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Saturday, September 26, 2020

MAP News Issue 504 - Sept 26, 2020

Mangrove Action Project
The MAP News
504th Edition                                                    SEPT 26, 2020
FEATURE

Incredible wildlife photograph wins Mangrove Photography Award
MAP photo Contest winner
GLOBAL - The Mangrove Action Project has announced the winners of the 2020 Mangrove Photography Award, with the grand prize going to Victor Hugo Luja Molina, who captured an incredible wildlife photograph of a female jaguar with her cub. However, Victor wasn't the only wildlife photographer to feature in this year's awards, with images of crocodiles and flamingos also making a welcome appearance. The Mangrove Photography Awards were created to give an insight into the world of mangroves from all over the world. This year's entries help to capture the relationships between wildlife, coastal communities and mangrove forests. They also help show the fragility of these unique ecosystems from both above and below the water. Victor Hugo Luja Molina's winning shot was taken in a mangrove forest in Mexico. Jaguars are rarely seen in mangroves, which is part of what makes Victor's shot so special.. READ MORE

GLOBAL

MAP’s Annual Children’s Mangrove Art Competition
2021Calendar
GLOBAL - This year MAP’s Children’s Mangrove Art Calendar Competition was interrupted by the COVID pandemic. This forced us to change the guidelines for the contest that we have produced over the past 19 years. Around the world, schools were closed, the youths isolated in their homes without much to do and teachers teaching remotely where possible In the face of these new and challenging constraints, we decided to conduct this contest in a different way, via expanded outreach to NGOs and schools, and by posting announcements in art-related online publications. A big change was our opening this year’s contest to all children globally, not only to children who lived in countries with mangroves. READ MORE

Biodiversity is fundamental to human life on Earth
SOceans in hot water
GLOBAL - The global Living Planet Index continues to decline. It shows an average 68% decrease in population sizes of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish between 1970 and 2016. A 94% decline in the LPI for the tropical subregions of the Americas is the largest fall observed in any part of the world. Why does this matter? It matters because biodiversity is fundamental to human life on Earth, and the evidence is unequivocal – it is being destroyed by us at a rate unprecedented in history. Since the industrial revolution, human activities have increasingly destroyed and degraded forests, grasslands, wetlands and other important ecosystems, threatening human well-being. Seventy-five per cent of the Earth’s ice-free land surface has already been significantly altered, most of the oceans are polluted, and more than 85% of the area of wetlands has been lost. READ MORE

Biodiversity needs the voices of indigenous peoples
Indigenous-peopes
GLOBAL - Ongoing disregard of the vital contributions of indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) to biodiversity conservation and sustainable use—in- cluding in national biodiversity strategies and action plans—constitutes a major missed opportunity for the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity 2011–2020. This neglect has affected the under-achievement of all 20 Aichi Biodiversity Targets, with fundamental lessons remaining to be learnt about securing the future of nature and cultures. Putting the cultures and rights of IPLCs at the heart of the 2050 biodiversity strategy would deliver sustainable livelihoods and wellbeing, and positive out- comes for biodiversity and climate. Overcoming dualism, separation and imbalances in relationships between humans and nature is central to addressing the biodiversity and health crises, including the rise of zoonotic diseases and pandemics. Sustained interactions and partner- ships between sciences and indigenous and local knowledge systems—inclusive of women, men, elders and youth—are enriching contemporary problem-solving with holism and reciprocity. READ MORE

AFRICA

More Mysterious Dark Substances Seen In Ocean Around Mauritius After Oil Spill
Mauritius Oil Spill
MAURITIUS - The giant puzzle surrounding the Mauritius oil spill keeps getting bigger almost two months on, as more pieces are added, and fewer questions are answered. On Sunday 20 September, local kitesurf instructor, Denis Labeauté filmed a mysterious dark substance in the waters moving around the South of the island. Based on the direction of the currents at this time of year, the substance was coming from the direction of the giant Japanese ship, the Wakashio, and the subsequent oil spill. It could also have been coming from the direction of the sunken front part of the vessel, the part of the vessel still stuck on the reef, or the cleanup operation, that continues under strict secrecy. Given that the Wakashio was sunk in an undisclosed location and a full inventory has still not yet been disclosed of what was on the vessel, it is unclear whether the dark substance could have originated from the vessel. READ MORE

AMERICAS

Cayman Islands Mangrove Rangers Begin Operations
Mangrove Rangers
CAYMAN ISLANDS - The Cayman Islands Mangrove Rangers have begun field observations following a month of intensive training from experts in the scientific, policy and legal fields. Launched on World Mangrove Day by a group of mangrove organizations - including the Mangrove Action Project and Mangrove Education - the Rangers will provide data to the Department of Environment and National Conservation Council by collecting information on mangroves throughout the islands as well as monitoring existing and proposed developments which currently have little environmental oversight. READ MORE

