FEATURED STORY
New Tool Makes Case for Mangrove Protection

Mangroves play a critical role buffering coastal communities against flooding and storms and provide habitat for thousands of species of birds and marine animals. Recent evidence suggests that mangroves sequester carbon very effectively and healthy mangroves could help protect our climate.  Unfortunately, humans are destroying huge areas of mangroves and if we do not take action they may be functionally extinct by the turn of the century. I am pleased to report on a new resource for protecting mangroves: The ELAW Mangrove Science Database. Dr. Heidi Weiskel, ELAW Staff Scientist, worked closely with David Pugh, ELAW Web Designer, to ensure that key research on mangroves, published by more than 75 scientists, is included in this comprehensive resource for citizens worldwide. READ MORE
 
ASIA
 
Supermarket giants in Thailand for shrimp industry slavery talks

THAILAND – U.K. and U.S. supermarket groups are meeting in Thailand this week to create a taskforce to tackle trafficking and forced labor in the shrimp feed industry. The talks follow a Guardian investigation last month that uncovered slavery in the supply chains of Thai seafood sold to major international retail brands. The three-day meeting will be hosted by Charoen Pokphand (CP) Foods, the world's largest prawn farmer, which the Guardian found buys fishmeal from suppliers that own, operate or buy from fishing boards manned with slaves. READ MORE
 
New shrimp farming system to boost yields
BANGLADESH – A growing number of shrimp farmers and processors are giving up traditional farming practices and turning to improved aquaculture to boost yields and exports. Acreage of shrimp under a modern farming technology — semi-intensive shrimp farming — rose to 1,100 hectares this year from 800 hectares a year ago. The improved farming practices were seen only on 10 hectares of land in 2002, said Prafulla Kumar Sarker, district fisheries officer of Khulna, a hub for shrimp farming and pioneer in modern practices. In traditional shrimp cultivation, less than 25,000 juveniles are farmed per hectare. But in semi-intensive farming, up to two lakh juveniles can be cultivated per hectare. Traditional farming is done in lowlands and canals. But semi-intensive farming requires carefully laid-out ponds in controlled environment. READ MORE
 
5,482 hectares of mangroves will soon be reserved forests
INDIA – More than a year after the state’s decision to notify all mangroves on public land as ‘reserved forests’, around 5,482 hectares of mangroves on government land in Thane and Raigad districts will be notified as reserved forests. Around 4,478 hectares of mangroves in Thane (Dahanu division) will be declared reserved forests by July 25 and 1,004.48 hectares in Raigad district by the next week, the Konkan divisional commissioner informed the state. “The government-approved 4478 hectares, give and take a 100 hectares, will be notified by July 25, while the Raigad proposal of notifying 1004.48 hectares of mangroves on government land is with me. The notification will take a week more,” said R L Mopalwar, divisional commissioner, konkan division. “It takes time for our surveying team to delineate mangrove lands as well as the 50m  buffer zones, and to ensure that only mangroves on government land are notified,” he said. This move comes after senior officials from the forest department pressed for speedy notification. READ MORE
 
Flagrant abuse of wetlands in and around Mumbai: Mangrove cell
INDIA – A road cut across a wetland on Thane-Bhiwandi Road with mangroves still standing in the middle of it, private mangrove forest converted into dumping ground by Thane municipal corporation and an entire residential building constructed on a wetland in Thane and wetlands converted into parking lots in Dahisar and Thane were a few gross Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) violations that the mangrove cell found in and around Mumbai. The cell enlisted these violations in its affidavit recently submitted to the Bombay High Court (HC). The mangrove cell was instructed by the HC to visit spots mentioned in a petition by a group of NGOs, seeking protection of wetlands. In a “shocking case of flagrant abuse of wetlands” at Dive Anjur, adjacent to Thane-Bhiwandi road, a road made by dumping of debris extends 1.5 km through a vast wetland in the area, the report stated. The officials noted several large mangrove trees, some still standing in the middle of the road, struggling to survive. Large amount of debris was dumped in the surroundings too. “The fact that this illegal dumping activity and road construction can easily be seen from the heavily commuted highway only goes to show the audacity of the perpetrators of this environmental outrage. READ MORE
 
AMERICAS
 
Osa Peninsula Celebrates Mangrove Action Day

COSTA RICA – With the participation of community groups working on the Osa Peninsula, state institutions, the Vice Minister of Water, Oceans, Coasts and Wetlands Fernando Mora, Vice Minister of Youth and Elena Quesada Neotrópica Foundation all came together to celebrate the International Day of Mangroves, with this year’s motto: "For the Mangrove and Sea Peoples in the Fight". Thus, 25 local organizations and institutions came together for community participation in the implementation of the Management Plan Térraba and to build a model of community conservation Osa Conservation Area. The group also plans a 2 month Monitoring Plan which will contribute not only to maintain proper control and monitoring but also to involve community groups to improve their quality of life. READ MORE

Cuba looks to mangroves to fend off rising seas
CUBA – Many people in this hamlet on the southern coast of Cuba remember when the shore lay about 100 meters (yards) farther out. That was four decades ago. Since then, rising waters have gradually swallowed up rustic homes, a narrow highway that once paralleled the coast, even an old military tank that people now use to measure the sea's yearly advance. "There was a road there," said Jose Manuel Herrera, 42, a fisherman and former charcoal harvester, pointing toward the gentle waves. "You could travel from here all the way to Mayabeque." Worried by forecasts of rising seas from climate change, the effects of hurricanes and the salinization of farmlands, authorities say they are beginning a forced march to repair Cuba's first line of defense against the advancing waters — its mangrove thickets, which have been damaged by decades of neglect and uncontrolled logging. In the second half of 2013, a moratorium was declared on mangrove logging. Now, the final touches are being put on a sustainable management master plan that is expected to be in place before the end of the year. President Raul Castro has said the plan is a top priority. READ MORE
 
