Dear Friends,

This is the 231st Edition of the Mangrove Action Project News, February 19, 2010.

For the Mangroves,

Alfredo Quarto
Mangrove Action Project

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Greetings
Dear Friend of the Mangroves,
 
There is a big action alert type event happening now in Honduras where Jorge Varela of CODDEFFAGOLF is oppposing the illicit takeover for shrimp farming of the Ramsar 1000th site. The government has just allowed shrimp farmers entry into the mangroves there.

We are waiting for futher information on this matter, I hope you all take action to prevent further damage to this crtical area. Please stay in touch as this story develops.
 
Cheers, Alfredo
 
BREAKING NEWS
RAMSAR Site 1000 in Honduras threatened

Dear Friends:
I am sending information on the destruction of coastal wetlands occurring currently in Honduras and in almost all South- Tropical World. This sample is showing the destruction of a portion of "Site Ramsar # 1000" (1999) which is also "Protected Area" since 2010. Ramsar Site # 1000 is being converted into shrimp farms, with the complicity of the authorities that should work for their conservation. We regret that the Netherlands IUCN and Oxfam and also the WWF and other international NGOs are working to provide a "certification" or "Green Seal" to an industry that not only destroys and pollutes but also violates human rights of coastal communities.
Jorge Varela of CODDEFFAGOLF
Read more

Featured
“We Are Bankrupting Our Natural Economy” Says Secretary-General in Remarks at Event to Launch International Year
Feb. 10
NEW YORK: Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon’s remarks at event to launch International Biodiversity Year at American Museum of Natural History, delivered by Olav Kjorven, Assistant Secretary-General and Director, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Bureau for Development Policy, in New York, 10 February:
“I am pleased to be here in this spectacular monument to some of Earth’s most magnificent species. Sadly many, such as the blue whale which dominates this hall are endangered to the point of extinction.The reason is simple: human activities. Yours, mine, everyone’s.We have all heard of the web of life. My worry is that the way we live has enmeshed us in a web of death. Science tells us that our actions have pushed extinctions to 1,000 times the natural background rate.
Read More

AFRICA
Government needs mangroves which grow longer and thicker roots
Feb 18
Guyana : Dear Editor, I refer to an article in the Guyana Chronicle dated February 7, 07 where the Minister of Agriculture stated that the restoration of the hardy mangrove is of paramount importance to the government in order to mitigate the ravages of sea level rise and climate change. The Minister of Transport who was in attendance also stated that moving away from the coast is not an option and that mangrove is an option to protect the coast.
The mangrove in its present form is not hardy and does not protect the coast as claimed. In the ’60s when I was constructing the concrete sea defences at Chateau Margot on the East Coast over ½ mile of mangrove trees collapsed within a space of 3 weeks necessitating working 24 hours a day to protect and hold the sea defence line in that area. Close examination of the mangrove trees revealed that the roots appeared to be too short and thin and therefore could not sustain the onslaught of the erosion that was taking place. Mangrove trees in other areas were also similarly destroyed. Mangrove grows naturally along the coast, disappears during erosion and then re-appears in later years. It is a natural phenomenon in Guyana.
If, however, the government can locate similar trees, which can grow with longer and thicker roots, say 6 feet or more in length, then the experiment could be of some value to the nation, otherwise, spending $1B in my opinion would be a waste of money.
Read More

Community-based resource management vital for Africa, say experts
FEB 16
Zimbabwe - The declining momentum of community-based natural resource management in southern Africa is threatening to erode major gains registered over the past two decades unless urgent steps are taken to revive this critical livelihood strategy for poverty alleviation and a sustainable environment.Environmental experts who met in Harare recently to review community-based natural resources management programmes, said the decline in the momentum of the implementation of the CBNRM programmes is accelerating the rapid loss of biodiversity and wildlife.They expressed concern over the rapid loss of biodiversity; wild life and other natural resources as rural communities are increasingly being sidelined by the rural district councils from benefiting from the natural resources.Dr David Mazambani, a consultant for the Zimbabwe CBNRM stock taking exercise and community development expert told participants that the extent and quality of community participation has declined sharply in recent years in most Campfire sites as powerful local elites and RDCs capture all the benefits at the expense of local communities.
Read More