Our Paradise and Sovereignty under Siege
Deforestation-at-La-Sagesse-2
GRENADA - We, the concerned people of Grenada, demand better governance for land use and project development. We call upon the government and the Planning and Development Authority to act in the interest of our communities and protect our shared natural and cultural heritage in La Sagesse, Mount Hartman & Levera. Moving forward, we demand more inclusive sustainable development planning through the establishment of a National Physical Development Plan - this is long overdue. We appreciate the necessity of development in Grenada, and we do not intend in any way to hamper the economic potential of the country or jeopardize the creation of much-needed jobs, particularly in the rural parishes. However, this should not happen to the detriment of the country’s invaluable and finite cultural and environmental assets. SIGN OUR PETITION

The Florida Activist Is 78. The Legal Judgment Against Her Is $4 Million
merlin
USA - Maggy Hurchalla’s piece of Florida heaven is a patch of pristine Atlantic shore accessible only by boat in St. Lucie Inlet Preserve State Park. She and her husband nicknamed it the “End of the World” when they first came upon it half a century ago, after paddling south along the barrier island to the water’s end. She still likes to skinny-dip at the beach. Ms. Hurchalla, 78, could spend her remaining years kayaking here, readily outpacing paddlers less than half her age. Or traveling the country, giving speeches about the legacy of her sister, Janet Reno, the first female attorney general of the United States. But instead of reveling in her retirement, Ms. Hurchalla, who has devoted her life to protecting the untamed Florida wilderness that she loved, has been fighting a public battle with a rock-mining company — and losing. A jury decided last year that Ms. Hurchalla should pay $4.4 million in damages to Lake Point Restoration, a company that has a limestone mining operation in Martin County, along Florida’s Treasure Coast. READ MORE

ASIA

China to have 18,800 hectares of mangrove forests by 2025
China replants
CHINA - China will have created and restored 18,800 hectares of mangrove forests by 2025, said an action plan recently issued by China’s Ministry of Natural Resources and National Forestry and Grassland Administration (NFGA).Of the total, 9,050 hectares of mangrove forests will be built over the next five years, and 9,750 hectares will be rehabilitated. The action plan, aiming at the protection and restoration of mangrove forests during the 2020-2025 period, will ensure strict protection for existing mangrove forests and scientific measures for mangrove ecological restoration, so as to expand the coverage of mangrove forests, increase biodiversity, and comprehensively improve the ecological system of mangrove forests.  READ MORE

The Criminalization of Fisherfolks, Environmental Activist and Student Journalist in Makassar
Indonesia Fishermen arrested
INDONESIA - KIARA with Save Indonesian Seas Coalition, Alliance to Save South Sulawesi Coastal Area (ASP Sulawesi Selatan) and other civil society organizations in South Sulawesi have condemned the arbitrary arrestation of 7 (seven) fisherfolks, 1 (one) environment activist, and 3 (three) students – who work as press journalist in Makassar, by Polairud (Air and Water Police Force) of South Sulawesi. The arbitrary arrest was conducted to detain several fisherfolks, namely Nawir, Asrul, Andi Saputra, Irwan, Mustakim, Nasar, and Rijal. One of the fisherfolks even experienced physical violence to the point that his face was bleeding. In addition, the environment activist – Rahmat – who was recording the incident, was also being arrested and experienced some physical violence. He was hit in the face, being kicked, stomped in the neck. Even Rahmat’s handphone which being used to record, fell into the sea when the Polairud tried to confiscate it. Meanwhile, the other three students whom also being student press journalists, were actually doing news covering on the mass action.  READ MORE

Vaikaradhoo Mangrove Forest Under Threat
Maldives mangrove loss
MALDIVES - Recent photos circulating in social media confirms the deteriorating condition of H.Dh Vaikaradhoo’s mangrove forest, adding it to the list of mangroves under threat in the northern most region of Maldives. H.Dh Vaikaradhoo’s Council President, Ahmed Naseem, in his interview to ‘Thiladhun’ stated that, the council is making an effort to bring this issue to the government’s immediate attention. He noted that there has been no identification of the cause behind the sudden die-off of mangroves in the island. Vaikaradhoo’s mangrove forest is a protected area, housing many endemic species. The before and after pictures of the mangroves highlight the graveness of the situation. These pictures have been taken by a group of environmentally conscious youth, hoping to make a change. READ MORE

Trying to revive and protect Indonesia’s mangroves
indonesias-mangrove-recovery
INDONESIA - Indonesia’s extensive mangroves could be one of the cheapest ways of reducing carbon emissions, according to scientists. Indonesia’s coastlines are home to more mangrove forests than anywhere else.They protect the land from erosion and absorb carbon emissions, protecting people’s livelihoods and their health. Over the past few years, a lot of mangroves have been cut down for tourism or industrial developments but now, individual groups and the government are promising to do more to protect them. WATCH THE VIDEO


LAST WORD
Dear Readers,
 

Please sign the petition linked here! The mangroves and communities in Grenada urgently need your help! 

