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Monday, July 30, 2018

Trash Hero Partners with MAP




Environmental Education Class at Bang Kang Khao School, Trang, Thailand

Written by Kate Knight, Office Development & Field Project Assistant (MAP-Asia Intern)

Plastic pollution is one of the most pressing environmental issues of our time. Scientists have tried to measure just how much plastic ends up in our Oceans and found more than 8 million tones of plastic are dumped in our Oceans every year.  This significantly impacts on marine wildlife, who often mistake marine debris for food and clog their intestines or they become trapped in plastic waste and discarded fishing nets.  Plastic pollution affects nearly 700 different marine species with over 100 million marine mammals and turtles in the North Pacific being killed every year by plastic in the Ocean. The plastic problem is not much bigger anywhere else than in Thailand where they are ranked 6th among countries in the world with the highest amounts of plastic production and usage.  Thailand has been recently plagued with two high profile deaths of a rare pilot whale and endangered green turtle whose autopsies both showed stomachs packed with plastic. The whale, specifically, had around 80 plastic bags found in its stomach!

This led the basis for MAP-Thailand’s most recent Environmental Education (EE) class on Thursday 19th July 2018 held at Bang Kang Khao school, Sikao District, Trang. In total 25 children and 4 teachers took part in the afternoon class. We are, as ever, grateful to our funder the LUSH Charity Pot Foundation but also to Trash Heroes, Trang Chapter, who collaborated with MAP to provide a fun and insightful Environmental Education class. Trash Heroes is an International Non-Profit Organization, that organize beach clean ups across the globe as well as raise invaluable awareness around waste reduction and waste disposal. The Trang Chapter, organizes weekly clean-ups of Pak Meng beach in Trang and are involved in supporting the construction of a bamboo school in Kanchanaburi by providing eco-bricks for wall construction.  The bamboo school is not yet complete but has so far used over 2000 ecobricks, made from waste collected by Trash Heroes Trang.  You may ask “What is an Ecobrick?”  Please read on to find out!

Students and teachers attended the Environmental Class organized by MAP and Trash Hero Trang.

Trash Hero International Homepage: https://trashhero.org/
Trang Chapter’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TrashHeroTrang/

The event started with a PowerPoint presentation from MAP, that included provoking photos and videos about marine debris and plastic pollution. Students sat engagingly and interacted by answering quick fire questions from Ning, MAP-Thailand’s Field Officer and presenter on the day. Students learned about how long it actually takes for plastic and other types of waste to degrade and about how plastic pollution affects the environment and wildlife. Stories from Thailand, such as that of the pilot whale that washed up on the Gulf of Thailand with a gut full of plastic, was used to illustrate the growing problem that plastic causes for the environment locally and across the world.

Students eager to answer questions on plastic pollution from Ning

After this, Trash Hero took over, to organize a series of educational games. First, was an exercise on the correct way to dispose of different types of waste. Students were split into teams and given a variety of types of garbage. They had to place each piece into the right ‘bin’ – recyclable, non-recyclable, electronic or hazardous waste and compostable. It became apparent to MAP and Trash Hero staff that students actually had little knowledge around this and most often did not differentiate between recyclable and non-recyclable rubbish, despite having the different types of bins at the school. Students learnt a lot from the exercise and they are now armed with the knowledge to put into practice what they have learnt when at school, at home and in their wider community.

Secondly, students were given a demonstration on how to make ecobricks from empty (PET) plastic bottles and plastic wrap, bags and waste.  The idea is to utilize all those types of plastic materials that are presently non-recyclable in Thailand and normally are burnt or sent to landfill sites. Students really enjoyed making the ecobricks using bamboo sticks to stuff the bottles and compress the plastic till the bottles are very solid.  The plastic must be clean and dry and it was discovered a huge amount of plastic can be compressed into a single 1.5 L bottle.  Students took home what they had started in the class along with the equipment needed to complete the ecobrick. They now have the knowledge and materials to continue making ecobricks from plastic waste at home and at school. Bang Kang Khao School has agreed to set up a collection point for ecobricks made by the students that MAP can collect when they visit the school and ensure they are handed over to Trash Hero for construction of the Bamboo School in Kanchanaburi.  Students can feel proud to actually help build a school for orphans far away.

Students enjoying making ecobricks from plastic waste and empty plastic bottles.

Both girls and boys took part in the activity.

A big effort was noticed from all students, especially in compacting the plastic.

