The MAP News
476th Edition August 31, 2019 |
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FEATURE Mangrove Action Day Photography Voting Continues TITLE: Door to Air conditioned heaven ! // // Naveen Mathew // India GLOBAL – MAP's recent call for photographs for World Mangrove Day 2019 is raising awareness of the important connections people have with mangrove forests. In July 2019, we asked for and received 250 stunning photos from 30 countries around the world that highlighted mangrove ecosystems and their important contributions to communities and the environment. The theme for this year was #MangrovesMatter. We would like to thank each and every person who contributed to this project! Winners will be announced in late August and there is also a People’s Choice Award that is given out to the photo with the most votes. Enjoy the photos below and vote for your favourite!We had our most impressive photo contest with 250 submissions from 30 different countries around the tropics. Voting for the People's Choice Awards seem to be coming in thick and fast also. Be great to keep the energy up on this. VIEW PHOTOS AFRICA Mama Tamba Youth Empowerment Association Plants 5,000 Mangroves GAMBIA - The National Coordinator of Mama Tamba Youth Empowerment Association of Illiasa of Upper Baddibou has underscored the significance of enormous contribution and commitment the beneficiary communities on the storation of loss forest cover. Tamba Jammeh was on Wednesday in Illiasa at preparatory meeting to discuss with farmers ahead of massive mangroves planting exercise along the Baobolong wetland schedule for Saturday. He noted the initiative is part of Global Environment Facility dubbed Youth Empowerment on Environment on the restoration of Baobolong wetland area of Upper Baddibou. Tamba hailed the alkalolu, Village Development Committees, women and youths for their support and solidarity towards the restoration of forest cover. Chief Ebrima Ansu Tamba Jammeh of Upper Baddibou commended the youth’s association for the foresight of working with communities in building their capacity on importance of tree planting, soil management, poultry keeping, bee keeping and agroforestry, with the ultimate aims of mitigating effects of climate change. READ MORE The man helping to save Senegal's mangroves SENEGAL - With the help of the local population, Haidar el Ali has led a program that has planted 152 million mangrove buds in the Casamance Delta of southern Senegal over the past decade. The reforestation project in southern Senegal has become one of the largest of its kind in the world. Mr el Ali, who served as Senegal's Minister of Environment, says the mangroves are vital to help cope with the effects of climate change, as well as contributing to the local economy. Video journalists: Nick Loomis and Louise Dewast. VIEW SOURCE AMERICAS Placido Bayou homeowners lose bid to build USA - The owners of seven Placido Bayou properties had their hopes dashed Wednesday evening when the Development Review Commission denied their request to build docks accessed by boardwalks through a mangrove preserve. The homeowners in the gated community off 47th Avenue NE had proposed constructing pathways that would rise above the mangrove roots and lead to private docks behind their homes. But commissioners, several citing environmental concerns, unanimously declined to modify two conditions in a 1983 City Council resolution that established the 80-acre preserve and permitted the Placido Bayou development to proceed. READ MORE ASIA No safeguards for mangroves in Kerala INDIA - Four years ago, the state government tried in vain to protect mangrove vegetation in the state under private ownership by notifying them under the Kerala Forest (Vesting and Management of Ecologically Fragile Lands) Act. A bill to amend Kerala Promotion of Tree Growth in Non-Forest Areas Act, 2005, with clauses to protect mangroves, was also moved in 2015. The bill was faced with opposition from environmentalists and was referred to the subject committee after lawmakers highlighted several loopholes in it that would have facilitated felling of trees without proper safeguard. Mangroves are considered to be one of the most productive ecosystems in the world. But, the state does not have laws that would offer them at least some protection. They are now mostly confined to a few areas in the northern districts. The remaining patches are facing increasing