As you may know, MAP is now really trying to emphasis PROTECTION over RESTORATION, whereby we must first PROTECT our planet's remaining primary mangrove forests and only restore these forests if protection fails. But protection/ conservation is our foremost objective.  In Grenada, there is a perfect example of a small island nation's mangroves & other critical habitats coral reef, seagrass, endangered turtle nesting beaches, a saltwater pond important to migratory birds, being damaged & lost.  Also, besides all the designated three development areas were traditionally used by local Grenadians which will become off limits without their consent or even consultation.
 

Please sign the petition linked here! The mangroves and communities in Grenada urgently need your help! 

 



 
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ACTION ALERTS

Our Paradise and Sovereignty under Siege - Protect Grenada from Destructive Development! SIGN THE PETITION

Stop the destruction of Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve 
SIGN PETITION  (Scroll down in linked page for English version)

Please SIGN: keep plantations out of orangutan habitat!
TAKE ACTION


Unilever: stop destroying mangroves for convenience food! SIGN OUR PETITION 
Stop plundering the oceans for industrial aquaculture! SIGN THE PETITION

Take action now and stop the build-out of coal plants in Bangladesh.

Save Kakinada mangrove forest – Sign the Petition


MAP's PHOTO CONTEST
GALLERY HERE


2021
CHILDREN'S ART CALENDAR

COMING SOON
2021Calendar
 



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CBEMR Training in Tanzania: Ground-breaking training breathes life into mangrove ecosystem restoration - The Mangrove Alliance

Please see our newest video: " Restoring The Natural Mangrove Forest" - https://youtu.be/Vh7CoPBLQa8

Mangrove Restoration Map 
VIEW MAP HERE

Restoring natural forests
Restoring The Natural Mangrove Forest
Watch movie

Tanzania CBEMR
Community Based Ecological Mangrove Restoration in Rufiji Delta 
VIEW VIDEO

Video: Mangroves for the Future - A look bacK. As the latest phase of Mangroves for the Future (MFF) draws to a close, this video highlights some of the project’s most successful initiatives – from local women supporting national park management in Viet Nam to an island in the Maldives that has become a model for waste management, and everything in between. View Here

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Singing for the Sundarbans WATCH HERE

Entrevista con Monica Quarto del Mangrove Action Project (Spanish language) Oye Aqui


VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY

VOLUNTEER WITH MAP


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?
Download MAP's 2 page CBEMR Information Sheet containing links to all MAP's CBEMR resources – 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


WATCH - Mangroves: how they help the ocean
Economist_Mangroves

Mangrove Restoration in Asia – Watch Short Video

The Value of Mangrove Forests View Video

CBEMR Experience Exchange MAP 2017 English Subtitles
VIEW THE VIDEO

Mangroves: Guidebook to MalaysiaClick 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
 

INTERVIEW – Yale Climate Connection interview with MAP's Alfredo Quarto LISTEN

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 Curriculum in Bangladesh - WATCH VIDEO
MARVELLOUS MANGROVES IN BRAZIL
En Portuges

MAP%20Curriculum%20Video
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


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Green Planet Fundraising Assists MAP – LEARN MORE


 Volunteer Opportunities with Mangrove Action Project CLICK HERE


"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
LISTEN TO INTERVIEW

Sign the Consumer's Pledge to avoid imported shrimp



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Thursday, September 24, 2020

Cayman Islands Mangrove Rangers Begin Operations

 


The Cayman Islands Mangrove Rangers have begun field observations following a month of intensive training from experts in the scientific, policy and legal fields.

 Launched on World Mangrove Day by a group of mangrove organizations - including the Mangrove Action Project and Mangrove Education - the Rangers will provide data to the Department of Environment and National Conservation Council by collecting information on mangroves throughout the islands as well as monitoring existing and proposed developments which currently have little environmental oversight.


One of the key components of the project is the implementation of the Epicollect 5 real-time data collection system where the rangers can monitor the current status of developments – both legal and illegal – and their impact on mangroves. 

Also planned for this fall is a series of mangrove ecotours which will be part of a community outreach program for all the districts in Grand Cayman and on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.

 A third component is the piloting of a new Coastal Lagoon Ecosystem teachers resource guide and associated materials primarily aimed at primary and middle school students. Three teacher-qualified Rangers will be trained in classroom delivery of these curriculum-linked resources.

MAP’s Annual Children’s Mangrove Art Competition

 


This year MAP’s Children’s Mangrove Art Calendar Competition was interrupted by the COVID pandemic. This forced us to change the guidelines for the contest that we have produced over the past 19 years. Around the world, schools were closed, the youths isolated in their homes without much to do and teachers teaching remotely where possible In the face of these new and challenging constraints, we decided to conduct this contest in a different way, via expanded outreach to NGOs and schools, and by posting announcements in art-related online publications. A big change was our opening this year’s contest to all children globally, not only to children who lived in countries with mangroves. 


