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Monday, June 25, 2018

MAP Thailand hosts Environmental Education at Ban Tha-Sanook, Thailand


Kate Knight Office Development & Field Project Assistant (Intern)

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. 

 

Students from Ban Tha-Sanook School visiting the MAP learning centre

The environmental education class consisted of 21 students, aged 14, from a primary school in Ban Tha-Sanook, Phang Nga Province. The weather was scorching 35 degrees so we held the class at the boardwalk and mangrove learning center nearby the school. The location of the sala on a small pond and surrounded by a range of different mangrove species created the perfect learning space. The class started with Em introducing the topic and playing a few educational games with MAP bags and shirts for prizes. The students were then split into small groups and given a species of mangrove. Their task was to identify the species from the boardwalk, collect data and info on it and then create colorful and informative posters about each species. At the end students presented what they had found to the rest of the class. It was heartwarming to see the students putting in a hundred percent effort and subsequently really enjoying the task and leaving with a great sense of pride in the work they had done.

 

Students receiving prizes and presenting to the class about different mangrove species

While at Ban Tha-Sanook, we also visited the local primary school and Em held talks with the principle and local head of the village to discuss measures to reducing plastic use at the school. Ironically, we had visited on a day when the whole school had gathered to celebrate “Wai Kruu” – a traditional Thai ceremony for the students to celebrate and give thanks to teachers. This highlighted to us just how much plastic the school really goes through, it was like the perfect showcase of how big the problem with single use plastic is. There were food stalls with almost each item being individually wrapped in plastic, plastic drink cups, an abundance of plastic straws and disposable cutlery.  It was difficult to determine if it was an attitude problem, due to the convenience or if students and teachers lacked the education and knowledge about the extent of the impact that single use plastic was having on the environment. However, gaging from these first talks, the school was understanding in the need to reduce plastic use and were keen to discuss different strategies to reduce the amount of plastic in the hope of becoming a completely plastic free school in the future. The next step now, is to create a baseline study to determine exactly how much plastic is being used, what areas of school it is being used the most and why. This will enable us to come up with some targeted strategies to reducing plastic.


Teachers and students celebrating “Wai Kruu”….plastic everywhere.

As part of the field trip we also utilised the time to visit other nearby project sites including the Nai Nang Apiculture Group. Here Em discussed an upcoming event with the apiculture group to disseminate their knowledge and experience of beekeeping to other villages. Due to the success of the group, Nai Nang now acts as an apiculture and mangrove conservation model for other villages.  On the 31st of June MAP and the Nai Nang Apiculture group will be hosting five other villages to give training about beekeeping; Ban Thale Nok, Rayong; Ban Tha Sanook, Phang Nga; Thung Yor, Krabi; Bang Kang Khao, Trang; and Khlong Kam, Krabi.

On the whole, this trip was a great success, really enjoyable and personally, was nice to finally feel immersed in the work that MAP carries out. The highlight for me was the EE classes with the school students but also having the opportunity to visit previous sites that MAP has worked in and some of the many mangrove forests spread across the two provinces. In between the formal meetings and EE classes, I was able to visit one of the Community Based Ecological Mangrove Restoration (CBEMR) sites in Ban Tha-Sanook. In the space of three years since the original work was done, new mangrove trees are clearly visible with some already reaching over ten feet high. To be able to witness the impact of MAP’s work was really inspiring and given me a new sense of what is achievable when working with like-minded and passionate people. In Krabi, Em gave me a tour of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources’ (DMCR) boardwalk which runs about 400 meters through a mangrove forest. Em also helped me to identify my favourite species - Xylocarpus granatum – which has a beautiful scale-like bark!


MAP CBEMR site in Ban Tha-Sanook and Myself on the DMCR mangrove boardwalk, Krabi

Thursday, June 21, 2018

MAP News Issue 445 - June 23, 2018

Mangrove Action Project
The MAP News
445th Edition                                                     June 23, 2018

FEATURE
Children promote the importance of mangroves
Childrens Calendar contest
MEXICO - In order to draw attention to the importance of mangroves in Sisal, due to its great ecological wealth, in recent days the painting contest "The importance of mangrove forests in my community" was held, whose winners will participate in a contest in the United States. "Through this contest we seek to raise awareness that we must avoid contamination of the mangroves with garbage, sewage, etc., and also prevent them from being cut down and destroyed," said Luis Maldonado López, of Cinvestav, one of the organizers. Prior to the contest, a workshop on garbage and the studies they do with drone assistance was given in schools in the port. Emphasis was placed on the environmental services provided by the mangrove forest to the community. The local contest served to select those who are now participating in the international event in the USA. The works that are awarded in the international competition, said López, will be published in a calendar that will be printed by the environmental organization Mangrove Action Project (MAP). READ MORE
 