threats, especially from new industrial and infrastructure development projects including tourism and housing, the bill said. READ MORE How citizen groups in Kerala are planting mangroves as the first line of defence against coastal flooding INDIA - After his fishing is done for the day, Murukesan TP, a fisherman from Malipuram near Vypeen, waits for the tide to recede. He then steers his small rice boat along the coastline, towards the exposed mud flats, and plants mangrove saplings; something he has been doing for the past five years, since the tsunami made him realise that mangroves were the first line of defence against flood waters or a hungry sea. On Sunday, he will assist a group of cyclists and nature lovers to plant 200 saplings along the shores of North Mulavakkad, an island near Goshree Bridge. Last month the Kerala High Court Advocates Association requested him to plant 100 saplings on the Chathiyath waterfront to fortify the embankment and 30 members joined him. Murukesan is in great demand for his traditional knowledge and expertise and employed by the Social Forestry Department to create this green protective layer of several species of trees. READ MORE Sri Lanka to rehabilitate mangrove lands used for aquaculture and salterns Sri Lanka plans to rehabilitate state mangrove lands that have been abandoned after using for shrimp farming and salterns as part of a project to increase the extent of mangrove lands by 10,000 Hectares. The cabinet of ministers has approved a proposal made by President Maithripala Sirisena in his capacity as the Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment, to take back the state mangrove lands that were given on lease for aquaculture and now abandoned. In order to conserve the existing mangroves the President has also proposed not to release the mangrove lands which are being administered by the Department of Forest Conservation and the Department of Wildlife Conservation for other development activities. The President has proposed to take a decision to release the mangrove lands identified for aquaculture farming after a proper study made by a Committee comprising of the representatives of the relevant Ministries, Departments and other Institutions. READ MORE Sta. Cruz community replace mangroves destroyed by monsoon waves PHILIPPINES - BIG WAVES caused by the southwest monsoon, which has been prevailing for weeks, destroyed the seawall, breakwaters, houses and mangroves in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur last week. Over the weekend, the coastal community came together to plant more mangroves to replace those destroyed and as part of an ongoing tree-planting program. The project is led by San Miguel Brewery Inc. (SMB), which has a facility in the town, together with the local government and residents. SMB Davao Human Resources Manager Jovic Bernardo said most of the mangroves destroyed were part of the 2,500 they planted last year under the Trees Brew Life-Buhayin ang Kalikasan Project, which is now on its 10th year. She narrated that they have recorded a survival rate of up to 90%, until last week. “But our contribution to the success of this program is miniscule compared to the threat of climate change and global warming now in our midst. READ MORE Gorai to get ₹25-crore mangrove garden INDIA - In an attempt to provide ecological protection to the mangrove forest in Gorai, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Friday laid the foundation stone of a mangrove garden in the area, scheduled to be built before Diwali 2021 at a cost of ₹25 crore ($3.47 Million USD). This will be the first-of-its kind project in Maharashtra. The project has a variety of goals, such as restoring the mangrove ecosystem, spreading awareness of mangrove and coastal biodiversity, generating livelihood opportunities, all of which will strengthen the bond between Mumbaikars and mangrove forests. The park area will be spread across eight hectares. Mr. Gadkari said that environment preservation is of the highest importance, and the initiative is aimed at tackling climatic and environmental problems. He said, “The mangrove project addresses these problems and provides an ideal solution. READ MORE Bombay High Court orders razing of buildings on mangrove INDIA - The Bombay HC on Tuesday ordered that all constructions which have come up on land which used to be originally mangroves in Mumbra-Diva area, be pulled down