This year we received digital art from 34 countries. As before, we received art from organizations that work for the protection of mangroves, such as Save Maldives, CiNVESTAV-Mexico, BEDS-Bangladesh, CMCN-China, and others. But we also received digital art from many kids who found out about the contest through the Internet via Google and online children’s art magazines where they saw our posted announcements. 


This year’s contest mobilized organizations, communities, teachers, students and families around the world. Many who participated in the art competition became aware about the importance of mangrove ecosystems for the first time by viewing MAP’s educational videos on YouTube and information posted on MAP’s website. Globally, kids are surfing the Internet looking for creative things to do. This art contest about mangroves offered a creative outlet for children during these difficult times.


The Criminalization of Fisherfolks, Environmental Activist and Student Journalist in Makassar

 People’s Coalition for Fisheries Justice (KIARA) 

Save Indonesian Seas Coalition 

Alliance to Save South Sulawesi Coastal Area (ASP Sulawesi Selatan) Indonesian Fisherwomen Sisterhood (PPNI) 

KIARA Criticize the Arrestation of Fisherfolks, Environment Activist,  and Students in Makassar 


Jakarta, 12 September 2020 – KIARA with Save Indonesian Seas Coalition,  Alliance to Save South Sulawesi Coastal Area (ASP Sulawesi Selatan) and other civil  society organizations in South Sulawesi have condemned the arbitrary arrestation of 7  (seven) fisherfolks, 1 (one) environment activist, and 3 (three) students – who work as  press journalist in Makassar, by Polairud (Air and Water Police Force) of South  Sulawesi. 

The arbitrary arrestation was conducted to detain several fisherfolks, namely Nawir,  Asrul, Andi Saputra, Irwan, Mustakim, Nasar, and Rijal. One of the fisherfolks even  experienced physical violence to the point that his face was bleeding. In addition, the environment activist – Rahmat – who was recording the incident, was also being  arrested and experienced some physical violence. He was hit in the face, being kicked,  stomped in the neck. Even Rahmat’s handphone which being used to record, fell into  the sea when the Polairud tried to confiscate it. 

Meanwhile, the other three students whom also being student press journalists, were  actually doing news covering on the mass action. The three students are Hendra from  Unit Kegiatan Pers Mahasiswa Universitas Hasanuddin (UKPM-UH), Mansur and  Raihan from Unit Kegiatan Penerbitan dan Penulisan Mahasiswa Universitas Muslim  Indonesia (UPPM-UMI). Before being forcibly arrested, the three students had  showed their student pers id card. However, the Polairud ignored it and were still  arresting the students. 

The arrestation incident happened after the mass demonstration which conducted by  the community, environment activists, and students who against the sand mining  project of Boskalis’s ship in Spermonde seas, particularly in the area near  Kondingareng Lompo Island. 

Nevertheless, the mass demonstration was actually the respond for the accumulation  of sand mining activities in the purpose of Makassar New Port (MNP) project  development which covering around 1428 ha through reclamation. Naturally, it gives  various negative impacts to the fisherfolks and make the fisherfolks in Kodingareng  Island fisghting back the development project endlessly.  

Centre data and information of KIARA (2020) noted that if the sand mining activity  has been operated since 13 February until August 2020, then the mining activity has  been operating for 7 months already. During these 7 months – which calculated  around 200 days – the ship which owned by PT Boskalis, has mined around 

21.300.000 m3 of sea sands from Spermonder seas, particularly the area near  Kondingareng Lompo island. The calculation of 21.300.000 m3 comes from the  transport capacity from PT Boskalis’ ship which have around 35.500 m3 capacity with  three-times shipment per day. 

“The volume of the sea sand which around 12.300.000 m3, is not a small figure. It  could destroy the marine ecosystem which becomes the home of fish and other sea  biodiversity. It will also affect in the serious long-term destruction impact,” said  Ahmad Fakar, the Coordinator of Alliance to Save South Sulawesi Coastal Area. 

RZWP3K has to be evaluated and canceled 

Based on the perspective of Susan Herawati – Secretary General of KIARA – the  incident happened in Kodingareng island was actually the impacts from marine spatial  policy as stated in the South Sulawesi Provincial Regulation No. 2/2019 on Coastal  and Small Islands Zonation Plan (RZWP3K) of South Sulawesi 2019-2039. “In  accommodating the strategize national project, South Sulawesi’s RZWP3K has  allocating some reclamation area for MNP project and sand mining,” she said.  

In addition, RZWP3K is actually a form of deprivation of livelihood and living space  for fisherfolks, fisherwomen, and other community who lived in coastal area and small  islands. In RZWP3K, various reclamation projects, sand mining, PLTU (Electric Steam  Power Plant), and other big-scale development projects. “Nevertheless, at the same  time, RZWP3K is not placing the rights of fisherfolks as the main priority on marine  spatial planning,” she added. 

