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Friday, February 19, 2016

MAP News Issue 384, February 20, 2016

VerticalResponse

The MAP News
384th Edition                               Feb. 20, 2016


FEATURE STORY

Rising tides: Will mangroves keep up as sea levels climb?
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GLOBAL - Although mangroves will be able to withstand moderate sea level rise, the highest projections for the end of this century are likely to overwhelm many of these ecosystems, according to a new study. “It’s a warning that this vital resource, which can actually help protect people against some of the impacts of climate change, is itself vulnerable to that change,” said lead author Sigit Sasmito, a researcher with the Center for International Forestry Research. Mangroves have a built-in resiliency to fluctuating sea levels through what scientists call vertical ‘surface elevation change’. Researchers have been measuring this process in a handful of locations around the world. But until this review of the existing literature, it was largely unknown how mangroves would fare against climate-induced sea level rise. READ MORE
 
ASIA
 
The future of the Sundarbans lies in the hands of its youth
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BANGLADESH - The great mangrove forest at the head of the Bay of Bengal known as the Sundarbans has one of most complex river systems in the world, a fine mesh net of distributaries seaward to the south and tributaries from the plains and mountains of the north, including the waters of three of Asia’s largest- the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna – as well as some fifty others. The natural contour of this feeder system is also affected by manmade interventions like large upstream dams, notably the Farakka Barrage on the Ganges in India; artificially dredged connector canals called “cuts”, such as the Halifax Cut between the Nabaganga and Madhumati Rivers in Bangladesh; and many low-lying artificial rice cultivation islands called polders, made by building high, non-floodable embankments. The distributaries run heavily in the rainy season and slowly in the dry through a web of 450 creeks, branches, and canals. Some of these are filled with sediment so they flow poorly, and others are temporarily dammed by farmers so they periodically dump large amounts of highly saline water into the rivers’ more brackish flow. In unlucky years, cyclones blow in and wreak their own havoc. An even more insidious threat to the Sundarbans is global sea level rise, and the people who live nearest the forest increasingly see their lands under threat. Those on the Bangladesh side of the border, where the human and non-human ecosystems are most interlocked, amount to some four million people. READ MORE
 
Wetlands for our Future: Sustainable Livelihood
INDIA - Action for Protection of Wild Animals (APOWA), Odisha, India in association with Mangrove Forest Division (Wildlife), Rajnagar was celebrated the World Wetland Day 2016 at Balipatana High School, Balipatana on 2nd February, 2016. The programme was inaugurated by Mr Bimal Prasanna Acharaya, Divisional Forest Officer,  Mangrove Forest Division (Wl), Rajnagar. Among others Mr Dibakar Biswal, President of District Journalist Union, Kendrapara, Mr Gopinath Dash, District Coordinator of Eco Club, Mr Biraja Prasad Pati, Honorary  Wildlife Warden, Mr Manoj Satapathy, Eco club master trainer, Mr Pradeep Kumar Mishra, head master, Balipatana High School and Mr Bijaya Kumar Kabi, Director, APOWA were attend the meeting as resource persons. On this occasion, about 75 students from 15 schools were also participated in an ecological quiz competition. Apart from that, school teachers, forest range officers, foresters, NGOs, volunteers also participated in the programme. READ MORE
 
Mangrove Clubs promote Mangrove Conservation
Group
BANGLADESH - There is a long list of contributing factors that are degrading the mangroves of the Sundarbans on a daily basis: lack of public awareness about the importance of mangroves, illegal poaching and logging, industrial pollution, urbanization, unplanned mega projects like adjacent thermal power plants, dockyard and silos, unwise resource collection by the traders, frequent natural disasters, irresponsible tourism, commercial shrimp farming, excessive use of chemical fertilizer and pesticides, lack of accountability and responsibility of authorities and absence of participatory forest management. Education on the ecology and importance of the Sundarbans mangroves is vital for conservation and sustainable use of the mangrove forest. But the schools’ national curriculum does not place enough importance on mangrove ecology. So, the previous and current generations have grown up with very little knowledge and sensitivity of the mangrove forest and its biodiversity. There are also severe problems involving the typical learning process, which follows a strict text-based lecture method without any practical or hands-on scientific activities. READ MORE
 