Students were shown a video on ecobricks that included footage of the ecobricks being used to construct the Bamboo School in Kanchanaburi. This helped students conceptualize how plastic waste, ordinarily a negative for the environment and huge eye-sore, can be repurposed to build something constructive and positive. Trash Hero spent time to explain how different waste is reused in different ways; plastic can be used to form ecobricks and Tetra Pak packaging can be used to make roof tiles. TatraPak (Thailand) Co., Ltd., are a leading manufacturer of UHT Beverage Boxes made from plastic and aluminum foil that are extremely popular throughout Thailand but also very difficult to recycle. They have partnered with other organizations such as the Thai retail giant Big C to create collection points for the UHT boxes, where they are then used to make roofs as part of their Green Roof Project.
Video on ecobricks link: https://youtu.be/RBplmic4XWc

Website about Tetra Pak’s Green Roof Project link: https://www.tetrapak.com/th/thaigreenroof
Overall the environmental education was very successful. Students were engaged and learned a lot about the ever-pressing issues of plastic pollution, its impacts and some solutions to mitigate these impacts. Between MAP and Trash Heroes Trang, the important three Rs - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – were continually reinforced. Students who attended the class were given stainless steel cups to use for drinking and explained how to use them to reduce the use of single use plastic bottles. We hope to be able to collaborate again with Trash Heroes Trang on other Environmental Education classes and also on the possibility of creating a plastic free school model in the future.
To see more photos from the event, check out the complete photo album on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/MangroveActionProject/posts/10156695044779756


Thursday, July 19, 2018

MAP News Issue 447 - July 21, 2018

Mangrove Action Project
The MAP News
447th Edition                                                     July 21, 2018

FEATURE
Mangrove Action Day is July 26, 2018
photography contest
GLOBAL - As part of this years Mangrove Action Day we are raising awareness of the connections people have with mangrove forests by creating a global photography exhibition. Throughout the month of July, we have asked for and received incredible photos from around the world. We invite you to send us your best photos for a chance to be part of a special exhibition that will help spread the importance of mangroves. Special prizes this year for our three chosen winners. Scroll down to get inspired by some mangrove themes and find out other ways in which you can get involved! WAYS YOU CAN ACT READ MORE

AFRICA

Forest conservation efforts in Madagascar making poor people even poorer
madagascar forest
MADAGASCAR - New research investigating conservation efforts in Madagascar says some 27,000 people are suffering from restrictions aimed at maintaining tropical forest. The study, published in the PeerJ journal, suggests that people living in the protected area have not been fully compensated and their incomes are affected as a result. The Ankeniheny-Zahamena Corridor, in eastern Madagascar, is part of a pilot project under the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) scheme supported by the World Bank. The REDD scheme aims to protect forests as part of the fight against climate change. The project is being implemented through a system of World Bank safeguards and as such is supposed to compensate local people for the impact that conservation restrictions have on their income. The study is not suggesting that conservation efforts should be stopped, instead it is calling for forest dwellers to be properly compensated for the impact conservation has on their livelihoods, in particular on traditional agricultural practices. READ MORE

African deforestation: 'If nothing is done, we may lose everything'
Congo Basin
DRC - Africa's tropical forests, which include the Congo Basin, are under constant threat. Deutsche Welle speaks to Proforest's Abraham Baffoe on what stands to be lost and what needs to be done to tackle deforestation.  Africa's tropical forests include the Guinean Forests of West Africa and the Congo Basin, a sprawling rainforest often referred to as the world's second set of lungs. The continent's forests store 171 gigatons of carbon, are home to many plants and animals that exist nowhere else in the world and support an estimated 100 million people. Abraham Baffoe, Africa regional director at Proforest, speaks to Deutsche Welle about the threats facing these forests and the urgent work that needs to be done to tackle deforestation. READ MORE

ASIA

Ban Nai Nang apiculture training workshop held
Ban Nai workshop
THAILAND - On July 1st, 2018, Mangrove Action Project and Nai Nang Apiculture Group hosted a “How to do” beekeeping training workshop for new communities interested in this supplementary livelihood. There was a total of 32 participant trainees who came from 3 different villages that MAP currently has a mangrove restoration project in: 12 people from Bang Kang Khao village, Sikao District, Trang; 4 people from Thung Yor village, Klong Thom District, Krabi; and 16 people from Kong Lu village, Muang District, Krabi. The workshop provided a great opportunity for Nai Nang trainers to disseminate some of their valuable knowledge and for other villages to learn about how the group has become so successful with their apiculture enterprise, with the hope of being able to replicate it in their own village. This livelihood training workshop was kindly funded by the LUSH Charity Pot, the corporate social responsibility arm of the Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetic company. READ MORE