AFRICA

CBEMR : re-establishing a more biodiverse and resilient coastal ecosystem with community participation
CBEMR-Africa
WEST AFRICA - Seeking the most effective path towards long-term mangrove conservation and recovery, Mangrove Action Project (MAP) promotes the concept and practice of Community-based Ecological Mangrove Restoration (CBEMR). This holistic approach to mangrove restoration views the proposed plant and animal communities to be restored as part of a larger ecosystem, connected with other ecological communities that also have functions to be protected or restored. Mangrove forests can self-repair, or successfully undergo secondary succession, if the normal tidal hydrology is restored and if there is a ready source of mangrove seedlings or propagules from nearby stands that are accessible to reseed an area. CBEMR focuses on re-establishing the hydrology, which will facilitate this natural regeneration process. CBEMR also engages local communities in the restoration process, empowering them to be stewards of their environment, and enabling them to regain the livelihoods ruined when the mangroves were destroyed. MAP is planning CBEMR training workshops in both East and West Africa, working with field-based NGOs such as Wetlands International Africa in Senegal and Guinea Bissau. READ MORE

Creating a forest landscape restoration movement in Africa: a call to heal planet Earth
Heal Earth
GHANA - This edition of Nature & Faune journal explores the science and innovations (technical, social and policy) that can support the achievement of the African dream of restoring 100 million hectares of its degraded land. Articles in this edition share experiences on challenges, opportunities and successful restoration, including farmer managed natural regeneration, improved management of smallholder woodlots, reforestation, evergreen agriculture with intercropped trees, and associated sustainable land management practices such as water harvesting and erosion control. Africa’s Great Green Wall is presented in this edition as a transformative model for rural communities’ sustainable development. In particular the lessons learned from the “Action Against Desertification” programme funded by the European Union and implemented by FAO with partner countries and organizations, are discussed, paving a way towards the implementation of African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative. READ MORE 
 
ASIA
 
MAP-Thailand hosts field study trip from Gudandong Ocean University, China
MAP workshop
THAILAND - In May of 2018, Mangrove Action Project (MAP) Thailand had the opportunity to host a week-long study tour on coastal management for four professors from the Agricultural College at Gudandong Ocean University, Zhanjiang City, Guandong Province, China. We were also very pleased to be joined by Leo Thom, MAP’s Creative Director who is based in the UK. The focus of the trip was on MAP’s Community Based Ecological Restoration (CBEMR) sites on the Andaman coast of southern Thailand an area which was hit by Indian Ocean Tsunami of 26 December 2014. The field study trip took place in many Community Based Ecological Mangrove Restoration (CBEMR) sites such as Bang Khang Khao in Trang province, Klong Lu, Koh Klang and Nai Nang site as well as the Nai Nang Apiculture group in Krabi province. READ MORE

Eco Village: An adaptation strategy to conserve Mangroves Ecosystem
Bangladeshi Group
Bangladesh Environment and Development Society and Korea Green Foundation have taken a grass-roots initiative to build an Eco Village in Banishanta Union of Dacope Upazila under Khulna district in Bangladesh since 2015. The Eco village project is divided into three components: the Green Housing, Green Education, and Green Business. All aim at increasing use of sustainable energy while conserving the mangrove ecosystem. 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. READ MORE

Mangrove Pneumatophores: Oases Of Biodiversity In Mangrove Mud
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INDIA - Scientists are always fascinated by the various kinds of adaptations that mangroves possess to survive in coastal areas. Mangroves are salt-tolerant plants growing in tropical and subtropical coastlines. Although these plants constitute only 0.5% of the world’s coastal area, they provide billions of dollars in terms of ecosystem services such as fisheries, nutrient cycling, and carbon storage. If you visit any mangrove ecosystem represented by Avicennia or Sonneratia species, you will be surprised to see that these plants possess unique roots called pneumatophores. Unlike the roots of other marine and terrestrial plants, these pneumatophores emerge from the muddy sediments of the mangrove floor and grow in an upward direction. The pneumatophores possess minute pores called lenticels on their surface for the intake of oxygen from the atmosphere, and which carry out respiration. Although these functions of pneumatophores have been known for a long time, our study evaluated the pneumatophores of Avicennia officinalis (L.) collected from Goa (central west coast of India). It was found that these roots are home to diverse species of microalgae and meiofauna (metazoan invertebrates and foraminifera in the size range 63-500 µm). READ MORE