BANGLADESH
Flooded Mangroves, Disappearing Tigers

Feb 17
SUNDARBANS - There's no question the polar bear has pretty much lapped the field in the "big, furry mammals at risk from climate change" stakes. But according to a new paper in the journal Climatic Change, there is another, unexpected example of charismatic megafauna whose future may be in question as a result of global warming: The Bengal tiger - or at least, one isolated population thereof.
It's no secret that Bengal tiger numbers have declined; the species now occupies only about seven percent of its historic range and is believed to total fewer than 4,000 in the wild. In Bangladesh, tigers are restricted to the Sundarbans, one of the largest mangrove forests in the world; a 2009 study estimated the population numbered about 500 animals.
Read More

INDIA
Valuing mangrove benefits: contribution of mangrove forests to local livelihoods in Bhitarkanika Conservation Area, East Coast of India
Feb 10
INDIA The consumptive benefits of mangrove forests to subsistence economy receive little recognition. This paper quantifies the value of provisioning services of mangrove forests to local livelihoods in terms of forestry and fishery products. To examine the use of mangrove products, 324 households from 36 villages in the Bhitarkanika Conservation Area located in East Coast of India were surveyed using structured questionnaires. For estimating the contribution of mangrove forests to fish productivity, fish production was evaluated in three stages—inshore fishery, offshore fishery and the role of mangrove forests as nursery ground for fish and shellfish. The findings revealed that 14.2% of the fuel need of each household was being met by the forests. Other forestry products used were timber, honey and thatch grass.
Read More

Mangroves In Danger, Again
Feb 6
Mumbai - A patch of lush mangroves located near the New Link Road at Dahisar has been systematically hacked in the last couple of days.Extending from Kandarpada in Dahisar, to the Gorai creek, the green patch is among the last remaining stretches of green in the western suburbs.
Angry residents have dashed off letters to various official agencies, demanding a probe into the matter. Members of the New Link Road Residents’ Forum, a collective of housing societies in the area, have also presented pictorial evidence of the destruction.
Based on the evidence, the BMC and collector’s office, and police have initiated an inquiry to trace the miscreants.
The forum secretary Harish Pandey said pictures were clicked from one of the buildings. “It is difficult to reach the site of the hacking on foot,” Pandey said.
Officials from BMC and the tahsildar’s office, and deputy commissioner of police Sanjay Banerjee also visited the site. “An inquiry has been instituted into the destruction,” said Banerjee.
Read More

Forest dept moves proposal for 4 high-speed boats
Feb 13
AHMEDABAD: The forest department has decided to acquire four high-speed boats for management and monitoring of mangroves and large reservoirs. The department has moved a proposal to purchase boats for management of forest at main reservoir which includes Ukai and Narmada dams.
With a carrying capacity of 22 persons, the boats will be used for protection of marine life and even rescue operations along the coast. Gujarat Ecological Education Research Foundation had recently found 13 rare species of mangrove around 30 feet tall in south Gujarat. These species are found along the coast in Valsad and Navsari. Officials said after these new patches were found, it needed proper monitoring. These mangrove patches have never been noticed in the state. A good patch has also been found on the mouth of Purna river.
Read More

PHILIPPINES
DENR, PKI, Jasaan rehabilitate degraded mangrove areas
Feb. 17
Cagayan de Oro City - For the first time a private firm has linked with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in region 10 and the local government of Jasaan, in the province of Misamis Oriental for the rehabilitation of degraded mangrove areas.
This was made possible after the signing of Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) by Pilipinas Kao, Inc. (PKI), DENR 10, local government unit (LGU) of Jasaan with barangays Luz Banzon and Solana. The signing of the agreement was one of the highlights during the celebration of World Wetlands Day on February 2 with the theme, "Caring for Wetlands: an answer to climate change."
Read More