In North Sumatra, farmers prefer mangroves to oil palm
mangroves before palm oil
INDONESIA - In a coastal village in Langkat regency, a three-hour drive north from North Sumatra's capital of Medan, locals have started to reap the benefits from the hundreds of hectares of rejuvenated mangrove forests that had previously been illegally converted by companies into oil palm plantations. After securing a forest management permit in March 2017, Lubuk Kertang farmers and fishermen have constructed 20 eco-friendly ponds to farm shrimps, crabs and several local varieties of fish, as well as to produce snacks and syrups from mangrove leaves and mangrove apples. They also plan to construct an ecotourism site. As part of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo administration's social forestry program, a permit was issued by the Environment and Forestry Ministry to Kelompok Lestari Mangrove, a group of 108 Lubuk Kertang farmers and fishermen, to manage 410 hectares of mangrove forests for a period of 35 years. READ MORE

Local approach tackles coastal erosion in Jambi
Jambi mangrove replant
INDONESIA - Local methods are being used by residents and environmental groups to tackle coastal erosion in the Berbak Sembilang National Park in East Tanjung Jabung regency in Jambi. Various methods are being applied in accordance with the conditions and characteristics of each village where the abrasions take place, local group Gita Buana Association head Taufik Hidayat said. Since last year, local residents of Remau Baku Tuo, Air Hitam Laut and Sungai Cemara villages in Sadu subdistrict planted as many as 30,000 mangrove seeds along the coastal line of the villages. They also used bamboo fences with zig-zag or arrowhead patterns to protect the plants from sand, mud and wood waste deposited by the ocean. “It has proven to be a success by as much as 70 percent,” Taufik said.READ MORE

Subsidy offered for growing mangroves
community managed forest
INDIA - Forest Minister K. Raju has said that private individuals will be offered subsidy up to ₹4,000 an acre for implementing the scheme for protecting mangrove forests in the State. Inaugurating the Mangrove Study and Research Centre and the Biodiversity Park at the at Kottila Government Higher Secondary School here on Saturday, the Minister said the government would pay the subsidy if the individuals were willing to plant mangrove saplings. The government was also willing to take over privately held lands under mangrove vegetation if their owners were prepared to transfer them for conservation. Mr. Raju said Kerala being one of the States with high forest area, the extent of forest had increased by 250 hectares over the past two years. This included mangrove areas in Kannur and Kasaragod districts declared forest areas, he said adding that mangrove afforestation was more effective and less expensive than building sea walls to protect areas from sea water flooding. READ MORE

AMERICAS

Mangroves to mudflats and not back again
mangroves to mudflat
USA - Over one-third of Earth's population lives with 100 km of a coastline and depend on the services that coastal ecosystems provide. Hurricanes can provide valuable sediments and nutrients that promote plant growth and increase the stability of some coastal ecosystems. However, storm surge, saltwater intrusion, wind, and extreme rainfall can knock down forests, lead to erosion, and transform plant communities. This can lead to an abrupt and irreversible ecosystem transformation In a southwestern section of Everglades National Park, hurricanes may have contributed to the conversion of mangrove forests to lower-elevation mudflats. The mangrove forests offer some protection from storm surge and can provide habitat stability. Long-term transformation to mudflats would have serious effects on the ability of coastal wetlands to persist against hurricanes and rising sea levels United States Geological Survey (USGS) scientists have measured surface elevation changes in these mangroves and adjacent mudflats for nearly 20 years, including changes brought on by Hurricane Wilma in 2005 and Hurricane Irma in 2017. Michael J. Osland, a USGS research ecologist, will speak on this research at the 2018 ESA Annual Meeting in August. READ MORE

The miracle of mangroves for coastal protection in numbers
mangroves
USA - The North Atlantic hurricane season officially opens June 1, and there are predictions that storms this year could be worse than average again. That would be bad since last year was the costliest year on record for coastal storms. Communities and countries across the Caribbean and SE USA were particularly hard hit. The need for resilient solutions to reduce these risks is paramount. There has been growing though largely anecdotal evidence that mangroves and other coastal habitats can play important roles in defending coastlines. Nonetheless it has been difficult to convince most governments and businesses (e.g., insurance, hotels) to invest in these natural defenses in the absence of rigorous valuations of these benefits. So in 2016 The Nature Conservancy teamed with the World Bank and scientists from the public, private and academic sectors to identify how to rigorously value the flood protection benefits from coastal habitats. READ MORE

