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. |
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FEATURED STORY Editor's Note: The present Honduran president was installed in office by the Honduran military after a coupe removed the democratically elected president from offiice two years ago. FAO Guidelines and Fisheries Act JOHAfter 6 years of discussions among global networks of organized fishers civil society from all continents and all 139 member states that make up the FAO, the "Guidelines" were approved by FAO in June 2014 to ensure the sustainability of artisanal fisheries small scale in the context of food sovereignty, the eradication of poverty and respect human rights. These "Guidelines" are addressed to the Member States of FAO, as is Honduras. Recognize the importance of artisanal fisheries in food. Seek to contribute to sustainable development of fishing communities through fisheries management and conservation of water resources, based on principles of respect for human rights, cultures, consultation and participation, transparency, accountability, sustainability biosocioeconómica, etc. And for achieving responsible fisheries to provide food for millions of inhabitants of the planet, within a framework of sustainable development, provide: responsible governance of tenure; sustainable management of resources; social development, employment and decent work; support value chains; gender equality; disaster risk and climate change. In them, the States agree to consider the development and implementation of policies, strategies and legal frameworks participatory and respectful ... and boost the economy of artisanal fishing communities and improve nutrition in the world. READ MORE ASIA Environmental Education and Research Center on MSN Island MYANMAR - The Mangrove Service Network (MSN) as part of its long term ambitious plan of enhancing environmental conservation, increasing knowledge on mangroves and their environment, and promoting alternative sources of income for the rural population of the Ayeyarwaddy Delta, has established a Mangrove Environment Education and Research Centre on a 50 acre island in Bogalay Township, with initial funding from Australian-Aid (Direct Aid Program 2012-13)" Mangrove and forest areas are degrading at a tremendous rate due to over extraction mostly caused by lack of awareness of the rural communities. The cyclone Nargis in 2008 has shown the importance of such areas as natural buffer against the ever more frequent hazards impacting the Delta area. The importance in preserving and documenting such natural areas as well as promoting the sustainable use of natural resources by rural communities has been identified as a critical issue.Currently, MSN is utilizing the Environmental Education and Research Centre on their own island funded by the Australian Embassy. READ MORE Villagers continue digging at the CBEMR site #1 THAILAND - On October 7th, MAP staff member, Jaruwan Enright (Ning), visited the CBEMR site #1 at Village No. 3, Klong Gam in Krabi. The eight villagers from Klong Prasong’s village number 1 and another six helpers from village number 2 on Koh Klang were working together with Mr. Somphot Nimsuntijaroen, a fishery adviser for MAP. The group was grading the slope along the bank of the pond so the mangrove seedlings would have more space to settle and grow. Additionally, they worked on fixing the sluice gate to make sure that the hydrology inside the pond would flow naturally. With the help from Project Abroad, an international volunteer overseas program with a marine and coastal project based in Krabi, and more than a few local community members, work continued on the hydrology restoration of an abandoned pond on Klang Island in the Krabi River estuary. The combined efforts of the multi-national team using shovels and broad hoes effectively continued the work of digging canals through the center of the pond for tidal water access without the use of heavy machinery. READ MORE Its not just about the environment anymore VIETNAM - Attendees, media and likely many of the speakers at last week’s Global Outlook for Aquaculture Leadership (GOAL) conference in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, must have been somewhat surprised that so much time and energy was spent on social issues as opposed to the environmental impacts of fish farming alone. The two, however, are now permanently intertwined. (Food safety would be the “third leg of the stool” of a global seafood procurement policy, if metaphors are your thing.) It reflects positively on the industry, and the entire seafood supply chain for that matter, that a large percentage of the discourse at the global gathering was devoted to human rights and responsible treatment of workers on fishing vessels, on farms and in processing plants. Even if certain phrases were repeated ad infinitum or sounded straight out of the attorney playbook, nobody was ducking the issue. They simply can’t afford to. If ignorance is forgivable, avoidance