Centre Data and Information of KIARA (2019) noted that there are several problems  which can be find in RZWP3K, which are: first, it doesn’t prioritize coastal community  as the main actor in managing marine and coastal resources; second, the allocation  for coastal community’s livelihood is particularly smaller than the allocation space for  port, industry, reclamation, mining, tourism, conservation, and any other projects;  third, the preparation of the marine spatial regulations only provides legal certainty  for private’s benefit and interest; fourth, with lots of articles/clause which  accommodating reclamation projects, marine spatial regulations is also not  considering the sustainability of marine ecosystem; fifth, mixing up the traditional  fishing area for traditional fisherfolks with others public uses areas, as it will impacts  on the high-risk of fisherfolks being hit by larger ships. 

“Because it only prioritizes the project, RZWP3K often triggers the conflict in various  places in Indonesia. The incident happened in Makassar is actually a clear evidence  that Provincial Regulation on RZWP3K is actually the reason of maritime space  conflict” said Susan. 

Other important thing that lacked to be recognized in RZWP3K in South Sulawesi is  the Disaster problem. Based on the document published in 2017 about Earthquake  Map in Indonesia by the National Center for Earthquake Studies, Research Institute  for Housing and Human Settlements- Ministry of Public Works and Housing  Indonesia, together with other institutions and universities in Indonesia like LIPI, 

AIPI, BMKG, BNPB UGM, UI, and ITB, it stated that in the Makassar Strait there is  earthquake fault. "In other words, the RZWP3K in South Sulawesi has established  without considering the natural disasters that exist in the Makassar Strait. Ironically,  the area for sea sand mining has been allocated 9,355.49 hectares, "added Susan. 

Therefore, KIARA urges the government of Indonesia to evaluate all the Regional  Regulations of RZWP3K that have been established, especially the RZWP3K in South  Sulawesi. Because the policy has been proven to confiscate the rights of fishermen,  fisherwomen, and coastal and small island communities in Indonesia and unaware of  the risk of natural disasters. 

"Reflecting on the case of sand mining in the Spermonde area that give effect to the  fishermen on Kodingareng Island, it proves that the RZWP3K in South Sulawesi  consists of many problems. We urge the RZWP3K in Indonesia to be evaluated and  revoked, "Susan concluded. 

Further Information: 

Susan Herawarti, General Secretary of KIARA/Members of Save Indonesian  Seas Coalition, +62 821-1172-7050 

Ahmad Fakar, Coordinator of Alliance to Save South Sulawesi Coastal Area  (ASP Sulawesi Selatan), +62 852-4041-2019 

Masnuah, General Secretary of Indonesian Fisherwomen Sisterhood  (PPNI), +62 852-2598-5110

Biodiversity is fundamental to human life on Earth

From World Wildlife Fund 2020 report 

Naturpl.com/David Fleetham/WWF

Photo: Naturpl.com/David Fleetham/WWF

 The global Living Planet Index continues to decline. It shows an average 68% decrease in population sizes of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish between 1970 and 2016. A 94% decline in the LPI for the tropical subregions of the Americas is the largest fall observed in any part of the world. 

 
     Why does this matter? 
 
      It matters because biodiversity is fundamental to human life on Earth, and the evidence is unequivocal – it is being destroyed by us at a rate unprecedented in history. Since the industrial revolution, human activities have increasingly destroyed and degraded forests, grasslands, wetlands and other important ecosystems, threatening human well-being. Seventy-five per cent of the Earth’s ice-free land surface has already been significantly altered, most of the oceans are polluted, and more than 85% of the area of wetlands has been lost.
 
      Species population trends are important because they are a measure of overall ecosystem health. Measuring biodiversity, the variety of all living things, is complex, and there is no single measure that can capture all of the changes in this web of life. Nevertheless, the vast majority of indicators show net declines over recent decades. 
 
    That’s because in the last 50 years our world has been transformed by an explosion in global trade, consumption and human population growth, as well as an enormous move towards urbanisation. Until 1970, humanity’s Ecological Footprint was smaller than the Earth’s rate of regeneration.To feed and fuel our 21st century lifestyles, we are overusing the Earth’s biocapacity by at least 56%. 
 
    These underlying trends are driving the unrelenting destruction of nature, with only a handful of countries retaining most of the last remaining wilderness areas. Our natural world is transforming more rapidly than ever before, and climate change is further accelerating the change. 
 
  Tigers, pandas and polar bears are well-known species in the story of biodiversity decline, but what of the millions of tiny, or as-yet-undiscovered, species that are also under threat? What is happening to the life in our soils, or in plant and insect diversity? All of these provide fundamental support for life on Earth and are showing signs of stress. 
 