OCEANA

Mangroves and their deforestation may emit more methane than we thought
Methane producing plants
AUSTRALIA - Mangroves, the dense tangled forests that buffer land from sea in many coastal areas of the tropics, are renowned for their ability to store carbon and help fight climate change. But new research finds mangroves may emit more carbon as methane than previously estimated – emissions made even worse by deforestation. The ability of mangroves to sequester carbon in the ground – termed “blue carbon” – is unparalleled, with previous research finding a tract of mangrove can bury 40 times more carbon than a similarly sized area of rainforest. But what exactly happens to this carbon once it’s in the ground has been something of a mystery. So scientists at universities in Australia decided to find out by examining the soil carbon stored beneath mangroves in Queensland. Their results, published in Science Advances, reveal that mangrove soil carbon doesn’t remain stored in perpetuity. Some of it is transformed from carbon dioxide (CO2) to methane (CH4) by tiny microorganisims called archea, and is then released back into the atmosphere. Methane has a much bigger warming impact than carbon dioxide – 34 to 86 times more powerful – so even a bit of methane has the potential to offset mangrove CO2 storage. READ MORE

WORLD

The world is losing vital forests quicker than ever
Tropical Forest Biodiversity loss
GLOBAL - Global Forest Watch detected that especially tropical forests continue to be chopped down. In 2017, 40 football fields of tropical tree cover were destroyed — every minute. The Democratic Republic of Congo, where part of the world's second-largest rainforest is located, saw a record tree cover loss in 2017 The Central African country lost 1.47 million hectares of tree cover in 2017 due to agriculture, charcoal production and mining In Brazil, 4.5 million hectares of forests were destroyed, down 16 percent from a record high in 2016, but still higher than any other year, the report said. Despite negative trends in most tropical forests around the world, there is one positive story: Indonesia. The Southeast Asian country managed to reduce its tree cover loss by 60 percent in primary forests in 2017, compared to 2016 when wildfires caused the highest tree cover loss on record. The sharp decrease is due to the fact that by 2017, el Niño had passed, but also due to improved government efforts to protect forests, said Putera Parthama, representative of Indonesia's Ministry of Environment and Forestry. READ MORE

Indigenous communities practice effective forest conservation, but remain excluded from policy
CBEMR restoration
WORLD - The world today is in the grip of an existential crisis in more ways than one. The future of the Blue Planet has never before been clouded with more ominous portents. Yet some of its oldest inhabitants and indigenous peoples perhaps have been the best guardians of its natural resources, and a new report only confirms this. It is the indigenous peoples who have “long stewarded and protected the world’s forests, a crucial bulwark against climate change.” The report 'Cornered by Protected Areas' by Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, Janis Alcorn and Augusta Molnar, and the Rights and Resources Initiative, released on 27 June in Oslo, said the rate of tree cover loss is less than half in community and indigenous lands, as compared to elsewhere. Where community rights to own their lands are legally recognised, the difference is even greater. Worldwide, community lands hold at least a quarter of above-ground tropical forest carbon—equal to four times the global greenhouse gas emissions for 2014—and likely much more. Yet in countries like India, attempts to gain community forest rights are met with red tape. In forests in Karnataka and elsewhere, local communities face relocation as their traditional lands are taken away to conserve tiger habitats. READ MORE

Investing in indigenous communities is most efficient way to protect forests, report finds
Indigenous communities
WORLD - The best way to save forests and curb biodiversity loss is to recognize the claims of indigenous peoples to their territories, a new report urges. Published by the Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI), an international NGO headquartered in Washington, and Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, the UN special rapporteur on indigenous rights, the 28-nation study compares conservation outcomes in lands controlled by indigenous groups against those in government-managed “protection zones.” “This research shows that indigenous peoples and local communities are investing substantially in conserving their forests — up to $1.71 billion in the developing world,” the authors write. The figure amounts to between 16 and 23 percent of what the conservation establishment — governments, multilateral organizations, bilateral aid agencies, NGOs, foundations and private entities — spends each year. Through labor and capital put toward managing, protecting and rehabilitating forests, indigenous communities were found to achieve equal or better conservation outcomes — at a significant discount. READ MORE
 