50,000 tonnes plastic in mangroves of Mumbai
garbage-at-versova-beach-in-mumbai_7c4a9e86-682b-11e8-8033-47bccc77d658
INDIA - Mangrove forests in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) are littered with at least 50,000 tonnes of plastic waste. Since the beginning of this year alone, the mangrove cell of the state forest department has removed more than 9,000 tonnes of trash, mostly plastic waste, from nine mangrove sites. “Acting as the interface between land and sea, the mangrove ecosystem is the first natural resource exposed to maximum plastic coming from creeks, rivers and the sea,” said N Vasudevan, additional principal chief conservator of forest, state mangrove cell. “While assessing the quantum of trash from 14 locations across Mumbai, we found that a minimum of 3,500 tonnes of plastic waste is strewn at these areas at any given point in time. It means approximately 50,000 tonnes across all mangrove patches in Mumbai.” READ MORE
 
Tiger turf wars in Bangladesh's Sundarbans
BengalTiger
BANGLADESH - The Sundarban mangrove forest in western Bangladesh is one of the last havens for the endangered Bengal tiger. With only 100 tigers thought to be remaining in the area, every individual tiger's survival counts. But the tigers aren't the only ones that live there. They share the forest and its resources with over a million people in the surrounding villages - a human population that has doubled in size in the last 40 years. And the locals' relationship with the tigers has been hostile at best. The tigers kill or maim villagers and in retaliation the villagers hunt the tigers, causing a vicious cycle. "We have 106, with the historical data about two to three tigers killed by the local villagers every year. But 30 to 50 humans are killed every year," says conservationist Mahbub Alam. READ MORE

AMERICAS

Groups March in Washington, DC During Ocean Week To Oppose Offshore Fish Farms
March on Washington
USA - hundreds of people joined together in a March for the Oceans in Washington, DC. Preventing development of industrial ocean fish farms is a prominent issue for participants, wearing pins and carrying signs with the hashtag "#dontcageouroceans". Alfredo Quarto of the Mangrove Action Project said, "MAP has advocated for over two decades against open water industrial fish feedlots globally. We strongly urge Congress not to consider these kinds of wasteful and unsustainable systems in the U.S." Worldwide, ocean finfish aquaculture has caused a wide range of problems, including fish escapes; deaths of sharks, seals and other marine life; and changes in ocean ecosystems. Marianne Cufone, Executive Director for the Recirculating Farms Coalition said, "Industrial open water finfish farming is an outdated and unnecessary practice. It poses serious risks to our oceans and public health." Over 100 other organizations agree, and signed a letter earlier in the week to members of Congress, calling on legislators to protect oceans from development of marine finfish aquaculture off U.S. shores. READ MORE

Scientists find surprising genetic differences between Brazil’s mangroves
Brazils Mangroves
BRAZIL - Hugging tropical coastlines with masses of long, tangled branches and roots that stick up out of the mud at low tide, mangrove forests all have a similar look at first glance. But dig a little deeper into their genes and surprising differences pop up. When researchers from institutions in Brazil did just that, they discovered that mangrove trees along the same coastline and of the same species were genetically distinct from each other. They think these differences likely arose because oceanic currents act as a barrier to mangrove tree seeds, effectively separating the two populations. In addition to genetic differences, some mangroves have physiological adaptations that make them better suited to their specific environments. The researchers say their results, published in the journal Ecology and Evolution earlier this year, highlight the importance of enacting conservation plans that give a higher priority to the preservation of genetic diversity – an endeavor they say is becoming more and more critical for mangroves as they continue to disappear. READ MORE