   Biodiversity loss threatens food security and urgent action is needed to address the loss of the biodiversity that feeds the world. Where and how we produce food is one of the biggest human-caused threats to nature and our ecosystems, making the transformation of our global food system more important than ever. 
 
    The transformation of our economic systems is also critical. Our economies are embedded within nature, and it is only by recognising and acting on this reality that we can protect and enhance biodiversity and improve our economic prosperity.
 
   We can estimate the value of ‘natural capital’ – the planet’s stock of renewable and non-renewable natural resources, like plants, soils and minerals – alongside values of produced and human capital – for example, roads and skills – which together form a measure of a country’s true wealth. Data from the United Nations Environment Programme shows that, per person, our global stock of natural capital has declined by nearly 40% since the early 1990s, while produced capital has doubled and human capital has increased by 13%.
 
    But too few of our economic and financial decision-makers know how to interpret what we are hearing, or, even worse, they choose not to tune in at all. A key problem is the mismatch between the artificial ‘economic grammar’ which drives public and private policy and ‘nature’s syntax’ which determines how the real world operates.
 
    Together this evidence shows that biodiversity conservation is more than an ethical commitment for humanity: it is a non-negotiable and strategic investment to preserve our health, wealth and security.

Saturday, September 12, 2020

MAP News Issue 503

Mangrove Action Project
The MAP News
503rd Edition                                                    SEPT 12, 2020
FEATURE

What Two Major Oil Spills In Venezuela And Mauritius Now Mean For The World
Oil Spills
GLOBAL - August has been a very bad month for the ocean, having been battered by oil spills, explosions, and poorly regulated shipping. While the eyes of the world were first shocked by the explosion on 4 August in Beirut Port from poorly stored Ammonium Nitrate being carried by a Moldovan-flagged vessel, and then the massive oil spill on 6 August in Mauritius by a Panama-flagged, Japanese-owned iron ore ship that split apart against a coral lagoon, Venezuela was experiencing its own major oil spill which officials first started detecting on 2 August. It was a bunker fuel oil spill (same as Mauritius) and has now been estimated at being twice the size as the one in Mauritius. The cause was not immediately obvious and satellite data suggests the leak either came from a Portugal-flagged vessel or an oil pipeline close to a petroleum hub in the region. It was also in a pristine protected National Park, full of coral reefs, mangrove forests and turtle nesting grounds. This is the second time Venezuela has experienced a major oil spill in the last year, following over 1500 miles of Brazil’s beaches experiencing over 2000 tons of heavy engine oil in September.  READ MORE

GLOBAL

Mapping the Roots of Mangrove Loss
mangroves_map
GLOBAL - Using data from Landsat, researchers have created a new map depicting the causes of change in global mangrove habitats between 2000 and 2016. The map will benefit researchers investigating the impacts of mangrove gain and loss on the global carbon cycle, while also helping conservation organizations identify where to protect or restore these vital coastal habitats. Mangroves are hardy trees and shrubs that grow in the salty, wet, muddy soils of Earth’s tropical and subtropical coastlines. They protect the coastlines from erosion and storm damage; store carbon within their roots, trunks, and in the soil; and provide habitats for commercially important marine species. In a study released in 2010, mangroves were found to cover about 138,000 square kilometers (53,000 square miles) of Earth’s coastlines. The majority of these ecosystems were found in Southeast Asia, but they existed throughout the tropical and subtropical latitudes around the globe. READ MORE

AMERICAS

Cayman islands Mangrove Rangers – Workshop #2

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CAYMAN ISLANDS - The recently formed Cayman Islands Mangrove Rangers focused on science, data collection and policy during their second orientation and training workshop held at the Clever Fish/Sea Elements education centre in Grand Cayman on August 29th. Two representatives from the Cayman Islands Department of Environment (DOE) led the presentations and discussions on each topic area. Mr. Fred Burton, Manager of the Terrestrial Resources Unit, gave an in-depth look at the mangroves in Cayman with a specific focus on the threatened Centra Mangroves Wetland (CMW) which, at 8,200 acres, is the largest contiguous mangrove wetland in the Caribbean Mr. Burton, who has been involved in mangrove research and conservation in Cayman for over 30 years, covered all aspects of mangrove’s vital contribution to the island’s ecosystem and resources. He discussed in depth the work done in establishing the CMW’s carbon sequestration values as well as a detailed analysis of everything from the study of their protection component during recent hurricanes – including Hurricane Ivan – to their biological contribution as fish, reptile and bird habitat and their contribution to rainfall in the island’s western areas and to farming. He also outlined the CMW’s substantial impact on the slowing of climate change through carbon sequestration - something that is exacerbated by release large amounts of CO2 when mangroves are destroyed and excavated for construction or gravel mining. READ MORE

