a sense, they are the carbon criminals of this world, but they also provide us with really good opportunities," says Dr Tim Wilson from the University of Reading, UK.  "We've probably focused quite a lot on mitigation in the past, but if climate change is accelerating, which many scientists say it is, there's a strong case for looking at adaptation more," says Dr Wilson. Not every city need respond in the same way to take effective adaptation steps. Coastal urban areas in the tropics could, for example, seed and protect dunes and reforest mangroves to provide protection against future sea level rise. David Dodman, an expert on climate change and urbanisation, uses the term "soft engineering" for such adaptive measures: "It's not quarrying millions of tonnes of concrete to turn into a sea barrier, but more about working with the natural environment," he says. READ MORE

LAST WORD
 

In Haiyan's aftermath, the mangroves of leyte-eastern samar need protection, not planting
 
Above is the title of the commentary on which the Inquirer news article by Nestor Burgos below was based, together with an earlier Call to Action issued 22 March 2014 by the workshop on “Mapping Yolanda’s Impact on Philippine Mangroves: Impacts and Recovery.”  Two additional items must be stressed:
 
First, the 28,000 hectares (12% of total) Philippine mangroves 'likely affected' used published literature (based on satellite imagery of Philippine mangroves) to estimate probable area -- with the key word likely. Precisely why this eye-in-the-sky approach had to be validated by feet on the ground during surveys referred to in the article that we made in January and March of this year.
 
Secondly, our findings of partial to minimal to no damage at all from Typhoon Yolanda to the E. Samar-Leyte mangroves is not new. According to Eric Buduan of the Philippine Tropical Forest Conservation Foundation: "In October 1998, Supertyphoon Ilyang with maximum wind strength of 240 kph and gusts of 250 kph, hit coastal Isabela (Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park). The mangroves were significantly damaged, however, there was no cleaning or human intervention undertaken. The mangroves just regenerated naturally, as long as these were protected from human destruction."
 
After all, mangroves (and beach forests) are Nature's coastal bioshields, therefore damage and subsequent (natural) recovery are par for their course.
 
Jurgenne Primavera
 
~ WE WELCOME YOUR LETTERS - If you’d like to have the last word on this or any other mangrove related topic, please send us your submission for upcoming newsletters. We’ll choose one per issue to have “the last word”. While we can’t promise to publish everyone’s letter, we do encourage anyone to post comments on our Blog at www. mangroveactionproject.blogspot.com

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Mangrove Action Project

MAP INTRODUCES CROWDRISE FUNDING

MAP supporters now have an easy way to spread awareness and support for Mangove Action Porject's Community Based Mangrove Ecological Restoration Program.

More people are realizing the importance of mangrove forests, yet these habitats are still disappearing at an astonishing rate. Support us in helping prevent mangrove loss, and accelerate successful mangrove restoration around the world. You can find out more about us and mangroves on our website and find out by clicking here why investing in mangroves now is good for everyone's future.

This latest video was produced as part of a fundraiser campaign for The Mangrove Action Project to help raise funds and awareness for a particular method of mangrove restoration called Community Based Ecological Mangrove Restoration.

We invite you to share this video with friends, families and colleague who want to do their part in promoting a greener environment!



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