Global mangrove soil carbon map aids conservation
mangrove carbon
Mangrove forests are among the most carbon-dense ecosystems in the world and valuable sinks for carbon emissions released into the atmosphere. Now a global map of soil carbon in mangrove forests at 30 m spatial resolution could support new ecosystem services policy tools for rewarding the preservation of major environmental assets. “We felt that working at 30 m resolution was critical because of the strong gradients that occur in mangrove forests across the tidal range,” says Jonathan Sanderman of Woods Hole Research Center in the US. “Within a few hundred metres, there can often be a two-fold variation in soil carbon stocks and we wanted to be able to capture this important local variance in soil carbon.” Sanderman and colleagues developed a machine-learning based data-driven statistical model of the distribution of carbon density at key sites around the world. READ MORE

First Jaguars Born in This Argentinian Wetland in Over a Century
Argentina Jaguar Cubs
ARGENTINA - Two jaguars were born in northeastern Argentina’s Iberá National Park, one of the largest freshwater wetland systems in the Americas. The cubs are currently unnamed and unsexed, but researchers are excited about what kind of conservation implications these births have for the near-threatened species. “They have passed the most critical days and they seem to be healthy and suckling well from their mother,” Ignacio Jiménez Pérez, a National Geographic grantee and conservation coordinator at the Conservation Land Trust Argentina, writes in an email. Although they’ve filmed the cubs, the scientists have not accessed their pen yet because they want to be as noninvasive as possible. They will wait several more days before moving Tania to another pen so that they can briefly access the cubs, Pérez says. READ MORE

OCEANA

Methane emissions partially offset “blue carbon” burial in mangroves
F1.medium
AUSTRALIA - The preservation and enhancement of natural carbon stores are part of global climate change mitigation strategies. Despite offering valuable ecosystem services to the coastal zone and its inhabitants, coastal vegetated ecosystems also stand out as large natural carbon stores. The term “blue carbon” was coined to describe the carbon captured in coastal habitats such as mangrove forests, seagrass beds, and salt marshes. Mangrove forests, in particular, are highly productive ecosystems with global carbon sequestration rates that are disproportionate to their area. However, here, we show that CH4 emissions from mangrove waters have the potential to offset blue carbon burial rates in sediments on average by 20% (sensitivity analysis offset range, 18 to 22%). Hence, CH4 emissions from mangroves need to be accounted for when assessing their importance in climate change mitigation. READ MORE

 
 
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MAP-Thailand hosts field study trip from Gudandong Ocean University, China


Jaruwan (Ning) Enright, MAP Asia Field Coordinator
  
On May 26 2018 Mangrove Action Project (MAP) Thailand had the opportunity to host a week-long study tour on coastal management for four professors from the Agricultural College at Gudandong Ocean University, Zhanjiang City, Guandong Province, China.  We were also very pleased to be joined by Leo Thom, MAP’s Creative Director who is based in the UK.  The focus of the trip was on MAP’s Community Based Ecological Restoration (CBEMR) sites on the Andaman coast of southern Thailand an area which was hit by Indian Ocean Tsunami of 26 December 2014.

Team visiting the Klong Lu Homestay & mangrove trail, Krabi
I was very happy to finally meet Dr. Weidong Han in person whose expertise is on mangrove and coastal natural resources.  I learned that the former MAP Executive Director, Alfredo Quarto and MAP’s Asia Coordinator, Jim Enright, have had a long-standing relationship with Dr Han.  In 2003, Dr. Han hosted an exclusive mangrove trip for Jim and Alfredo in the coast of the Leizhou Peninsula in south eastern China, where they learnt a great deal on the value and destruction of mangroves in Leizhou area. Alfredo wrote an article based on this trip which can be viewed at this link: http://wrm.org.uy/articles-from-the-wrm-bulletin/section1/china-ramsar-mangroves-lost-to-shrimp-farming/

The field study trip took place in many Community Based Ecological Mangrove Restoration (CBEMR) sites such as Bang Khang Khao in Trang province, Klong Lu, Koh Klang and Nai Nang site as well as the Nai Nang Apiculture group in Krabi province.  In Ranong we visited MAP’s first CBEMR site established in 2009 in Ban Talay Nok. 

Meeting with the Nai Nang Apiculture Group
We also visited other mangrove sites of interest such as the Krabi River Estuary Ramsar Site and the Ranong Biosphere Reserve where we met with MAP staff, communities, partner NGOs and researchers to exchange information and knowledge. At the Ngao Mangrove Research Center within the Ranong Biosphere Reserve near the Myanmar border we were all given a warm welcome from Dr. Wijarn Meephol, a mangrove expert and the Director of the Center. On arrival everyone was then invited by Dr Wijarn to a viewing platform with incredible panoramic views of the mangrove forest which was followed by a brief presentation about the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Reserve designated in 1997, the Center and mangrove research carried out there.  