 
 
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Friday, July 13, 2018

Ban Nai Nang Apiculture Training Workshop


By Kate Knight Office Development & Field Project Assistant (Intern)
On July 1st 2018, Mangrove Action Project and Nai Nang Apiculture Group hosted a “How to do” beekeeping training workshop for new communities interested in this supplementary livelihood. There was a total of 32 participant trainees who came from 3 different villages that MAP currently has a mangrove restoration project in: 12 people from Bang Kang Khao village, Sikao District, Trang; 4 people from Thung Yor village, Klong Thom District, Krabi; and 16 people from Kong Lu village, Muang District, Krabi. The workshop provided a great opportunity for Nai Nang trainers to disseminate some of their valuable knowledge and for other villages to learn about how the group has become so successful with their apiculture enterprise, with the hope of being able to replicate it in their own village. This livelihood training workshop was kindly funded by the LUSH Charity Pot, the corporate social responsibility arm of the Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetic company.


Community to community apiculture training gets underway

The day started with a welcome speech and introduction from Mr Arlee, the secretary of the Nai Nang Apiculture group, the hosts and trainers.  Ning, MAP Thailand’s field officer, then gave a brief talk about the work MAP has done in Nai Nang and the background to the workshop, followed by a brief discussion of how the Nai Nang group was formed given by the president, Mr. Sutee Pankwan.  Nai Nang village was originally a part of a larger conservation group with the neighboring villages called the Khloa Kan Conservation Group, who were responsible for the mangrove forests, peat forest lands and coastal ecosystems in the district. There were many frustrations for the conservation group, such as no budget to carry out large projects but also the time needed to rehabilitate the forest meaning a long wait before the community were able to make a livelihood from the forest. Therefore, Nai Nang decided to start a local enterprise raising bees in order to provide themselves with a supplemental income while at the same time still supporting their important mangrove conservation work.


Trainees, both male and female, were keen listeners & students.

The Nai Nung Apiculture group gave a very professional detailed, interesting and fun workshop on the many steps to successful bee keeping. Firstly, they explained how they construct the beehive boxes out of recycled wood removed from old abandoned boats. There was then the opportunity for the participants to get hands-on and construct their own boxes using some wood and tools supplied by Nai Nang. “Learning by doing” was lots of fun for all the trainees while the trainers provide useful tips based on their experience. After the successful construction exercise, everyone set off to the nearby rubber tree plantation on the edge of a mangrove forest which is the site where it is possible to set-out the boxes so wild bees (apis cerana) can take-up free residency and establish a productive colony. Here we were given another demonstration about how to set up the new bee box and make it an attractive home by rubbing bees wax on the inside and then transport them to the permanent bee yard.

After lunch the a step-by-step demonstration continued with participants being shown how to collect the honeycomb from the active beehive, without getting stung, which is a real skill so everyone paid very close attention. Throughout the workshop, the participants were keen listeners and had many interesting questions for the group. The highlight of the workshop for many trainees was the demonstration of extracting the honey, filtering it, and finally getting a chance to taste the fresh golden liquid.  The profitable honey represented the sweet taste of a successful partnership between the hardworking bee colony and Nai Nang Apiculture group which provides the safe, dry, rent free homes and protecting their mangrove as a source of nectar for the bees.


Materials and tools needed for constructing beehive boxes


Demonstration showing how to extract and filter the honey

One of the main points made during the workshop was the importance of mangrove conservation for bee raising. It was stressed how the two projects go hand in hand and it is not possible to raise bees without also working on mangrove conservation. Bees must have enough food sources within five kilometers of the bee hive for them to produce honey so ensuring a healthy forest is a precursor for apiculture.

Just before lunch everyone was treated to a short drive to view the mangrove forests in Nai Nang and MAP’s original Community Based Ecological Mangrove Restoration site. This was a particularly interesting part of the day where each village shared their own experiences with mangrove conservation and discussed the differences between the mangrove sites in Nai Nang and the ones in their own village. Many great stories and advice was shared between the Nai Nang Group and other villagers, and everyone took something new away with them.


Discussion between communities on mangrove conservation & restoration

The workshop ended with each village coming together to discuss what they had learnt during the workshop. Using flipcharts each village created a quick strategy of what they would do next when they returned to their village in order to start raising bees. These were then shared with the group and then opened up to members of the Nai Nang Apiculture Group for comments and suggestions. It was clear how much each participant had learned from the workshop with the amount of detail that had gone into the plans. It was particularly good to see that each strategy started with improving the health of the mangrove forests and ensuring plentiful food sources for bees as this was one thing that was continually stressed throughout the workshop.