Partnership Project in North Negros
PHILIPPINES - The Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM), one of the country’s oldest and largest primary non-government organizations, has embarked on a new partnership project with The Johanniter, a German voluntary humanitarian organization, in northern Negros. The project, dubbed “Promoting risk resilient livelihoods and mangrove management in fishing communities in Negros Occidental” covers areas hit by Typhoon Yolanda in November 2013 particularly three villages respectively in the cities of Cadiz and Sagay and the town of Manapla in the Second District of the province. The one-year project, which reeled off December of last year, has the primary objective to rebuild better, safer and more risk resilient communities in the Yolanda-affected areas of northern Negros Occidental.  READ MORE
 
New fishing restrictions to take effect
THAILAND - The National Fishery Policy Committee recently resolved to put a limit on the number of marine animals that can be caught in an attempt to solve the problem of overfishing in Thai waters. Overfishing is among several problems concerning illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing pointed out by the European Union which warned that Thailand would be red-carded without specific steps to clean up the industry. In addition, the committee will look for possible legal complications should the government agree with local fishermen to revoke a new fishing law that limits their fishing areas. The law, known as Section 34 of a new executive decree on fishing, is hotly opposed by small-scale fishery operators, who say it will endanger their livelihoods. READ MORE
 
AMERICAS
 
Mangrove Action Project presents to Grand Bahama EARTHCARE Eco Kids
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BAHAMAS - On February 5th, 2016, EARTHCARE brought Martin Keeley, children’s environmental book author to Grand Bahama Island to share his work with schools and the EARTHCARE Eco Kids. Martin met with the EARTHCARE Eco Kids first. The students were engaged at the Kevin Tomlinson Academy, learning about Science and how it relates to Marvellous Mangroves. Following the exciting experiments, after lunch, the EARTHCARE Eco Kids headed to Lucayan National Park where they got to see firsthand, healthy mangrove forests and all of the associated wildlife. The students learned about the many benefits of Mangroves such as being the nursery for many of our Fisheries products, protection against storm surge and storms, land builders, among many others. Martin continued engaging the students in learning exercises and introduced them to the various types of mangroves on Grand Bahama Island. Gail Woon, Founder of EARTHCARE and a Director of Save The Bays was elated to be able to bring Martin Keeley from Cayman Brac in the Cayman Islands to teach the EARTHCARE Eco Kids all about Marvellous Mangroves. Martin writes mangrove education curricula for schools around the world. READ MORE
 
OCEANA
 
Mangroving: Discovering the Greatest Wilderness
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AUSTRALIA - What is it that makes humans so unique? More than any other animal, we are curious: constantly playing, driven to explore. We are visual: our eyes perceive depth, see in full color, recognize patterns and orient us in space. We are tactile: we grasp the world, and create it anew, with our agile hands. We are social: we live in groups; we need each other, and we love to talk to each other. And we are intellectual: we split the world into categories and understand the connections between them. How did we become such exceptional animals? My hypothesis is that these abilities originated long before we ever walked upright on the ground. They evolved as adaptations in our pre-human ancestors – primates who lived in the trees – precisely because trees are such an exceptionally complex environment to live in. READ MORE

LAST WORD(S)

This story involves protesters in Okinawa trying to stop a military base development there that endangers coastal mangroves as well as wildlife, such as the endangered manatee.
 
Ladies and Gents:  Sample of letter sent to nine council members.
Trevor Ozawa, chair of the Executive Matters and Legal Affairs Committee has concerns about Resolution 15-322, Democracy for Okinawa! and has blocked the resolution from being heard
We will continue to keep you informed.
Aloha, Ed
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, Feb 9, 2016 at 7:08 AM
Subject: Resolution 15-322, Democracy for Okinawa!
To: Trevor Ozawa <tozawa@honolulu.gov>
 
Hello, EMLA Chair Ozawa:
Several weeks ago, we introduced you to Fumiko Shimabukuro, the 86-year-old lady in Okinawa protesting against the new airbase in Henoko, who survived flame torching in a refuge cave by U.S. soldiers in the Battle of Okinawa 70 years ago.  All she wants now is peace and no more wars.  See her recent photo enveloped in the Hawaii flag.
Fumiko's protest movement has now made the Washington Post:
 
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/02/08/protest-voices-okinawans-have-been-treated-like-we-are-disposable-for-too-long/
 