The highlight of the trip was undoubtedly the boat trip to visit the primary old growth mangrove site where there are more than 200 Rhizophora apiculate which are approximately 200 years old. Our guests enjoyed the primary mangrove site where there has been no impact from the charcoal concession period (1961-1986) and remains the only undisturbed primary mangrove site left in the country. During the boat trip it was especially exciting to see stop along the way and see a new mangrove species found in Thailand, Bruguiera hainesii, which is category C1 critically endangered under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.   

Visiting the primary mangrove forest in Ranong
On the whole, the field study trip was a great opportunity for MAP to visit community leaders from a number of our CBEMR sites and to disseminate the CBEMR methodology to the Chinese professors who all got to experience mangroves in Thailand for the first time!  I was especially impressed with all the warmth shared by all the professors and our MAP team throughout the trip.  Dr. Jinjun Chen shared at the brief evaluation meeting that he was amazed about the collaboration among the stakeholders to manage coastal resources as well as Dr. Weidong Han and Professor Yuanman Zhou were happy about our well design program and logistic arrangements.  It was a particularly good trip also for all the group’s durian lovers who luckily got to sample the local fruits with frequents stops along the roads.

Thursday, June 7, 2018

MAP News Issue 444, June 9, 2018

Mangrove Action Project

The MAP News
444th Edition                                                     June 9, 2018


FEATURE
Together we’re protecting mangrove forests.
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EL SALVADOR - Mangrove forests provide a wide array of valuable ecosystem services and play a critical role in climate change mitigation and adaptation. They sequester vast amounts of carbon from the atmosphere, slow coastal erosion, and form a natural barrier that protects coastal communities from extreme weather. Mangrove ecosystems are a refuge for juvenile fish, a nesting habitat for migratory birds, and a breeding ground for sea turtles. They also provide sustainable economic opportunities for local communities who fish and develop ecotourism initiatives. The most extensive remaining mangrove forest in Central America is located in El Salvador's Bay of Jiquilisco. Unfortunately, El Salvador has lost sixty percent of its mangrove forest coverage since 1950, and continues to lose mangroves at a rate of 681 hectares (1683 acres) each year. This loss threatens the livelihoods and safety of the communities and wildlife that depend on the health of this ecosystem for their survival. READ MORE

AFRICA

Cost of coastal environmental degradation, multi hazard risk assessment and cost benefit analysis : Ghana
Africa Coast
This document presents the report identification and justification of disaster risk management and climate change adaptation measures for Ghana. It aims to identify possible adaptation options to reduce, prevent and mitigate risks, through ecosystems reinforcement and other measures. DOWNLOAD HERE

ASIA

Community celebrates nine years of mangrove restoration
earth day
INDIA - As an environmental protection initiative, a group of volunteers have planted more than 150,000 mangrove saplings from 2009 which have now grown into 7 ft tall mangrove plants. 5th June is celebrated as the World Environment Day across the world. This initiative began in 2009 and till today nearly a stretch of 15km of mangroves has been reforested. To mark the celebration of “World Environment Day”, June 4th, teachers from NARBHAVI VIDYALAYA primary school, Gandhi Nagar near Neyveli Township, Thiyagavalli, a coastal village in the Cuddalore District, Tamil Nadu, visited the mangrove forests in Thiyagavalli. The benefits of mangroves to mankind were explained to them by Mr Arjunan Elayaraja, Secretary, Aalamaram NGO. They were given saplings to plant along the banks of the back waters. The team of 36 teachers happily planted the saplings and promised to spread the benefits of reforestation and afforestation to the students community. The arrangements were done by the volunteers of the Aalamaram team. READ MORE

A robotic fish could help mangroves grow
Real mudskipper is model for robot
THIALAND - Mangrove forests are important ecosystems. Their tangled roots hold land in place, preventing the sea from washing it away. Those roots also shelter young fish and other animals as they grow. But the mangrove forests of Thailand have come under threat. People have cut many of them down to build fish farms and expand cities. Some efforts to regrow mangrove forests have been successful; others, not so much. Naphat Cheenchamrat, 18, and Pattharaphol Chainiwattana, 16, wanted to figure out why. For mangroves, mud matters. And to find out if mud is thick enough to plant new mangroves, the pair have just what everyone needs: a fish robot. Naphat is a senior and Pattharaphol a junior at Bangkok Christian College in Thailand. The two brought their muddy results here, to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). READ MORE