Ban Klong Kum community presented their apiculture plans


Please watch our short video (6:33 minutes) on the beekeeping workshop held at Nai Nang

Thursday, July 5, 2018

MAP News Issue 446, July 7, 2018

Mangrove Action Project
The MAP News
446th Edition                                                     July 7, 2018

FEATURE
Mangrove Heroes - Peace through conservation
Sri-Lankan-Mother-Daughter
SRI LANKA : After decades of civil war and struggles between Muslims, Buddhists, Tamils and Singhalese, Sril Lanka is finding healing and reconciliation through the restoration and conservation of mangroves. Sri Lanka NGO Sudeesa and US NGO Seacology have teamed to create a working model based on education, business application and replanting to restore the environment and the social fabric of Sri Lanka. Sudeesa Chairman Anuradha Wickramasinghe explains “I realized that to keep the childrens lives about the environment, the most important person is the mother.” Using educational programs designed to teach women about the importance of mangroves, and to help them achieve a level of sustenance without cutting them, the group has created a series of workshops combined with small business loans to teach the women about about conservation and business, in hopes of protecting the environment. One unexpected benefit has been peaceful cooperation between past enemies. “Sri Lanka society has a very great ethnic diversity,” says Wickramasinghe, “ but when we go to work to conserve the mangroves, no one is concerned about ethnic diversity, they are all concerned about bio-diversity.” WATCH VIDEO

AFRICA

Congo adopts a strategy that will bolster community forestry
Congo Forestry Management
DRC - The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has put a new community forest strategy in place, a move that proponents say could help provide Congolese with the chance to have a say in the management of the country’s forests. The DRC environment minister, Amy Ambatobe, announced the acceptance of the plan on May 31. “It’s really the first clear restatement of commitment to community forestry that the DRC government has made since it passed into law in 2014,” Simon Counsell, executive director of Rainforest Foundation UK, said in an interview. “Formal community forestry is a very new concept in DRC, so there are not even any local experiences yet to learn from, even if much of the forest has been under de facto community control and ‘informal’ management for hundreds of years,” Counsell said. Stemming from that need, international organizations like Rainforest UK have worked with government agencies, local NGOs and community groups over the past several years to come up with this plan. The goal is to start with a handful of “pilot concessions” and use those experiences to pinpoint any deficiencies in the process over the next five years. READ MORE

Africa's oldest trees are dying, and scientists are stumped
Baobab Tree
SOUTH AFRICA - In South Africa’s Limpopo province, a baobab tree once grew so large and stood so strong that its human neighbors decided to do the obvious: They built a pub inside the living tree’s thousand-year-old hollow trunk, which measured more than 150 feet around and enclosed two interconnected cavities. For two decades, the Sunland baobab attracted tourists wanting to knock back a pint in a tree. But in August 2016, one of the monster stems forming the interior wall cracked and collapsed. Eight months later, another huge chunk toppled over, and now, five of the giant Sunland stems have collapsed and died, leaving only half of the tree standing. Though the Sunland tree’s demise could sound like a consequence of human visitation, it’s part of an alarming trend: A startlingly high percentage of the oldest, largest baobabs in Africa have died within the last 12 years, scientists report today in the journal Nature Plants. READ MORE

ASIA

MAP Thailand hosts Environmental Education at Ban Tha-Sanook, Thailand
MAP workshop
THAILAND - On the 21st of June Mr. Udomsak Pariwatpan (Em), MAP-Thailand’s Field Officer, and myself the new MAP Intern travelled to Phang Nga and Krabi Provinces for a jam packed two days of meetings and environmental education (EE). Being relatively new to MAP, when I was told I would be spending a few days out in the field I was really excited to see some of the on the ground work that the organisation does here in Thailand. The focus of the trip was primarily on carrying out environmental education for school aged children, funded by the LUSH Charity Pot, but also included meeting with the principle and village chief about using the school as a one of two plastic free model schools in Thailand and visiting MAP’s other project sites. The environmental education class consisted of 21 students, aged 14, from a primary school in Ban Tha-Sanook, Phang Nga Province. READ MORE