is not. READ MORE EDITORS NOTE This news article is very positive and progressive news highlighting DMCR's plans to reclaim 48,000 ha of encroached mangroves, turning half over to local community management. This shows they recognize the importance of community involvement in mangrove restoration, management and protection. But it remains to be seen how effective DMCR will actually be considering the complicated land tenure issues and the slow process of the courts Also the fact that DMCR was not able to prevent the encroachment from occurring in the first place and that half the remaining mangrove is degraded is not encouraging. Let's hope they will succeed in this ambitious plan to reclaim mangrove habitat, while preventing further encroachment into the mangroves. Marine department to reclaim forest areas THAILAND - The Marine and Coastal Resources Department plans to reclaim possession of at least 300,000 rai of encroached mangrove forest areas nationwide within the next five years. The department's plan willbe in line with the National Council for Peace and Order's (NCPO) policy to deal with land encroachment problems. Under the same policy, the NCPO hopes to provide the rights to administering mangrove forest areas to communities close by so they can help preserve the mangrove forests. Department director-general Chonlatid Suraswadi said his department plans to regain possession of at least 300,000 rai of mangrove forest areas nationwide from those encroaching on them. Deteriorated mangrove areas can be found in many provinces. He said he will propose the plan immediately after new Natural Resources and Environment Minister Gen Dapong Ratanasuwan officially takes up his position at the ministry. READ MORE Swimming Camels of Kachchh at Risk INDIA - The Kharai of Kachchh district in Gujarat, India, is possibly the only camel breed that can survive in both land and marine ecosystems. It feeds on mostly plants grown in saline land, swimming up to three kilometers out to small islands within the mangroves during monsoon season. But its habitat is at risk. A decline in grazing resources has led to a decline in camel population. Only 2,173 camels in Kachchh district are the Kharai breed, and they are managed by only 72 camel breeders. The camel pastoralists of Kachchh, which also raise an inland breed called the Kachchh, are calling for recognition of their national and international rights that have been ignored. According to new community protocol written with help from the Christensen Fund, “Our nomadic or semi-nomadic lifestyles lead to our frequent marginalization or outright exclusion from the policy process. However, we are committed to the conservation of our land, its associated biodiversity, and our livelihood.” READ MORE AMERICAS Climate change causing fish to disappear from tropics CANADA - Large numbers of fish will disappear from the tropics by 2050 due to climate change, scientists have warned. More fish will be driven into Arctic and Antarctic waters, according to experts who examined the impact of the seas warming up on fish stocks. In the worst-case scenario, where the Earth's oceans warm by three degrees Celsius (5.4F) by 2100, fish could move away from their current habitats at a rate of 26 kilometres per decade. The best-case scenario, where the Earth warms by one degree Celsius (1.8F) - fish would move 15 kilometres every decade, researchers at The University of British Columbia (UBC) said. They added that this is consistent with changes in the last few decades. The UBC study also identified ocean hotspots for local fish extinction. READ MORE OCEANIA Mangrove ID App available for iPhone, iPad & Android Dr. Norman Duke from the TropWATER Centre at James Cook University in Australia has developed a mangrove ID application for smart phones. The ŒWorld Mangrove iD‚ app for iPhone, iPad and Android devices is an e-book, and a living expert guide to all mangrove plants worldwide. Do you have an interest in the fascinating world of mangroves? Do you have questions like: What mangrove is that?; or What mangroves grow in my country? Maybe also, Why are mangroves important? You will find answers, and more, in the World Mangrove iD e-book app. The guide provides more than 800 exquisite images, 100 world distribution records and authoritative botanical descriptions of all 85 mangrove plant species, hybrids and varieties occurring worldwide; plus a selection of 15 common Associate plants you are likely to come across. The information and data presented provides the very latest up-to-date botanical information from Dr Duke's Mangrove Flora Project conducted over the last three decades. The app is about $10 USD which is a very great valuable for such a wealth of information. iD Mangrove App information on Mangrove Watch: For iPhone & iPad get Mangrove iD at iTunes: For android smart phones get Mangrove iD at Google Play Store: NO MORE DEATHS IN OUR MANGROVES! We now make public the attack that killed fellow Jeferson David Tejada, collector and artisanal fishermen of mangroves in the province of El Oro, who was savagely attacked by dangerous guard dogs who caused very serious injuries at dawn on Thursday October 16, 2014, resulting in his death, leaving his family in the orphanage. Jeferson, was harvesting shellfish when he was suddenly attacked by murderous dogs and guards of a nearby shrimp farm, probably part of the July Rimbaldo property, located on the island's Temples. We at C-CONDEM demand justice. 