Monitoring mangrove forests after aquaculture abandonment using satellite images
Monitoring mangroves from space
INDONESIA - Revegetation of abandoned aquaculture regions should be a priority for any integrated coastal zone management (ICZM). This paper examines the potential of a matchless time series of 20 very high spatial resolution (VHSR) optical satellite images acquired for mapping trends in the evolution of mangrove forests from 2001 to 2015 in an estuary fragmented into aquaculture ponds. Evolution of mangrove extent was quantified through robust multitemporal analysis based on supervised image classification. Results indicated that mangroves are expanding inside and outside ponds and over pond dykes. However, the yearly expansion rate of vegetation cover greatly varied between replanted ponds. Ground truthing showed that only Rhizophora species had been planted, whereas natural mangroves consist of Avicennia and Sonneratia species. In addition, the dense Rhizophora plantations present very low regeneration capabilities compared with natural mangroves. Time series of VHSR images provide comprehensive and intuitive level of information for the support of ICZM. READ MORE

A fishing village and mangrove habitat in the Philippines faces threats of reclamation
Philippines
PHILIPPINES - Obando Fishport, located north of the capital city of Manila in the Philippines, bustles with activity at 6:00 a.m. A colorful and tightly packed flotilla has gathered, fishing boats slipping and sliding carefully past each other to take turns docking. The bustle slowly fades to an idyllic backwater when traveling via pump boat to the coastal village of Taliptip in Bulakan town, Bulacan province. Its surrounding seas are home to some 5,000 fishers and salt-makers who get their bounty of fish, mussels, crabs, shrimp, and krill from these gentle waters and mangrove corridors. On this collection of small island communities, a 2,500-hectare reclamation project by the San Miguel Corporation is being aggressively pursued, threatening to convert everything in its wake into a so-called ‘aerotropolis complex’ of airports, expressways, and urban expanse. READ MORE

Dead whale sparks marine fears
Whales and Plastic
THAILAND - The death of a male short-finned pilot whale with a shocking number of plastic bags in its stomach in Songkhla province has sparked grave concerns about marine debris and the threat it poses to the marine ecological system. The whale died on Friday, a few days after it was beached in Chana district on May 28, and drew wide public attention to yet another case of a marine animal ingesting human refuse after 80 plastic bags, weighing about 8kg, were found in its stomach. As a result, the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources is seizing on this opportunity to raise public awareness about marine litter, especially plastics, which are known to be responsible for the deaths of seabirds and marine mammals. Jatuporn Buruspat, the department's director-general, said on Friday, which was also World Ocean Day, that the agency will meet those in the plastic bag supply chain, including producers and users, to discuss how they can work to curb the amount of plastic that ends up in the sea. READ MORE

AMERICAS

How Mangrove And Salt Marsh Seedlings Respond To CO2 And Drought
BlackMangrove_Saltmarsh
USA - Scientists have documented landward shifts of mangrove forests over the past several decades along the Gulf and in other regions of the world (e.g., Australia, China, Mexico, New Zealand). In many settings, mangrove forests have encroached into marshes and mudflats, replacing those habitat types. Similar inland migration of brackish and salt marshes can be prevented in some areas by existing human infrastructure, including roads, housing, and commercial development; this process has been described as “coastal squeeze.” As a consequence, marsh habitat loss has occurred, and the type and quantity of ecosystem goods and services provided have been affected. Mangrove expansion in the Gulf has been attributed primarily to sea-level rise, reduced freshwater input, and increased intervals between winter freeze events, all factors that favor the expansion of cold-intolerant and salt-tolerant mangrove species. Drought is an additional factor that affects the resiliency of Gulf coastal wetlands, and it has been implicated as a contributing factor in severe vegetation dieback events that have occurred in brackish and salt marshes. READ MORE

Our Land, Our Life - A Participatory Assessment of the Land Tenure Situation of Indigenous Peoples in Guyana
Guyana Community
GUYANA - In Guyana, customary lands and forest that communities depend on are being illegally destroyed by extractive industries -operating within and outside of allocated concessions- and communities are suffering because they do not have title to the full extent of their traditional lands, or have no title at all. In addition to the fact that large parts of communities’ customary land have been left out of titled areas on paper, even more land has been cut off during demarcation of titles thereby eroding their customary land rights or causing boundary conflicts with neighbouring communities. This report seeks to present a detailed picture of the current status of land rights for communities in the Potaro-Siparuni region (Region 8) in west-central Guyana. The study covers 22 villages and settlements. Fifteen of those villages have land titles, however, fourteen of those said they were not consulted and did not give their consent to the area granted as title. READ MORE