Mahalo for your support of the resolution.
Aloha,
Edward Kuba
Robert Nakasone
John Tasato
Goodwill Ambassadors of Okinawa
 

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Email submissions to news@mangroveactionproject.org

Action Alerts:

MAP letter to Lic. Rafael Pacchiano Alamán, Secretario de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales regarding recent devastation of Cancun mangroves READ LETTER
 
Petition to end the Cancun Ecocide Sign Here

Mangroves: Guidebook to Malaysia – available for download here
 

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MAPs 2016 Childrens Calendar now available ORDER TODAY

Mangrove rehabilitation in Asia – Local Action and cross-border Transfer of Knowledge for the Conservation of Climate, Forests and Biodiversity VIEW VIDEOS HERE
Singapore is dredging our home away: hands off our sand! TAKE ACTION
Volunteer Opportunities with Mangrove Action Project CLICK HERE
 
STOP PLANTING MANGROVES ON SEAGRASS BEDS _ A CALL TO ACTION

Want to learn more about mangroves?

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Our short presentation will give you a better understanding of the issues we are working to solve. WATCH PRESENTATION

What is CBEMR? Easy to follow fact sheet – CLICK HERE

SHARE MAP'S VISION 
CLICK HERE to watch short introductory video. Together we can work "at the roots of the sea".

Join us in saving our beautiful country!
We hope you have been following the ongoing battle in Bimini, Bahamas.
We are in need of your help more than ever Click here
 
Exclusive Interview with Alfredo Quarto, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Mangrove Action Project - See more
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
 

Marvellous Mangroves Curriculum


Marvellous Mangroves Curriculum in Bangladesh - WATCH VIDEO

MARVELLOUS MANGROVES IN BRAZIL
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Marvellous Mangroves – A Curriculum-Based Teachers Guide.


FOR MORE ON MAPs AWARD WINNING CHINA MANGROVE CURRICULUM VISIT
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Check out our presentation for more details on Marvellous Mangroves

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

Read this 10 page history of the development of MAP’s educational curriculum VIEW DOCUMENT
 
Article in Canada's Green Teacher Magazine - Read More

 

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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.
 
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The importance of restoring mangroves in an effective, long-term manner. Mangrove CBEMR video - VIEW

Question Your Shrimp Consumer/Markets Campaign!  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
 


"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

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Information sheds clear light on shrimp-mangrove connection

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Note to Our Readers:
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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.




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Mangrove Clubs promote Mangrove Conservation




Mangrove Club leaders of Comrade Ratan Sen Collegiate Girls School with MAP's Education Director Martin A. Keeley, CLEAN's Chief Executive Hasan Mehedi and Education Coordinator Rezaul Karim Zitu
Mangrove Club
http://cleanbd.org/index.php/mangrove-club/
There is a long list of contributing factors that are degrading the mangroves of the Sundarbans on a daily basis: lack of public awareness about the importance of mangroves, illegal poaching and logging, industrial pollution, urbanization, unplanned mega projects like adjacent thermal power plants, dockyard and silos, unwise resource collection by the traders, frequent natural disasters, irresponsible tourism, commercial shrimp farming, excessive use of chemical fertilizer and pesticides, lack of accountability and responsibility of authorities and absence of participatory forest management.

Education on the ecology and importance of the Sundarbans mangroves is vital for conservation and sustainable use of the mangrove forest. But the schools’ national curriculum does not place enough importance on mangrove ecology. So, the previous and current generations have grown up with very little knowledge and sensitivity of the mangrove forest and its biodiversity. There are also severe problems involving the typical learning process, which follows a strict text-based lecture method without any practical or hands-on scientific activities.