BirdsCaribbean Expresses Deep Concern Over Three Damaging Developments in Grenada
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GRENADA - BirdsCaribbean’s Executive Director Lisa Sorenson urges Grenada not to destroy or damage its last remaining wetlands. “Not only are these significant habitats for many vulnerable species of birds and endangered wildlife, wetland areas perform myriad important ecosystem services that improve the safety and health of local communities. These services are increasingly important and economically valuable in the face of climate change.” Sorenson notes that Grenada is a leader for environmental conservation. It has recently embraced the concept of the “Blue Economy.” In 2013, Grenada went beyond its Caribbean neighbors’ commitments, pledging to protect 25% of its near-shore marine and coastal environment by 2020 under the Caribbean Challenge Initiative signed in 2013. Sadly, these developments and the failure to designate a majority of the protected areas proposed under its Protected Areas Systems Plan, make it increasingly unlikely that Grenada can meet its international obligations and national targets. Sorenson pointed out that it appears that vegetation has been removed before an approved EIA/plan for all three projects, which would be in direct violation of Grenada’s Physical Planning Act of 2016. Moreover, the developments and the way they are being carried out does not seem consistent with Grenada’s own Blue Growth Coastal Master Plan, whose Guiding Principles and Goals call for Sustainability, the Precautionary Principle, Good Governance, and Equity. READ MORE & SIGN PETITION

For the defense of the Marine-Coastal Wetlands and the Territories of Ancestral Life in Venezuela
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VENEZUELA - From the worldview of the peoples of the mangrove ecosystem, guardians of ancestral life forms that protect biodiversity, defenders of the territory of our ancestors, reflected in the birds, mangroves, fish, mollusks and everything that houses our spaces, the complicit silence and inaction in the face of the destruction of our ecosystems is unacceptable. Those ecosystems are our Ecological Heritage of Humanity. 
Our Wetlands of Venezuela, source of life, culture and food, are being destroyed by a developmental model, mistaken, which has subjected the population to extreme poverty. Said model is a mechanism of domination, that violates the most fundamental rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other treaties. The Indigenous Settlements of the Yukpa (Sierra de Perijá), Yanomami and Pemón people (Canaima) are being dispossessed by mining and other extractive megaprojects, activities that will never be ecological or sustainable, because they destroy everything in their path and displace our native peoples. The Orinoco Mining Arc, as a government initiative, has accentuated anarchy in the territories where it has been implemented in Venezuela, increased the presence of irregular groups, contaminating the Wetlands, raising the indicators of desertification and drought and increasing the murder of indigenous leaders and environmentalists. At present, Venezuela is going through an unparalleled environmental crisis. READ MORE

Natural resources division plans two-step approach to save Naples' mangroves
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USA - Naples' natural resources division is recommending a two-step approach to protecting what mangroves remain within the city. During an Aug. 10 council meeting, Natural Resources manager Stephanie Molloy presented the city council with a couple of different suggestions. The first is to obtain delegated authority from the state to oversee mangrove trimming and preservation permitting and the second is to lobby Gov. Ron DeSantis to have the state apply more stringent permitting under a separate environmental resource program. "I noticed a decrease in what little mangroves we have left on shorelines," Molloy said. "I see it as death by 1,000 cuts." READ MORE

ASIA

Japanese experts warn oil damage could kill mangroves in Mauritius
Japanese Scientists
JAPAN - A Japanese disaster relief team said Tuesday the oil spilled from a grounded Japanese freighter off Mauritius in the Indian Ocean could kill mangroves if it is not cleaned up soon. The team composed of seven members, including five environment experts, has been conducting an on-site probe of the damage to the environment, especially the mangrove forests and coral reefs, since Friday, while providing on-site environment assistance to the Mauritius government. "In the heavily polluted areas, oil adhesion to pneumatophores (or aerial roots) can suffocate mangroves to death. Also, if the oil stays for long, its toxic substances can kill mangroves," Noriaki Sakaguchi, vice team leader and an ecosystem conservation expert at Japan International Cooperation Agency, said in an online briefing. While no dead or dying mangroves have been found so far, the team said oil coating on the pneumatophores of mangroves has been confirmed in all seven surveyed locations, with a wide area of damage found in two sites. READ MORE

Restoring mangroves with intent
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BANGLADESH - Where mangrove restoration is properly carried out, the benefits this can bring to the ecology and to local communities is enormous. But all to often mistakes are made. Here we have a well intended attempt which has simply not been thought through. The established tree line, which can be seen to the right of the photo, is the boundary to where mangroves will naturally grow down to within the inter-tidal elevation. It's a valuable lesson therefore to observe this and duplicate it by using these natural forests as a reference for any restoration project. These saplings, assuming they even survive, will eventually shade out this valuable bed of seagrass which is an important ecosystem for manatee, dugong, fish and sea turtles etc. Mangroves throughout their range have a wide range of naturally occurring species but only one, this Red Mangrove Rhizophora mangle, is ever chosen. This narrow choice reduces biodiversity and apart from anything else is a lost opportunity for getting things right. There are places in China where this introduced species planted en masse have formed huge monoculture plantations. These have become invasive, out-competing the natural plant communities well beyond the target plantation area, which is having a profound impact on the wider affected ecosystem. But I guess if anything's done wrong it'll be China that does it. But if restoration projects are carried out well they can make the difference, in a country like Bangladesh, between a productive and secure thousand mile stretch of coastline to one which is barren and eroded. READ MORE