immediately. The division bench of Chief Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice Bharati Dangre also directed that the mangroves be replanted and action be taken against violators under the Forest (Conservation) Act. The court directed that the order be complied with by January 19, 2020. The petition concerned the mangroves in the coastal area of Mumbra creek and Desai Khadi of Ulhas River. As per an affidavit filed by the Tehsildar, Thane, the land which is both privately owned and government land consists of structures such as the Mumbra police station, Mumbra Shikshan Prasarak Mandal, which is on lease on the land and a huge housing complex. Much of the private land is owned by developer Aditya Goyal. READ MORE Indonesia proposes joint commitment on mangrove restoration INDONESIA - Indonesia has invited five countries that have mangrove forests — Australia, Kenya, Mexico, Jamaica and Ghana — to make a joint commitment to restoring and rehabilitating mangroves as an effort to overcome the adverse effects of climate change, according to a ministry official. The Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry’s anti-illegal fishing task force led Indonesia’s delegation at the fifth Sherpa meeting for the High Level Panel (HLP) for a Sustainable Ocean Economy in Amsterdam last week. The High-Level Panel was initiated by Norway and consists of 14 countries: Norway, Indonesia, Australia, Canada, Chile, Fiji, Ghana, Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, Namibia, Norway, Palau and Portugal. In addition to representing a combined 60 percent of the world’s total sea area, they also represent about 30 percent of the world’s mangrove areas. READ MORE EUROPE Protesters and police block stock exchange U.K. - Dramatic protests took place at the London Stock Exchange today as scores of police blocked off both entrances to the LSE with barriers and police lines in an attempt to stop protesters entering the building. The protesters, wearing all black, held a vigil outside the blocked entrance in commemoration of the massacre of three teenage boys during a non-violent protest against AIM listed Global Coal Management Resources plc (GCM) by communities around a proposed coal mine in Phulbari in 2006. Further protests are being held in Bangladesh on the official Phulbari Day on Monday 26th August. The UK protest was organised by the Phulbari Solidarity Group and the UK Committee to Protect Natural Resources in Bangladesh with a coalition of other organisations. Protesters echoed calls in their letter to Chief Financial Officer of the LSE, David Warren, demanding that GCM is investigated and de-listed from the London Stock Exchange for fraudulent and criminal activities. READ MORE LAST WORD Dear friends, With huge thanks to all of you for your great supports, we observed Phulbari Day in Bangladesh and London.
Here is a short film by Jason Parkinson who attended the protest at LSE last Friday VIEW VIDEO Our press release is available on PSG blog We will share a more full write-up and a complete film on this year's Phulbari Day protests with you soon. For now, you can get some Phulbari Day updates from our Facebook, Twitter and blog which are full of great photos and video clips. We will be back in touch with plans for next step. Thanks and in solidarity, Bishwazit & all from the Phulbari Solidarity Group |
ACTION ALERTSLAST CHANCE TO VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE PHOTO Mangrove Action Day Photography Voting underway. CLICK HERE
Like this newsletter? Pease consider donating to MAP to keep it going. Giving could never be easier VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY MANGROVE ISSUES View MAP’s uploaded Videos at MAPmangrover’sChannel SHARE MAP'S VISION Our short documentary, Reducing the Risk of Disaster through Nature-Based Solutions : Mangroves Marvellous Mangroves Curriculum Like this newsletter? Pease consider donating to MAP to keep it going. Giving could never be easier
Volunteer Opportunities with Mangrove Action Project CLICK HERE "Question Your Shrimp" Campaign Not yet a MAP News subscriber? We strive to keep active links in our newsletter. However, due to circumstances beyond our control, occasionally links to stories may become broken. If you find a link to a story is not functioning, please cut and paste the headline into your browser search bar. In most cases you should be able to locate the original story.
