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.
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