Pairs wed, plant mangrove saplings

Feb 15
Manila - They thought “green” on a red-letter day. Up to 285 couples said “I do” and then planted mangrove saplings in a Valentine’s Day mass wedding held in a coastal area in Puerto Princesa City on Sunday.
Officiated by Palawan Bishop Pedro Arigo, the services held in Barangay San Jose were sponsored by the city government in line with its annual mangrove reforestation festival.
The couples, mostly low-income residents, took the opportunity to get married without having to spend a centavo. They just had to plant mangroves on-site in return.
Read More

500,000 mangroves for Olango
Feb. 12
Olango Island, Lapu-Lapu City - As part of its effort to ensure the preservation and protection of coastal resources here, the Kanepackage Group Inc. through its KP Green Earth project in collaboration with the Region 7 office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR 7) has planted more than 500,000 mangrove propagules or seedlings Friday in this island.
The KP Green Earth project of Kanepackage Group Inc. launched last November is part of the company’s program to mitigate and prevent the adverse impacts of climate change, where during the launching, nearly 85,000 mangroves were planted covering 4.5 hectares.
Read More

INDONESIA
Govt looks to seas as potential carbon sink
Feb 18
Jakarta - Research conducted by the Maritime Affairs and Fishery Ministry shows that Indonesia’s seas can absorb roughly 0.3 gigatons of carbon dioxide each year (300 million metric tons), far more than previous estimates of up to 40 million tons.
Officials, however, declined to comment on whether Indonesia would promote the ocean as alternative resource in efforts to mitigate human-induced climate change.
“We are still focusing on adaptation measures,” Marine and Fishery Research Agency chief Gellwynn Jusuf told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
The country’s first-ever research of carbon in oceans will be officially launched at the global ministerial meeting in Bali on Feb. 25.
Read More

MALAYSIA
Sabah begins five-year plan to revive its mangroves
Feb 14
Kota Kinabalu - A five-year project is underway to restore and rehabilitate tracts of damaged wetlands in the state.
Sabah Wetlands Conservation So cie ty president Zaini Aucasa said the project will kick off with the planting of some 2,000 mangrove trees along the banks of Sungai Likas here on Feb 27.
“We hope this will go some way towards creating awareness about the importance of wetlands and the need to preserve them,” he said at the state-level World Wetlands Day gathering in the Wetland Centre here yesterday.
The event was launched by Assis tant Minister of Tourism, Cul ture and Environment Elron Alfred Angin and saw 100 students from 12 secondary schools taking part in various activities, including helping to clean up the centre.
Read More

LATIN AMERICA
Minister Deveaux faces confrontation over Bahama

Feb 10
BAHAMAS - RockMinister of Environment Earl Deveaux is expected to be on island today for the Bahamas International Maritime Conference and Trade Show and members of the Grand Bahama Committee for Concerned Residents (GBCCR) are calling for a meeting with him to address their concerns about the expansion of Bahama Rock.
GBCCR member Dave Barr said the committee has continually been asking the government for an answer to their questions as it relates to work being done on the side of the Warren J. Levarity Highway across from Bahama Rock's site, but to no avail.
Following a town meeting in late October 2008, Barr said Deveaux had promised to return in early 2009 to update residents on what the government had decided with regard to giving approval for the company to begin an expansion project. To date, he said, Deveaux has not done so. However, work appears to be going on at the new site.
Read More

Feb 18

Chile - Salmon prices are jumping after a sharp decline in global supply following the collapse of the Chilean industry because of an outbreak of a fish disease. Since the start of the year, wholesale prices for Norwegian-produced Atlantic salmon had risen 20.6 per cent, Statistics Norway said. That has extended a year-long rally in prices, which have risen 32.5 per cent to NKr37 (£4) a kilo. Industry analysts expect the surge to feed through to what people pay for salmon steaks and fillets.Chile's output of Atlantic salmon has been hammered by the virus that causes infectious salmon anaemia, which emerged in 2007. The disease, which does not affect humans if afflicted fish are consumed, kills off salmon by attacking their red blood cells."Chile, which was the second- biggest producer of salmon, has seen its output plunge more than 75 per cent in two years," said Aslak Berge at First Securities in Norway. "During peak production in 2008, Chile sold 403,000 tonnes, but we forecast a sales estimate of 90,000 tonnes this year."