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Mangrove Action Project Click here to view past newsletters
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Saturday, August 31, 2019
MAP News Issue 476, Aug 31, 2019
Saturday, August 17, 2019
MAP News Issue 475 - Aug 17, 2019
The MAP News
475th Edition August 17, 2019 |
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FEATURE Cameras Reveal Secret Lives of Mangrove Stingrays USA - James Cook University scientists have filmed stingray activity in mangroves for the first time, revealing how different species use the underwater forests and how important the environment is for the animal’s survival. JCU PhD candidate Shiori Kanno led the study, which placed three cameras on mangrove beds at Orpheus Island and produced more than 400 hours of video featuring more than 600 stingrays. She said habitat use and behavioural patterns of stingrays within mangrove areas are poorly understood and the reason why some stingrays favour them is unclear. “We urgently need this knowledge, especially for juvenile animals that are dependent on mangroves because habitat loss may have significant consequences for population survival,” said Ms Kanno. The research team monitored mangrove use by juvenile mangrove whiprays and cowtail stingrays. It was the first time the video technique had been applied. It revealed mangrove whiprays lived up to their name and spent a lot more time in the mangrove forests than cowtail stingrays. She said the movement of sharks capable of preying on juvenile stingrays was also recorded and the scientists found the predators rarely swam amongst the mangrove roots. “We saw no sharks amongst the mangroves over summer and only four in winter. So, predator avoidance is one possible driver of why whiprays use mangroves – sharks big enough to eat them just can’t get into the root system and it offers effective protection. READ MORE GLOBAL Celebrating Mangroves – the super ecosystem of the tropics GLOBAL - These forests have a special place in my heart, making the work I have done on this ecosystem very personal and rewarding. Between university years, I did fieldwork in the so- called “mosquito-ridden and muddy” mangroves of northern Madagascar and absolutely loved it. The soothing scent of rich silt is the prevailing aroma of the mangroves, and the mud provides an excellent and free spa treatment. Furthermore, numerous marine species, including fish and shrimp are known to use the shelter provided by mangroves as nurseries while they mature. They feed on leaf scraps and microorganisms, all while hiding from predators in the thick tangles of roots. Due to the alien and unusual characteristics of the mangroves, I found my attention constantly divided between appreciating the trees and their intertwined roots and marveling at the vibrant world of crabs and mudskippers living under and above the surface. Knowing that mangrove populations are dwindling, I recall feeling bittersweet as I ventured through the beautiful ecosystem that could be so much more. I am not the only one who finds these forests amazing and valuable. According to UN estimates, over 100 million people live in proximity to mangroves. These dynamic ecosystems provide approximately US$33-57,000 per hectare per year of income to national economies in services like coastal protection, food and medicines. READ MORE Mangrove conservation more valuable than ever thanks to carbon trading GLOBAL - The UN Environment Programme, the Kenya Forest Service, the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute and partners recently launched the Vanga Blue Forests Project on the Kenyan coast through the Global Environment Facility Blue Forests Project and the International Coral Reef Initiative/UN Environment coral reefs small grants programme, a groundbreaking initiative to trade carbon credits from mangrove conservation and restoration. It will restore over 4,000 hectares of mangroves in Kwale County and support the livelihoods of over 8,000 people in fishing communities. The management plan includes the sale of carbon credits on the voluntary carbon market. The initiative builds on the success of a similar project in Gazi, a community just a few kilometers north, which has been trading mangrove carbon credits on the Voluntary Carbon Market since 2012. READ MORE AFRICA Foni-Community Benefits From Massive Mangrove Rehabilitation GAMBIA - All Gambia Forestry Platform in partnership with the community of Jomo Kunda village in the Foni Kansala District, over the weekend embarked on massive mangrove restoration on the river Bank. The 'Alkalo' of Jomo Kunda, Yaya Jarju, expressed appreciation of the bold restoration initiatives; that the exercise is a big boost for the development of his village at a time when he is the village head. He said the restoration of the mangrove has been a concern for his villagers in the sense that when the riverside was full of mangrove, fish was abundant; but that due to human activities and climate change, the environment has faced serious degradation. He used the opportunity to commend his community for