Bengal’s Sunderbans billed ‘endangered ecosystem’, mangroves show signs of climate-resilience
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BANGLADESH - The Sunderbans in West Bengal – a UNESCO world heritage site and home to the only tiger that lives in mangroves – has been categorized as an ‘endangered ecosystem’ by a team of scientists from four countries. But there is a silver lining too. The researchers have found that the world’s largest mangrove system, which has been degraded because of unbridled human activities in the past, is showing signs of stabilization and is gradually becoming resilient to climate change. “The Sunderbans, which has seen much degradation in the past, has been categorized as an endangered ecosystem according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s The Red List of Ecosystems. Felling of trees for human settlement over the past few centuries which has degraded the mangrove to a large extent and the declining fish population were the two primary reasons to tag the delta as an endangered one. READ MORE

To Build Back Better, We Must Include Indigenous Peoples
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INDIA - As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to take hold in many countries, indigenous peoples are among the most vulnerable. Already dealing with multiple challenges, including threats to their ancestral lands and forests, growing food insecurity, and the impacts of climate change, indigenous peoples and local communities are further disadvantaged during the pandemic. Many live in remote areas and have poor access to food, basic healthcare, and communication. As the crisis continues to evolve, indigenous peoples are further marginalized as information is rarely available in their local languages Further, lockdowns have created insecure and unstable markets, such as in Nepal. This has given rise to arbitrary transport and purchase prices, setting back producer groups who have no access and information on market operations during the pandemic. Moreover, women now carry twice their normal workload – as primary caretakers of families and households, and as custodians of farms and animals. Despite these challenges, indigenous communities remain resilient by relying on their traditional knowledge and practices. Represented by their traditional organizations and a large variety of different forest and farm producer organizations (FFPOs) in various countries, indigenous peoples have platforms for inclusion and decision making. These organizations have vast networks that represent women, youth, and ethnic minorities, and often have constitutions that target such vulnerable groups. READ MORE

Plant mangroves, not cancerous fake sand
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PHILIPPINES - Plant mangroves on the entire 190-kilometer coastline of Manila Bay. That will rehab the murky waters not cancerous artificial white sand on a half-kilometer seafront along Roxas Boulevard, Manila. Alibis for the government’s P400-million fake sanding are silly. It’s “sea nourishment,” an environment undersecretary blabbers. Viewing the “white beach” unquantifiably boosts people’s mental health during pandemic, the presidential spokesman yatters. If so, then consider this: Planting mangroves all along Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila and Cavite will green the shoreline. Fish, shells, crabs, birds and edible flora will also thrive. That’s food, scenery, fresh air, clean sea for millions. It can be done; it’s being done. A stone’s throw south of the bogus white sands is a genuine mangrove forest. It is the core of the 175-hectare Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat and Eco-Tourism Area. The bayside LPPCHEA hosts 11 endemic species of mangroves. Fruit-bearing native trees and bamboos intersperse. Eighty bird species feed and roost there, some from as far as Siberia. Protected are the rare Black-Winged Stilt, Chinese Egret and Philippine Duck. READ MORE


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CBEMR Training in Tanzania: Ground-breaking training breathes life into mangrove ecosystem restoration - The Mangrove Alliance

Please see our newest video: " Restoring The Natural Mangrove Forest" - https://youtu.be/Vh7CoPBLQa8

Mangrove Restoration Map 
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Tanzania CBEMR
Community Based Ecological Mangrove Restoration in Rufiji Delta 
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Video: Mangroves for the Future - A look bacK. As the latest phase of Mangroves for the Future (MFF) draws to a close, this video highlights some of the project’s most successful initiatives – from local women supporting national park management in Viet Nam to an island in the Maldives that has become a model for waste management, and everything in between. View Here

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Singing for the Sundarbans WATCH HERE

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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

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WATCH - Mangroves: how they help the ocean
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Mangrove Restoration in Asia – Watch Short Video

The Value of Mangrove Forests View Video

CBEMR Experience Exchange MAP 2017 English Subtitles
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Mangroves: Guidebook to MalaysiaClick Here
 
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Our short documentary, Reducing the Risk of Disaster through Nature-Based Solutions : Mangroves
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INTERVIEW – Yale Climate Connection interview with MAP's Alfredo Quarto LISTEN

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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 Curriculum in Bangladesh - WATCH VIDEO
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MAP News Issue 593, March 9, 2024

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