USA
Naples Bay restoration plan unveiled but much remains unfunded
Feb 16
Naples City, FL - The Naples City Council embraced a 20-year plan for Naples Bay restoration today at City Hall.
The plan envisions having oysters from Naples Bay on local restaurant menus, mangroves instead of seawalls along the bay's edge and as many as five habitat islands where shorebirds would nest and anglers would fish.
But the plan's author, Naples Natural Resources Manager Mike Bauer, acknowledged it takes more than a plan.
"If people really and truly want to restore the bay, it's possible, it really is," Bauer said.
Councilman John Sorey, also a member of the Big Cypress Basin water management board, said restoring Naples Bay won't be easy or inexpensive.
Read More

Compromise allows major port expansion, preservation of mangroves
Feb 9
Port Everglades, FLorida - A breakthrough deal to preserve coastal mangroves will allow Port Everglades to move ahead with a major expansion of its cargo business.
State and Broward County officials reached agreement Tuesday that the port will preserve 16 acres of mangroves and pay for improvements to West Lake Park in exchange for the right to expand. The port wants to build a new wharf that can handle super-freighters and accept imports of crushed rock needed for construction.
The new cargo terminals are a key part of a $2 billion expansion of Port Everglades planned over the next 20 years. Another segement of the plans -- new cruise terminal -- opened last fall and was custom-built to accommodate the world's largest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas.
The fate of the cargo expansion has been uncertain for several years because of objections raised by environmental activists. The expansion requires the port to destory part of wetlands that it promised in the late 1980s to preserve forever.
“This is a criticial step for the port because we need more berths to expand business,” said Margaret Kempel, head of Port Everglades’ business association. “There is no other place to put more berths except for this area. The port is thriving now, but we need to look to the future.”
READ MORE

School's green efforts praised
Feb 14
Louisianna - Students at Lafayette Middle School's Environmental Sciences Academy are deeply devoted to conservation. Whether it's conservation of wetlands or the world as a whole.
The students' dedication to conservation have made them the Youth Conservationist of the Year for 2009. The award was given to them through the Louisiana Wildlife Federation.
Director Stacey Hess said the efforts are made possible through partnerships with the LSU Ag Center's Coastal Roots and Louisiana Marine Education Resources Native Fish in the Classroom.
With more than 150 students, Lafayette Middle was the first environmental sciences academy in Lafayette Parish. The program has now become a pathway program that can begin at L. Leo Judice Elementary School and take a student through Lafayette Middle and finally to Northside High School's program.
READ MORE

Volunteers plant mangroves in Lake Worth Lagoon
Feb 5
West Palm Beach Florida - Jacqueline Ferrigno, 24, of West Palm Beach, sank past her knees in sand and muck planting red mangroves as part of the Ibis Isle project that is restoring more than 8 acres of Lake Worth Lagoon.
Ferrigno, an aspiring biology teacher, laughed off the conditions as part of the rewarding experience of repairing damage and improving the environment.
"Since we're doing this kind of in the Lake Worth Lagoon area, it provides a really great estuary," she said. "I know the Lake Worth Lagoon has been under restoration for many, many years now because of carelessness and overdevelopment and lack of environmental awareness."
Ferrigno was one of about 50 volunteers who planted red mangrove seedlings Jan. 23 across from Phipps Ocean Park. The $1.1 million Ibis Isle Restoration Project seeks to plant 12,000 mangroves by the end of February to provide food and habitat for wildlife and improve the overall water quality of Lake Worth Lagoon.
READ MORE

NEW ZEALND
Space invaders

Feb 16
Aukland - Toni Geux is taking matters into her own hands - plant matter, that is.
She wades into the muddy foreshore near her Mangere Bridge home to combat the mangrove invasion of the Manukau Harbour.
The 79-year-old lives on Kiwi Esplanade, a stretch of road wrapping around the upper harbour coastline alongside Mangere Bridge. It's a coastline punctured by mangrove seedlings and collared by a green ribbon of seed pods.
After asking the council to remove the mangroves, Geux and other locals have taken it upon themselves to remove the seedlings to stop the spread.
READ MORE