Mangrove group wins National ENERGY GLOBE Award Bangladesh 2018
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BANGLADESH - The Sundarbans coastal region is a disaster prone area and it forms the front line of Global Climate Change; therefore, the coastal people lose their source of drinking water, crops, livestock and farming land due to the negative impact of climate change. Access to clean and safe drinking water is the biggest challenge these communities get to experience each day making them entirely dependent on ponds and rain water for drinking. The solution is to build an Eco Village to help protect the single largest mangrove forest in the world. Bangladesh Environment and Development Society have established a stable Eco Village as a model for sustainable development to improve sustainable management and operational capacity for Eco-Villagers. The project is divided into three components that aim to improve the water system and mangroves through the distribution of energy efficient stoves, solar technology and planting mangroves saplings. READ MORE

Various solutions to sea level rise in Vietnam
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VIETNAM - A series of solutions to adapting to sea level rise caused by climate change have been taken in Vietnam, as the phenomenon is posing grave challenges to the ecosystem, biodiversity and natural resources as well as human life. Many researches have affirmed that the sea level is rising in the century with the main cause of climate change. With over 3,260 kilometers of coastline stretching from the north to the south, and about 50 percent of the population living in lowland areas, Vietnam is considered one of the most vulnerable and being negatively impacted by sea level rise. It can be seen that consequences of climate change and sea level rise for Vietnam are serious, including a visible risk for poverty reduction targets, and negative impacts on the realization of millennium and sustainable development goals. READ MORE

AMERICAS

How mangroves help keep the planet cool
Carbon planet
USA - Coastal scientists have developed a new global framework to more accurately assess how mangroves along different types of coastlines from deltas to lagoons store carbon in their soil. They found that previous studies have underestimated the blue carbon levels in mangroves by up to 50 percent in some regions and overestimated levels by up to 86 percent in others. Their study published recently in Nature Climate Change will help countries develop and evaluate their carbon footprint and blue carbon inventory that potentially can be used in the global marketplace. "We took a huge step further by testing a robust model that more clearly defines the global variation of carbon storage of coastlines taking into account different tides, river flow, geology and rainfall that occurs around the world," said co-author Robert Twilley, who is Louisiana State University (LSU) Department of Oceanography & Coastal Sciences professor in the LSU College of the Coast & Environment and the executive director of the Louisiana Sea Grant College Program. READ MORE

Recognize Excellence in EE Through an NAAEE Award Nomination!
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USA - Do you know of an individual or organization that has accomplished great things in environmental education? You probably do! You probably know multiple people or organizations. This is your chance to recognize the wonderful work of incredibly hardworking individuals and organizations for the benefit of the environment. Please consider nominating an organization for the Outstanding NAAEE Affiliate Award or the Outstanding Service by an Organization Award. Or, you can recognize remarkable individuals who have done great things in EE with these varied award options READ MORE

Editor’s note - We celebrate the recovery of corals in Belize but stress that our efforts must not end here in the defense of these critical habitats. Coral reefs are still perilously close to collapse worldwide. 
The Belize Barrier Reef no longer ‘in danger’
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BELIZE - Belizeans and environmentalists worldwide are celebrating today at UNESCO’s announcement that the Belize Barrier Reef has been removed from their In Danger list. The site had been added on to the In Danger list for almost a decade ago due to the threat of irreversible damage from coastal construction and oil exploration. Seismic testing for oil was permitted just 10km from the site. Public outcry from Belizeans followed. Local efforts were supported by a collation that included WWF, Oceana, and the Belize Tourism Industry Association. Over the last 18 months, Belize’s government has put in place protections to secure the Belize Barrier Reef from immediate threats.READ MORE

Public support needed for mangroves
Cayman mangroves
CAYMAN ISLANDS - The Department of Environment is continuing its battle to conserve what is left of the Cayman Islands’ natural resources and is turning its attention to mangroves. Despite the challenges the DoE faces with a minister who openly admitted in Finance Committee this week that he does not profess “to be a conservationist” and has previously signaled his dislike of the National Conservation Law, the department is still trying to do its part, using that legislation while it is still in effect, to protect important habitat. But it needs public support for its efforts to persuade Cabinet to accept a species plan to preserve the mangroves. Even though mangroves offer protection from storm surge during hurricanes and flooding and their fundamental importance to marine diversity is well documented, Cayman has had a poor track record protecting them. The mangrove buffers in the development plan have often been ignored and the Central Planning Authority has consistently given developers approval to rip out mangroves, even for projects that never materialized. READ MORE