Distributing Magnifying lenses to a Mangrove Club
Students can play a vital role to change the direction from destruction to the dream of ecological bounty and health. Recognising the potential role of children and adolescents as social advocates, CLEAN initiated the formation of Mangrove Clubs in 7 secondary schools in the Sundarbans adjacent areas. The clubs motivate the students to study science; to protect the Sundarbans mangrove forest; to build awareness within and beyond their communities and ultimately to implement the Marvellous Mangroves Curriculum to build an environmentally-friendly and conscious future generation.
Mangrove Club is a way to lead active children and adolescent students towards conservation education. Mangrove Club’s mission is to create a new generation that is environmentally-sensitive, knowledge-based and conscious citizens. It is a structure which allows students to play the role of a scientist, a teacher and a conservation activist. Mangrove Club is an organized team of students and their teachers which runs independently, and creates self-confidence in both young and adolescent students.
Students thrive in hands-on learning experience
  STRUCTURE
Students from ages 11-16 (Class-VI to X) are at the centre of Mangrove Clubs. Any of them can join in the club by filling-out a prescribed application with membership dues of only Taka 10.00 (USD 0.12), and by taking an oath to conserve their local environment - especially mangroves. The members elect 9-11 Club Team members with one senior student playing the role of Captain together with two Vice Captains. At least one representative from each class must be part of the Team. The Team members help their teachers to facilitate Mangrove Education in classes and on field trips as co-facilitators. They also facilitate hand-on activities in peer groups. Three teachers, including at least one with a science background, facilitate the Mangrove Clubs as Educators. The Headmaster or Principal of the institution takes the honorary position of Patron of the Club.

  ACTIVITIES
§  Learning basic science related to the national curriculum in and out of classrooms. This includes:
§  Recognizing and knowing mangrove microorganisms, and related flora and fauna, soil and water;
§  Making presentations on mangroves in their school and to other students;
§  Organizing in the schools  regular discussion, debate, art competition, knowledge games, essay competitions and other programs on mangroves and wetlands.
§  Visiting mangrove forests periodically for observation, hands-on knowledge and research purposes;
§  Meeting media to inform them about education techniques and their research findings on mangrove forest and wetlands;
§  Celebrating national and international days related with wetlands, mangroves and environment to build awareness in their communities;
§  Working in their own communities to educate families, friends and community leaders on the importance of mangroves including their unique characteristics;
§  Taking action on any disastrous situation including serious pollution in mangroves;
§  Building the awareness of tourists about the role and importance of mangrove forests;
§  Establishing databases for water quality, plant and animal species types and number, etc. plus ongoing data collection as part of the monitoring process;
§  Gathering information on threatened and endangered species and take action to protect them;
§  Promoting dissemination and replication of Marvellous Mangrove Curriculum in other schools and organizations 

 Schools
§  Abul Hossain Girls High School, Khulna

§  Belfulia Islamia Collegiate School, Khulna
§  Channir Chak LC Collegiate School, Khulna

§  Com. Ratan Sen Collegiate Girls School, Khulna
§  Laudob-Badamtala High School, Khulna

§  Surkhali High School, Khulna
TA Faruq Collegiate School, Bagerhat

Spread your hands to the Children to make change!


























































Thursday, February 4, 2016

MAP News Issue 383, Feb 6, 2016

VerticalResponse

The MAP News
383rd Edition                               Feb. 6, 2016


FEATURE STORY

Mexican court rules against development in Cancun mangrove
434850Mangrove
MEXICO - A Mexican court has issued an injunction blocking further work on a real estate project in the Caribbean coast resort of Cancun that activists say has almost killed a mangrove swamp at the site. Heavy machinery largely cleared the mangrove trees from the area known as Nichupte lagoon in January, over the objections of local environmentalists. But environmentalist Araceli Dominguez expressed hope after the order was announced Wednesday that the mangrove can be recovered now that a court has ruled the project violated the public interest in preserving the wetland. "This is an area than still be reforested. We haven't lost it as mangrove yet," Dominguez said, noting that appeals had been filed before government-sponsored developers could backfill lagoon-side lots and totally destroy the wetlands. READ MORE
 
AFRICA
 
Umm Al Quwain mangroves illegally cut down by ‘camel farm labourers’
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UAE - Labourers thought to be from camel farms are illegally cutting down mangrove trees at the Khor Al Beidah wetlands, putting the area’s delicate eco-system and wildlife at risk. Wood from the trees is being harvested and driven away by men in pick-up trucks, said Zahidah Zeytoun Millie, who lives near the site and has observed the activity for a year. Foliage from mangrove trees is useful as camel fodder. “Sometimes they cut the branches, other times they cut the whole tree if it is small,” she said. The pick-ups usually have UAQ licence plates, although some have Dubai plates. Federal law forbids cutting down trees without the permission of authorities. The mangrove and its adjacent mudflats are home to diverse wildlife and attract tens of thousands of rare migratory birds each year. READ MORE
 