Plastic Tsunamis Threaten Coast in Latin America
Brazil plastics
BRAZIL - Although Latin America produces just five percent of the world’s plastic, it imports billions of tons annually for the use of all kinds of products, some of which end up in the sea as garbage. It thus contributes to this kind of artificial tsunami that threatens the biodiversity of the oceans, where 13 million tons of waste, mostly disposable plastics, are dumped each year at a global level, according to UN Environment – enough to wrap around the Earth four times. The impact is such that it also affects human health, as this resistant waste enters the food chain, and has led the United Nations to declare “Beat Plastic Pollution” as the theme for this year’s World Environment Day, on June 5. READ MORE

Work underway in Suriname to restore ecosystems after closure of mining site on indigenous land
Suriname
SURINAME - International experts have visited Suriname as part of a mission to restore ecosystems around a now closed bauxite mining site on indigenous territory. The delegation visited the Wane Hills site in Marowijne, which was first mined by BHP Biliton and later by Suralco, which is part of Alcoa. The site is now considered mined out and Alcoa has closed operations in Suriname. The mission, from 25-30 March, was also joined by representatives of the Association of Indigenous Village Leaders in Suriname, VIDS – who have been asked by the Bauxite Institute Suriname to be the counterpart in this mission and assist in the development of an action plan. The closed mine site is located in the self-demarcated customary territory of the Lokono and Kalin’a communities in Marowijne, and the action plan will restore forest and savannah ecosystems so communities can again benefit from this area of their territory. READ MORE

OCEANA

Lecturer, students rediscover ‘near-threatened’ mangrove
Nearly Extinct Mangrove Found
PAPUA NEW GUINEA - University of PNG’s Dr Lawong Balun and third-year biology students have rediscovered a near-extinct mangrove in Rigo, Central. The species, Ceriops decandra, found in Hood Lagoon has a restricted distribution in PNG and the rediscovery last month could mean it is potentially the only place where this rare species survives today Lecturer Dr Balun, a mangrove specialist, who has done extensive research on the ecophysiology of New Guinea mangroves, said: “It is threatened by habitat loss from coastal development and subsistence harvesting for construction purposes throughout its range. Its population is estimated to have been reduced between 10 and 30 per cent over the last two decades and listed as ‘near-threatened’ by Food and Agriculture Organisation in 2007.” Dr Balun said the biggest concern about the species was the lack of knowledge about its ‘reproductive viable population’ status. READ MORE

LAST WORD - WELCOME ABOARD KATE!!!

Greetings everyone at MAP,

I am Kate, the new volunteer at the MAP Asia office here in Trang. I am a British and Thai national who spent my primary years growing up in South East Asia and former years in England. I recently graduated in a degree in International Development from the University of Leeds and am taking time to gain work experience in the field of environmental conservation and development. I am really excited therefore to be spending the next few months with MAP.

During my degree course I have taken every opportunity to focus on the environment and international development which has allowed me to investigate a range of topics such as community-based forest management in Thailand, the impact of shrimp farming and slave labor in continuing the economic and social divide between the Global South and North, and the implications of post disaster relief and reconstruction policies on land-based relations and rural livelihoods with a focus on the Asian tsunami. I was also lucky enough to spend a year abroad studying in Accra, at the University of Ghana and spent large periods of this time carrying out research and focus group interviews with local communities in the North as part of the basis for my dissertation on the impact of large dams on the environment and sustainable livelihoods.

While volunteering at MAP I hope to build on my interest in environmental conservation and livelihood development and learn about the specific role mangrove ecosystems play within that. I’m looking forward to gaining experience in working in a professional NGO setting and to visiting field projects first hand.

Look forward to working with you all.

Kate Knight
Office Development & Field Project Assistant (Intern)
 

 
 
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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




VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY
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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!  
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

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
EPIC-Film 2
 
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
VISIT OUR "MM" WEBPAGE

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
SEE DETAILS MANGROVE/SHRIMP

Sign the Consumer's Pledge to avoid imported 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...