Uncontrolled invasion of the mangrove area in Progreso, Yucatan
Yucatan
MEXICO - The problem of the Progreso mangrove zone in Yucatan enters a new chapter, since people who previously lived in this place and who were relocated to one of the communities south of the port, leased the property where they had been relocated to someone else, and returned to live to the mangrove area, which has caused the municipality to file three complaints on these irregular events. According to the coordinator of the Department of Ecology, Edilberto Quezada Dominguez, years ago, federal, state and municipal authorities made an effort to relocate several families that had invaded the swamp near Fraccionamiento Flamboyanes; however, some time later, many of those citizens that were benefited with housing in the area, once again invaded the mangrove zone. Because of the above, the Department of Ecology raised three formal complaints against the invaders, who live in deplorable and unhealthy conditions, so it was also noted that the authorities are pending to act immediately and evict these people off the area. READ MORE

LAST WORD

Mangrove Action Day is July 26, 2018
photography contest
GLOBAL - As part of this years Mangrove Action Day we are raising awareness of the connections people have with mangrove forests by creating a global photography exhibition. Throughout the month of July, we have asked for and received incredible photos from around the world. We invite you to send us your best photos for a chance to be part of a special exhibition that will help spread the importance of mangroves. Special prizes this year for our three chosen winners. Scroll down to get inspired by some mangrove themes and find out other ways in which you can get involved! WAYS YOU CAN ACT READ MORE

 
 
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Action Alerts

Mangrove Action Day is July 26
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Enter our photo contest READ MORE

Recognize Excellence in EE Through an NAAEE Award Nomination DEADLINE AUG 3 READ MORE


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ACTION ALERTS

Sign on: letter to the Chief Minister of Sabah, Malaysia - To stop the destruction of communities’ mangrove area in Pitas and support indigenous communities to protect and conserve the last remaining 1000 acres of their forest - SIGN HERE

President Abdulla Yameen: Stop Destruction of Kulhudhuffushi Mangroves! CLICK HERE




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MANGROVE ISSUES 

Want to learn more about mangroves?mangrove-action-project-presentation-1-1024.jpg?cb=1424228039
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

What is EPIC? - The Ecosystems Protecting Infrastructure and Communities (EPIC) project:  the role of ecosystems as protective barriers against climate induced hazards

MANGROVES APP AVAILABLE
A pictorial field guide for easy identification of various mangrove species and learning about the mangroves ecosystem. CLICK HERE
View MAP’s uploaded Videos at MAPmangrover’sChannel
Question Your Shrimp Consumer/Markets Campaign!  
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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

The Value of Mangrove Forests View Video

CBEMR Experience Exchange MAP 2017 English Subtitles
VIEW THE VIDEO

Mangroves: Guidebook to Malaysia – Click Here
 
Mangrove rehabilitation in Asia – Local Action and cross-border Transfer of Knowledge for the Conservation of Climate, Forests and Biodiversity VIEW VIDEOS HERE
SHARE MAP'S VISION 
CLICK HERE to watch short introductory video. Together we can work "at the roots of the sea".
Our short documentary, Reducing the Risk of Disaster through Nature-Based Solutions : Mangroves
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Exclusive Interview with Alfredo Quarto, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Mangrove Action Project - See more
 

Marvellous Mangroves Curriculum

The Marvellous Mangroves Education Forum is an online hub for those utilizing the Marvellous Mangroves (MM) Curriculum. It gives students, teachers and anyone interested in mangroves, the opportunity to learn and share ideas themed around the curriculum, to connect and communicate with others around the globe whilst exploring mangroves from your computer or on the go. VISIT

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The award-winning Marvellous Mangroves (MM) curriculum educates children on the importance of mangroves and their ecological functions, teaching them about modern challenges and mechanisms for sustainability. VIEW VIDEO


Marvellous-Mangroves-Myths-and-Legends-Promo
MAP Education Director Martin Keeley’s most recent book is Marvellous Mangroves: Myths and Legends, a compilation of stories from “Mangrove Peoples”—those who live on shorelines where mangroves thrive—from around the world. READ MORE

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
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Check out our presentation for more details on Marvellous Mangroves

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

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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

 Volunteer Opportunities with Mangrove Action Project CLICK HERE

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"Question Your Shrimp" Campaign

Question Your Shrimp- Don't Buy or Sell Imported Tropical Shrimp! Sign the Petition

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
Question Your Shrimp
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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...