their active participation during the exercise and challenged them to continue the hard work and plant more trees especially mangrove plants which is vital in fish breeding. He commended the NEMA- Chosso project under the Ministry of Agriculture for the support rendered toward the realizing of the project. He described the exercise as a step in the right direction towards the restoration of their environment. He appealed to the Nema-Chosso project to extend their support toward such projects in their community and acknowledge the effort of Ebrima Camara for initiating the exercise. READ MORE Ethiopia plants over 350 million trees in a day, setting new world record ETHIOPIA - In a record-breaking day, at the Gulele Botanical Garden in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia launched an historic tree planting campaign. Over 350 million trees were planted in an ambitious move to counter the effects of deforestation and climate change. The event is part of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s Green Legacy Initiative. It aimed at planting 200 million trees in a single day in 1,000 sites across the country. Prime Minister Ahmed congratulated the country for not only meeting its collective Green Legacy goal but also exceeding it. Ethiopia's Minister of Innovation and Technology Getahun Mekuria was quoted saying that more than 350 million trees were planted in 12 hours, breaking the world record held by India since 2016, for the most trees planted in one day and which stood at 50 million trees. The tree planting event was attended by a representative of the UN Environment Programme’s Liaison Office to Africa Union Commission, UN Economic Commission for Africa and representative to Ethiopia, and whose support for this ambitious action was crucial, as well as other United Nations Agencies and various international organizations. READ MORE AMERICAS Rising Sea Levels Could Accelerate Florida Bay Mangrove Loss USA - Florida has lost much of the mangrove forests that once bordered its coasts and estuaries to development and sea-level rise. Current rates of sea-level rise combined with increasing climate variability could accelerate the loss of mangrove-lined coastlines, according to new USGS research published in the journal Nature Communications. These findings will help resource managers understand whether mangrove-forested islands and shorelines can be maintained as the climate changes and sea levels rise and how water management may help mitigate these changes.“From previous studies, we know that the mangrove zone in South Florida shifted inland as sea level rose and estuaries covered what was previously mangrove forest during the late Holocene,” said USGS research geologist Miriam Jones, the study’s lead author. “This new research is one of the most detailed studies to pinpoint how fast the transition from mangrove forest to estuary happened during that time.” The USGS research comes at a time when state and federal government agencies and many other partners are undertaking one of the world’s largest and most ambitious ecosystem restoration efforts: to help recover the health and natural productivity of the Greater Everglades ecosystem, which includes Florida Bay.READ MORE DEP sends Cape Coral warning letter over destroyed mangroves USA - Mangroves and vegetation is ripped from the ground along a Cape Coral canal and neighbors are upset, but now, so is the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The City told people living along the canal that crews were just getting rid of invasive trees but last week neighbors said they weren’t buying that. In a two page warning letter, the DEP called out the City of Cape Coral over dredging and clearing along the Coral Point Canal. Joanne Payne is just one of the neighbors who immediately started searching for answers when she saw construction workers tearing out mangroves across from her house, in Cape Coral’s Four Mile Cove Preserve. In the letter sent Tuesday to the City and the property owner, Ripple Lake LLC, investigators list four possible violations. They include failure to install and utilize best management practices during in-water construction and unauthorized mangrove alteration. The DEP calls the violation serious and “Intends to pursue formal enforcement in this matter … Restoration of the shoreline and wetlands will be required, as well as civil penalties”. READ MORE EARTHCARE joins with Earth Successor, Qiantang River Waterkeeper, and Waterkeepers Bahamas to plant mangroves BAHAMAS - Early on the morning of August 3rd, EARTHCARE Eco Kids and Volunteers joined with Earth Successor, Qiantang River Waterkeeper, and Waterkeepers Bahamas to plant mangroves in order to Drawdown Climate Change. It was a wonderful morning of caring for the earth and fellowship. Cultures joined together in a common cause, caring for our Mother Earth. Sustainable Development Goals 13 Climate Action, 15 Life on Land and 17 Partnerships for the Goals were achieved during this project. This visit and collaboration was sponsored by Save The Bays, who is an advocate for stronger environmental