ASIA
 
Who was Jurin Rachapol & why was he murdered?
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THAILAND - Jan 30th, 2016 is an important, but very sad day as we mark the 15th anniversary of Jurin Ratchapol’s assassination. Jurin was a leading local activist against shrimp farm development which destroyed the mangroves in his home province of Phuket, Thailand.  He was just an ordinary man, but cared passionately for the nature around him which provided food and livelihoods for his family and villagers.  But it was his courageous campaigning efforts which drew attention and gained recognition from Queen Sirikit who honoured him with an award.   Jurin was shot dead in cold blood, at close range on January 30, 2001 while picking cashews near his village home.  WHY?  Fifteen years later, how has the situation improved for Phuket’s mangroves? What are the current concerns and what actions are being taken? Have we really learned a lesson from Jurin’s sacrifice and the deadly tsunami which followed a few years later? READ MORE
 
‘Big Shrimpin’
PHILIPPINES - Jurgenne Primavera came of age in the shrimp farming industry, where she worked as a researcher for over 30 years. But by 1990, when she earned her PhD, she started to feel pangs of guilt about her profession, and in particular the damage that shrimp farming was doing to the environment. “I would observe some trees near the ponds, strange-looking trees, and eventually realized these were mangroves,” she said. She also realized that the industry that gave her a livelihood was damaging this coastal ecosystem. “I didn’t feel very good about it because I loved trees. I grew up with trees. So I had some kind of shift and I became critical of what was happening to the environment.” Primavera now devotes her energy to protecting coastal mangroves in her native Philippines, focusing on restoring green belts, the borders of vegetation that grow along the coastline. “For those countries that don’t have storms, green belts are interfaces for fisheries,” she said. “For those that have storms, they are protection.” READ MORE
 
Thailand announces regulations to rid forced labor from seafood supply chain
THAILAND - The government of Thailand has struck an agreement with a coalition of seafood companies and associations designed to eliminate forced labor and human trafficking from within the country’s seafood supply chain. Major players in the Thai fishing industry agreed to sign a memorandum-of-understanding (MOU) with the Thai Government’s Command Center for Combating Illegal Fishing on January 15, 2016, pledging to prevent seafood products to be sold to their seafood processing facilities that come from illegal fishing or that were harvested via illegal labor practices or human trafficking. Signatories to the MOU include Thai Union Group, the National Fishery Association of Thailand, the Thai Frozen Food Association, the Thai Overseas Fishery Association and the Thai Tuna Industry Association, according to a press release from the Thai government. READ MORE
 
AMERICAS
 
Cancun’s millenarian mangrove swamp destroyed in just one day
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MEXICO - Crocodiles were buried alive along with numerous others animal species who inhabited Cancun’s mangrove swamp after excavators destroyed it last Saturday. Grass-root organisation Save The Mangrove, which had set up camp inside in other to protect the flora and fauna of the area, explained that around 200 police dressed up in riot gear guarded this operation. Machinery working round the clock non-stop destroyed 90% of Cancun’s last wild nature enclave injust one day. The Federal government authorised this action carried out together with the go ahead of the Mexican National Fund for Fomenting Tourism (Fonatur). The 57 hectares of mangrove swamp, which are now just rubble, will be destined to building a residential area, a commercial centre and a catholic church, amongst other plans, in the area known as Malecon Tajamar. READ MORE

Dying to save the world
HONDURAS - Jeannette Kawas was an accountant whose concept of value was broader than any balance sheet. No number could capture for her the natural wealth she saw in the forests, rivers, beaches and mangrove swamps of Punta Sal, near her hometown of Tela in northern Honduras. On February 6, 1995 Jeannette Kawas was shot dead in her home. Years later a ruling from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights said Kawas’s work in defense of the environment had motivated the murder. Kawas was a victim of a largely unreported war that still rages around the world two decades later. Its casualties are women and men who through peaceful acts work to defend their local environment from polluters and miners, land grabbers and loggers. In the past decade, close to 1,000 such activists in 35 countries were murdered, according to a report published in April 2014 by Global Witness. “This report is a good one to alert people to the sad reality at hand,” says Alfredo Quarto, executive director of Mangrove Action Project, which has documented murders of activists and community leaders who stood in the way of shrimp farmers. “In a five-year period in the 1990s, over 100 local community members and activists were killed protesting shrimp farm encroachment and mangrove loss in Bangladesh. Similar reports of murdered community leaders who stood in the way of shrimp farmers come from Thailand, India, Honduras, Ecuador and Brazil.” READ MORE
 