Group urges action to end political influence on climate policy
VENEZUELA – The effects of the climate crisis certainly fall more heavily on the most vulnerable populations.  Communities and peoples of marine coastal areas are one of them; rising sea levels will represent the loss of territories, the threats to food sovereignty and processes of forced migration. The warming waters and increased acidity in them, results in the loss or reduction of marine life and species important to the livelihood and food. In general, climate change will increase the social and ecological vulnerabilities.  Given this reality, Redmanglar International under the Social PRECOP on Climate Change organized by the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, says:  “It is essential to address the effects of climate change, incorporate ancient knowledge as a structural axis of actions focused on containment, adaptation and survival of the people. Incorporate a vision of development based on the territorial approach.” READ MORE   
 
For the love of mangroves and its resources

BRAZIL – The ‘Waia’mu Project’ is an action between guaiamum (blue crab) lovers proposing the recognition of the species as one of the most refined and exclusive Brazilian delicacies, and its perpetuation through information and participation in preservation efforts of mangroves and its environs – which is where the guaiamum lives. Our multitask team, formed by me, Iaara Rosenthal, Glaucia Holzmann and Janka Babenco – all fans of the delicacy – was willing to shoot, write, interview and find out as much as possible about the local passion for guaiamuns, the conservation status of mangroves and of course eat some samples. We named the trip “Guaiamoon Expedition”, due to the coincidence of the super moon phenomenon on the day of the event. READ MORE
VIEW VIDEO
 
OCEANA
 
MAP’s educational curriculum comes to Australian schools

AUSTRALIA – Teachers and students from regional schools will launch the Australian adaptation of the Mangrove Action Project’s Marvellous Mangroves curriculum-based Teachers’ Resource Guide together with Adelaide-based festival artist Evelyn Roth’s Mangrovia from July 31 through August 3. On July 31st in Australia’s mangrove habitats when they don colourful costumes designed and built by Ms. Roth for this project, and explore the roots of the red mangrove tree in the amazing inflatable dome dubbed Mangrovia. Queensland’s educators will then come together on August 1st workshop on the importance of mangrove wetlands at the Bundaberg Landcare Rooms (80A Woongarra Street). Co-sponsored by the international non-profit organization the Mangrove Action Project (MAP), the Burnett Mary Regional Group (BMRG), the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, the Singing Field Foundation and the Australian Government, the Marvellous Mangroves workshop gives teachers a first-hand experience of the curriculum guide. READ MORE
 
LAST WORD(S)
 Editors Note – Normally we select 1 letter per issue to include as our "Last Word" however this week we received three letters that all deserve to be our last word – since they are all important we are including all 3 here – thanks for your submissions!

Dear Monica
 
Hello. My name is Susan Park from South Korea. I’m a USCPA worker in a French Accounting firm in Seoul.  I’d like to introduce my boy, Rock Lee who’s in the 5^th grade in elementary school. He’s an environmental artist. He’s a member of UNEP(Un Environmental Program) , Greenfund Korea, Greenranger Korea and he’ve founded his own environmental student’s group ‘ Earth Kids Foundattion’

He’s also an blogger www.earthkid.net he created his own environmental character ‘Rikki and piki’ upload webtoon on his blog. His presentation about Kribati which is one of sinking island now is on the UNEP WED site. He’d like to join the Children’s Mangrove Calendar Art Contest but we could send it by 31st of July so you’ll be receive next week. It’s possible to participate in it? I also suggest that we can work together in some way to save the earth. Some project we’ll work together. You don’t have an office in Korea? We can find out some way that we corporate together.
 
Regards
 
Susan
 
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Hi Alfredo,
 
I am writing a blog that is aimed at educating people about mangroves and particularly mangrove ecology.  The blog is located at mangrovecreatures.blogspot.com.au.  It has some thirty posts so far but will cover many subjects in time.  Please consider linking to this site or just passing the link on.
 
Cheers,
 
Andrew Mitchell
Principal Environmental Scientist
Lambert & Rehbein
26 Florence Street Cairns QLD 4870
T (07) 4031 6788 | M +61 411 655 290 |E Andrew.M@lar.net.au | W www.lar.net.au
 
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AND FINALLY – A Farewell to our latest intern!
 
Hello everybody,
 
This is a goodbye email. Tomorrow is my last day as a MAP volunteer. During this last 5 months I learnt a lot about mangrove, NGO management, Thailand and my english improved a lot thanks to all of you.
 
Now, I am going back to France and finish my degree. I already know I will miss this great experience.
 
Thank you so much for all the great work you are doing and for everything you taught me and I hope we will meet again in the mangrove's world.
 
Cheers,
 
—
Delphine Gébelin
MAP-Asia Office Development & Field Project Assistant (Intern)
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Mangrove Action Project (MAP)
MAP – Asia Office
B-206 Yaotak Building
Vienkapang Road
Amphur Muang, Trang 92000
T H A I L A N D

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