laws and enforcement of those laws in The Bahamas. The contingent from China was made up of 25 persons, which resulted in a total of 45 Volunteers who planted 300 Mangroves. Hao Xin, Executive Director of Qiantang River Waterkeeper and Wu Yiwen, Beijing National Day School presented an elated EARTHCARE Founder, Gail Woon, with a beautiful, genuine silk scarf from China in appreciation for the Mangrove Planting partnership. READ MORE ASIA A common survival strategy for the Sunderbans BANGLADESH - A memorandum of understanding on conservation of the Sunderban is in place since September 2011; yet a common understanding of what constitutes the Sunderban is elusive. The MoU recognizes that the natural areas of the Sunderban are greatly influenced by human use and by the people living in tracts adjoining the forest. These tracts, cleared during colonial times, are now home to over 7.2 million people. Till date, while the Joint Working Group constituted under the MoU has met only once, thousands of hectares of land have been lost due to accelerating sea level rise and erosion. Consequently, people are being displaced both physically and occupationally. The processes are also reducing forestlands that sustain the Royal Bengal tiger. The pace of environmental change and that of conventional bilateral diplomacy are asynchronous. READ MORE The wolf of Bangladesh: A true story BANGLADESH - For Muntasir Akash, it all started with a photo in a news report in early June. The photo showed a canine-like animal, beaten and dead, legs splayed, hanging from makeshift posts. It was killed by local people in the remote village of Taltoli in the Bangladeshi Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest, straddling both Bangladesh and India. “Here the story begins,” says Akash, a wildlife biologist at the University of Dhaka. What first struck this expert on carnivorous mammals most was the dead animal’s “white patch around the cheek and throat.” Akash sent emails to his colleagues, Jan Kamler and William Duckworth, both of whom agreed with Akash’s initial suspicion: the animal was a wolf. The only problem? There are no wolves in Bangladesh.Not only are wolves not supposed to be in Bangladesh anymore, they aren’t supposed to be in the Sundarbans either. Indian wolves are creatures of the grasslands, scrub, deciduous forests and the areas between wilderness and agriculture. Still, this wasn’t the first wolf recently found among the dense, muddy, watery mangroves. In 2017, wildlife photographer Riddhi Mukherjee took a remarkable photo of a wolf on the Indian side of the Sundarbans, more than 300 kilometers (190 miles) from the nearest known wolf population in Purulia district. READ MORE OCEANA Sea levels threaten Australian mangroves AUSTRALIA - Swampy, muddy and full of mosquitoes. Mangroves offer an environment not entirely pleasurable for many. But for a mangrove researcher at Charles Darwin University, it is worth a visit. For Madeline Goddard, ecosystems such as the one in northern Australia are essential to the survival of the planet. “I think historically, they’ve had a rough patch, but I think the more we learn about them, the more we discover their importance and how many ecosystem services they provide’‘, Goddard said. In addition to providing habitat for marine life, mangrove forests are a reservoir of carbon. “So they absorb all this sunlight, convert it into energy, grow the leaves and, yes, the carbon stays in the system. He falls off the tree, falls to the ground, buries himself, and the carbon stays in the mud”, she added. As the global climate warms, and polar ice caps melt, the “sea bed” is expected to rise around the world. Thus encompass many tropical mangroves by the end of the century, if they do not adapt. Expert say the solution lies in protect the surrounding land so that mangrove forests can extend inland. READ MORE |
ACTION ALERTSLAST CHANCE TO VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE PHOTO Mangrove Action Day Photography Voting underway. CLICK HERE
Like this newsletter? Pease consider donating to MAP to keep it going. Giving could never be easier VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY MANGROVE ISSUES View MAP’s uploaded Videos at MAPmangrover’sChannel SHARE MAP'S VISION Our short documentary, Reducing the Risk of Disaster through Nature-Based Solutions : Mangroves Marvellous Mangroves Curriculum Like this newsletter? Pease consider donating to MAP to keep it going. Giving could never be easier
Volunteer Opportunities with Mangrove Action Project CLICK HERE "Question Your Shrimp" Campaign Not yet a MAP News subscriber? We strive to keep active links in our newsletter. However, due to circumstances beyond our control, occasionally links to stories may become broken. If you find a link to a story is not functioning, please cut and paste the headline into your browser search bar. In most cases you should be able to locate the original story.
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Mangrove Action Project Click here to view past newsletters
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