10 companions have now been killed by the shrimp industry in Ecuador, which now take refuge in Decree 1391 which illicitly authorizes them to be rightful owners of the mangroves and estuaries. We reiterate that the farm shrimp industry in Ecuador is illegal since it cut down 70% of the mangrove ecosystem and now moves to the communities, as murderous polluters of the mangroves, which are our life and our territory, economy and culture. We call on international organizations and urge the government and their competent authorities to put a stop to this series of abuses and systematic human rights violations, it is time to punish those responsible and ban immediately shrimp farms using electric fences, murderous dogs and the use of weapons that threaten human life. No more killings by the shrimp industry; we are gatherers and fisherfolk villagers and ancestral communities. We demand JUSTICE for the mangrove ecosystem and demand that the state protect our fundamental right to life. NO MORE DEATHS IN OUR MANGROVES THAT ARE OUR TERRITORY OF LIFE. C-CONDEM Statement- Contacts: 0994893495 cel- Lider Gongora BACK TO TOP Not yet a subscriber? Click here to subscribe. 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. |
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Thursday, October 23, 2014
MAP News Issue 350, October 25, 2014
Environmental Education and Research Center on MSN Island
Environmental Education and Research Centre |
rural population of the Ayeyarwaddy Delta, has established a Mangrove Environment Education and Research Centre on a 50 acre island in Bogalay Township, with initial funding from Australian-Aid (Direct Aid Program 2012-13)"
Student Study Tour (17-8-14) |
Additionally, MSN created the center as a space, available for environmental conservation organizations, which are studying rural development as well as other relevant research. In the second phase of implementation, MSN started a project targeting the surrounding area of MSN Island, demonstrating environmental friendly livelihood opportunities such as integrated aquaculture ponds, a community woodlots and small-scale commercial tree plantations, which are also being funded by the Australian Embassy. At the opening ceremony of the new livelihood project approximately 25000 seedlings of two mangrove species were planted on the MSN Island.
By: U Htay Lin, Project Coordinator, MSN/EC-NSA ProjectE-mail: htalin@gmail.com
Saturday, October 11, 2014
MAP News Issue 349 - October 11, 2014
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. |
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The MAP News |
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Action Alerts: FREE MAP Mangrove e-cards CLICK HERE
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FEATURED STORY UN report warns of ‘devastating’ effects from ongoing destruction of mangrove forests The world is losing its mangroves at a faster rate than global deforestation, the United Nations revealed today, adding that the destruction of the coastal habitats was costing billions in economic damages and impacting millions of lives. In a new report launched today at the 16th Global Meeting of the Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans, held in Athens, Greece, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) warned that the deforestation of the planet’s mangroves was exceeding average global forest loss by a rate of three to five times, resulting in economic damages of up to $42 billion annually and exposing ecosystems and coastal habitats to an increased risk of devastation from climate change. “The escalating destruction and degradation of mangroves – driven by land conversion for aquaculture and agriculture, coastal development, and pollution – is occurring at an alarming rate, with over a quarter of the earth’s original mangrove cover now lost,” said UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner. “This has potentially devastating effects on biodiversity, food security and the livelihoods of some of the most marginalized coastal communities in developing countries, where more than 90 per cent of the world’s mangroves are found,” he added. READ MORE AFRICA Study demonstrates value of mangroves for Liberia LIBERIA – The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) study for Liberia should focus on revealing the economic and cultural benefits gained from conservation or restoration of wetlands in five study sites along the coast of Liberia. This was the recommendation of 18 participants attending the TEEB Scoping