CRIMES AGAINST WETLANDS must not go unpunished
HONDURAS –  Since 1997 the World Wetlands Day is celebrated to help increase awareness about wetlands and their importance. Despite its valuable importance as water reservoirs, sites of biological wealth, natural buffers against the effects of climate change and food reserves for native peoples and local communities, the destruction of the world's wetlands continues. In Latin America we have recent examples of serious ecocide against wetlands. On 5 November in the municipality of Mariana, Minas Gerais, Brazil, the breaking of a dam generated unprecedented environmental disaster. Toxic waste affected thousands of families, mainly fisherwomen and fishermen in the region. The tragedy of Mariana is an environmental and social crime, so the mining company SAMARCO should be judged under those charges. In Mexico, on the morning of January 16, 57 hectares of mangroves in Cancun were destroyed. Tajamar mangroves were destroyed with the approval of state and federal authorities. Tajamar must not go unpunished. The full weight of the law must apply to officials making use of public office involved in serious crimes to benefit the interests of the real estate industry in the area. READ MORE

Oceana
 
Endangered birds threatened by mangrove removal
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NEW ZEALAND - The Mangawhai Harbour Restoration Society was given consent to clear some mangroves from the middle of the harbour in 2012, and earlier this month they announced plans to remove more. The fairy tern is New Zealand's rarest endemic breeding bird with half of its 10 breeding pairs living in Mangawhai, and the restoration society's plans put the birds at risk, said Forest and Bird's seabird conservation advocate Karen Baird. "The problem in this situation is it's very hard to prove that something is going to happen, but what you have to do is you have to look at the risks," said Ms Baird. "And the risk with this situation is if you mess around too much with that harbour, you are going to contribute to the potential extinction of that bird - which is already on the edge." READ MORE
 
GLOBAL NEWS
 
World Wetlands Day Celebrated
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February 2nd is World Wetlands Day, an international day to remember the importance of wetlands for all the goods & services they provide us, and a day to take action for wetlands conservation.  Our lives really do depend on wetlands.   Take freshwater for example, wetlands are great at storing surface water runoff, filtering it, absorbing nutrients, aiding infiltration to the groundwater table and also slowly releasing water in surface water waters. In terms of mangroves wetlands the following article in Hakai Magazine shows the importance of the entire watershed, as what happens upstream is going to impact the mangroves down stream.  If mangroves are destroyed then tidal mudflats, seagrass meadows and coral reefs further down stream of the mangroves will be negatively impacted.   It's all connected, as they say. READ MORE

LAST WORD(S)
We are so happy to have new people joining MAP’s efforts and reporting on the influence if its programs worldwide! WELCOME and thank you!
 
Hello everyone.
 
My name is Manon Whittaker, I am the new intern for MAP in Thailand. I arrived in Trang a couple of days ago so I am still trying to get used to this new lifestyle (especially the heat).
 
I have a British nationality (as my parents are from England and Wales) but I am born in France and I have lived there my whole life. However, I moved to Australia (Sydney) in July 2014 to study a Master of Environmental Management at the University of New South Wales (Sydney). I will be graduating in June 2016. Previously, I completed a degree in Geosciences in Grenoble – a city in the French Alps.
 
I will be the MAP volunteer for the next three months, until approximately the 20th of April. I am excited to gain some experience in mangrove restoration and community involvement. I also hope to use some of the knowledge and skills, I have obtained in my studies so far, to contribute to the projects in which MAP is involved.
 
I look forward to working and exchanging with all of you.
 
Best regards.
 
Hi Everyone!
 
My name is Allison Jacobson, and I'm the second new arrival to the Trang office. I will be based in Trang until mid-April while I complete research on mangrove forests in protected areas.
 
I am an American from Chicago, but I have been living near San Francisco for the past two years. I recently completed a master’s degree in Environmental Planning from the University of California, Berkeley. My thesis was focused on post-project monitoring of a coastal creek restoration project managed by the National Park Service in California. Before graduation, I was awarded funding to study coastal protected areas in other countries, and I chose Southeast Asia.
 