Workshop for Liberia held in the country’s capital Monrovia from 10 to 11 June 2014, to identify policy questions that the TEEB country study would inform. Nearly 58% of the population of Liberia lives within 40 miles of the coast, dotted with mangroves, forests and reeds that extend up to 25 miles inland. Local communities in particular depend on mangroves for fish, wood for fuel and as a buffer against coastal flooding. Unfortunately mangroves suffer from continual degradation mainly caused by urbanization and agricultural expansion, fuel wood harvesting, mining, as well as limited institutional presence and capacity to ensure their protection. “Very little of the national budget is allocated to conservation efforts in Liberia and this is because policy makers know very little about conservation and sustainable use of natural resources”, said J.S.Datuama Cammue, Official of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). READ MORE ASIA “Shrimp rush” damages protective forests in central coastal provinces VIETNAM - The movement to develop shrimp hatcheries has become stronger than ever in the coastal communes of Ha Tinh Province. Dozens of hectares of casuarinas forest in coastal areas have been chopped down to clear land for the so-called “clean shrimp hatchery on sand”. When reporters visited Ky Phuong Commune of Ky Anh District, they saw machines leveling the ground to make room for shrimp ponds next to the coast. Two months ago, the trees in the land area, which was a casuarinas forest, were felled. Many local residents gathered there trying to protect the trees from being cut. However, they were reportedly moved away by “competent agencies’ officers” to create favorable conditions for deforestation. A man in Ba Dong Hamlet said he was shocked that the local authorities agreed to the deforestation. “The forest was planted by our fathers and grandfathers many years ago. It has prevented damage from sand and storms and protected the villages. In the past, we would be heavily punished even if we cut one tree branch,” he said. READ MORE Finding a level playing field for mangroves INDONESIA – To prepare for a rise in sea level, you should surely first know where sea level is. The dense mangrove forests around many of Asia’s coasts appear flat, but there is an invisible gradient hidden in them. As you move landward from the sea, the amount of salt dissolved in the water decreases. The waters become less saline and more brackish, as seawater increasingly mixes with fresh water from rivers and other inland sources. Change the sea level by even centimeters, and that hidden gradient of salinity will be immensely altered. Mangrove plants are rooted in this water. They are highly adapted to the salinity and frequency of inundation by sea water from tides. There are dozens of species with various coping mechanisms. If sea levels rise, to do anything meaningful to tackle the results, we need to know in some detail where sea level actually is, or was. We also need to know how mangroves play their roles, and react to tides and moving sediments. It may not be at all obvious. READ MORE AMERICAS Mangrove Action Project Receives Disney Conservation Grant USA - Mangrove Action Project (MAP) has been awarded a $24,300.00 grant from the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund (DWCF). The conservation grant recognizes Mangrove Action Project’s efforts to educate young people throughout the world on the vital importance of mangrove wetlands, in this instance the focus is on introducing MAP’s “Marvellous Mangroves” curriculum to Bangladeshi schools. “Bangladesh is the twelfth country throughout the world where MAP has begun the process of translating, adapting, researching and introducing “Marvellous Mangroves” – a 300-page curriculum linked teaching resource guide,” said MAP Global Education Director Martin Keeley. “The Disney grant will enable us to complete this exciting program for the home of and inspire local people to protect the magnificent Sundarbans mangrove forest.” In the past twelve years, thousands of teachers and over 250,000 students in eleven countries worldwide have learned through exciting hands-on science the wonders of tropical mangrove wetlands through the Mangrove Action Project. The expansion and adaptation of MAP’s innovative education program into Bangladesh will include recent additions focusing on restoration, ecotourism and research. The Marvelous Mangroves Teachers' Resource Guide will become the core of community understanding of mangrove ecology. READ MORE Mangrove Habitats Protect Corals From Climate Change US VIRGIN ISLANDS - Certain types of corals, invertebrates of the sea that have been on Earth for millions of years, appear to have found a way to survive some of their most destructive threats by attaching to and growing under mangrove roots. Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey and Eckerd College recently published research on a newly discovered refuge for reef-building corals in mangrove habitats of the U.S. Virgin Islands. More than 30 species of reef corals were found growing in Hurricane Hole, a mangrove habitat within the Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument in St. John. Corals are animals that grow in colonies, forming reefs over time as old corals die and young corals grow upon the calcium carbonate or limestone skeletons of the old corals. Coral reefs make up some of the most biologically diverse habitats on Earth, and face many threats such as coastal pollution, dredging and disease. However, some of their most widespread threats involve warming ocean temperatures, solar radiation and increased ocean acidification. READ MORE Mangrove proposal among 2014 Climate CoLab Winners USA - Climate CoLab, a project of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Center for Collective Intelligence (CCI), released 34 winning proposals that outline effective actions to combat climate change (editor - among the winners was a proposal to create community mangrove nurseries). “What makes these proposals unusual is that they weren’t hashed out in oak paneled conference rooms at elite international meetings,” says MIT Professor Thomas Malone, Director of CCI and Principal Investigator for the Climate CoLab. “These proposals were conceived and developed by people from many different backgrounds from all over the world and then selected as sound ideas by respected science and policy experts.” The Climate CoLab, an online platform designed to allow anyone in the world to submit plans for how to respond to climate change, now has more than 32,000 members from over 120 countries. In addition to contributing ideas, community members can also comment on, support and join teams working on proposals to help develop them further. READ MORE EUROPE Destruction of Carbon-Rich Mangroves Costs up to US$42 billion Annually NETHERLANDS - Mangroves are being destroyed at a rate 3 - 5 times greater than the average rates of forest loss, costing billions in economic damages and denying millions of people the ecosystem services they need to survive, according to a new report launched today by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The Importance of Mangroves: A Call to Action launched at the 16th Global Meeting of the Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans, describes how emissions resulting from mangrove losses make up nearly one-fifth of global emissions from deforestation, resulting in economic damages of some US$6 - 42 billion annually. Mangroves are also threatened by climate change, which could result in the loss of a further 10 - 15 per cent of mangroves by 2100. Found in 123 countries and covering 152,000 square kilometers, over 100 million people around the world live within 10 kilometres of large mangrove forests, benefiting from a variety of goods and services such as fisheries and forest products, clean water and protection against erosion and extreme weather events. READ MORE LAST WORD(S) Dear adventurers, I'd like to invite you to join me in launching a creative exploration of our ancient evolutionary origins. By climbing through the branches of a pristine tropical forest, we get an incredible workout, and a way to re-experience what our own primate ancestors felt as they climbed through the trees millions of years ago. This adventure will take place in a living jungle gym: the mangrove forests on the west coast of Mexico, this December 8th-18th (dates of participation are flexible). We'll be camping on a beautiful beach with a restaurant nearby. I did this trip last year and it was fantastic. I'm asking participants to cover their own costs, but I'm not charging any money for guiding this trip. Watch my 2-minute video invitation at http://bit.ly/1qKFjq6, and respond to me at mangroving@gmail.com to learn more and reserve your spot! Please feel free to forward this email to absolutely anyone you think might be interested. You can learn more details about the project at www.mangroving.com. Thank you! Jonathan View Facebook profile BACK TO TOP Not yet a subscriber? Click here to subscribe. 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. |
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Mangrove Action Project Receives Disney Conservation Grant
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The community of adults and youth in Cayman Islands has come together recently to release a series of educational videos. Each is geared to...
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By Alfredo Quarto, Program & Policy Director Co-founder, MAP There is a rather urgent situation concerning the bio-invasion of the Son...
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By: Isabel Robinson, MAP Volunteer Intern Some months ago I decided to come to Thailand and do an internship in mangrove conservation, ...
MAP News Issue #596 = April 20, 2024
ENTRIES NOW OPEN! Mangrove Photography Awards 2024 10 Years Celebrating Mangroves GLOBAL - MAP has launched our 10th Mangrove Photograp...