I am very interested in examining the threats to mangrove forests in protected areas and the approaches used by park management to mitigate impacts. In addition to researching protected areas in Thailand, I hope to study parks in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Malaysia. If you are aware of any interesting case studies, I am open to suggestions :)
 
Regards,
Allison
 
Hi Jim, Martin, and Alfredo,
 
I'm back from Khulna, Mehedi was very helpful and sends you greetings.
 
I visited Badamtala Laudop school with Akbar Hossein my translator and your workshop facilitator, I found there a very impressive active mangrove club led by 14 yr girl, Pronoti Mridha, she wants to be an entomologist, she led the group thru a dance and pantomime about mangroves, she was a 3-day workshop participant and she really learned well. 
 
So kudos and keep up good work in Bangladesh.
Lou Werner


 

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Please cut and paste these news alerts/ action alerts on to your own lists and contacts. Help us spread the word and further generate letters of concern, as this can make a big difference in helping to halt a wrongdoing or encourage correct action.


ACTION ALERTS WANTED: MAP News is looking for links to calls to actions/petitions and letter writing campaigns on mangrove issues, tropical coastal communities and other related topics. Not all submissions can be selected, but we look forward to hearing about your work and want to let our readers' voice be heard!
Email submissions to news@mangroveactionproject.org

Action Alerts:

Mangroves: Guidebook to Malaysia – available for download here
 
MAP letter to Lic. Rafael Pacchiano Alamán, Secretario de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales regarding recent devastation of Cancun mangroves READ LETTER
 
Petition to end the Cancun Ecocide Sign Here

Immediate Relief Intervention for Tamil Nadu Floods Needed
Relief support funding sought to help volunteers in India trying to offer relief for flood victims in southern India. READ MORE

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MAPs 2016 Childrens Calendar now available ORDER TODAY

Mangrove rehabilitation in Asia – Local Action and cross-border Transfer of Knowledge for the Conservation of Climate, Forests and Biodiversity VIEW VIDEOS HERE
Singapore is dredging our home away: hands off our sand! TAKE ACTION
Volunteer Opportunities with Mangrove Action Project CLICK HERE
 
STOP PLANTING MANGROVES ON SEAGRASS BEDS _ A CALL TO ACTION

Want to learn more about mangroves?

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Our short presentation will give you a better understanding of the issues we are working to solve. WATCH PRESENTATION

What is CBEMR? Easy to follow fact sheet – CLICK HERE

SHARE MAP'S VISION 
CLICK HERE to watch short introductory video. Together we can work "at the roots of the sea".

Join us in saving our beautiful country!
We hope you have been following the ongoing battle in Bimini, Bahamas.
We are in need of your help more than ever Click here
 
Exclusive Interview with Alfredo Quarto, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Mangrove Action Project - See more
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
 

Marvellous Mangroves Curriculum


Marvellous Mangroves Curriculum in Bangladesh - WATCH VIDEO

MARVELLOUS MANGROVES IN BRAZIL
En Portuges

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Marvellous Mangroves – A Curriculum-Based Teachers Guide.


FOR MORE ON MAPs AWARD WINNING CHINA MANGROVE CURRICULUM VISIT
Education in the Mangroves - China
VIMEO SHOW

VISIT OUR "MM" WEBPAGE


Check out our presentation for more details on Marvellous Mangroves

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

Read this 10 page history of the development of MAP’s educational curriculum VIEW DOCUMENT
 
Article in Canada's Green Teacher Magazine - Read More

 

FREE MAP Mangrove e-cards CLICK HERE
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MAP’s e-Cards offer you a unique way to spread the word about MAP’s good works, while sharing beautiful photographs of the mangroves

Donate to MAP via Paypal
Giving could never be easier
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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


MANGROVE ISSUES 

View MAP’s uploaded Videos at MAPmangrover’sChannel

The importance of restoring mangroves in an effective, long-term manner. Mangrove CBEMR video - VIEW

Question Your Shrimp Consumer/Markets Campaign!  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
 


"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

Information sheds clear light on shrimp-mangrove connection

Question Your Shrimp
SEE DETAILS MANGROVE/SHRIMP

 


Join MAP on Facebook


Sign the Consumer's Pledge to avoid imported shrimp


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Mangrove Action Project

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.

 

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MAP News Issue 593, March 9, 2024

MAP News Issue #593 - March 9, 2024 Nigeria has Commenced Large-Scale Mangrove Restoraion in Ogoniland Eastern Niger Delta NIGERIA - The...