Dear Friends of Mangroves With over two decades at work at the roots of the sea, you might wonder if we are any closer to saving the mangroves. Mangroves have continued their decline, but the current rate is now half of what it was when MAP was established. While more efforts are being made to restore and conserve mangroves than ever before, we still need to do more. This is where you can help! The time has come to pass when our actions must speak louder than words! Your continuing support has helped us maintain an active and persistent presence along the coastal belts of mangrove nations. MAP started almost 23 years ago, and has since built up an active global network, while raising public awareness about the importance of mangroves. We have long been the mangroves’ advocate, and have worked tirelessly to conserve and restore these forest wetlands. Future generations may reap the bounty of our actions and thus thank you for your timely support.
A donation of $45 can buy a salinity meter to measure the salinity levels in a mangrove restoration site. $250 can buy an altimeter to measure topography and $1,000 can help restore an acre of mangrove wetlands. MAP held successful Community-based Ecological Mangrove Restoration (CBEMR) training workshops in Cuyamel, Honduras, led by volunteer Dominic Wodehouse and MAP Executive Director Alfredo Quarto. They are now planning another CBEMR workshop early next year in the Gulf of Fonseca region of Honduras, with a series of other CBEMR workshops planned for the general Central America region. 1999 Goldman Environmental Prize winner Jorge Varela is working as a regional coordinator for these workshops. A donation of $500 will enable a local steward to attend these workshops and further their training in CBEMR. MAP’s Asia Team, led by Jim Enright and assisted by Jaruwan (Ning) Enright and Global Nature Fund Project Coordinator, Piyapat Nakornchai (Por), together with Field Project Manager, Niyom Thongmean (Nick) have begun several more Community-based Ecological Mangrove Restoration projects, as well as related alternative livelihoods projects in southern Thailand, promoting healthy ecosystems and reducing disaster risk. Further exciting workshops are being planned for both Burma and Bangladesh this coming year. Read more about the projects at www.mangroveactionproject.org/cbemr/blog/ MAP’s Education Director, Martin Keeley, introduced MAP’s Marvelous Mangrove Curriculum into 11 nations, including Bangladesh, China, Australia, Brazil and Belize, successfully training 2,500 new teachers and reaching 250,000 students, with plans for further MM Curriculum introductions in Kenya, Madagascar and Suriname. A $100 donation can cover the cost of printing 5 copies of MAP’s Marvelous Mangroves Curriculum for use in primary schools. $500 can pay for the costs of bringing two teachers for training at a workshop to prepare them for use of the Curriculum. The Question Your Shrimp (QYS) campaign under the project coordination of Vanessa Lopez signed up 6 more chefs and reached hundreds more Seattle-area residents and restaurant concerning the problems of imported farmed shrimp and consequent mangrove loss. MAP staff held 6 QYS related public speaking events in the Puget Sound area. MAP’s newsletter under the editorship of Sam Nugent reached its 350th edition, and our communication medias have been greatly improved via the good work of Leo Thom and Julie Christie, while MAP’s 14th edition of our Children’s Mangrove Art Calendar for 2015 was published via the artistic hand of Monica Gutierrez-Quarto. $400 can cover two months costs of publishing MAP’s electronic biweekly newsletter that goes out to over 4,000 recipients in over 60 nations. $600 can cover 3-month’s rent for MAP’s Seattle office. Most certainly, you have an important role to play, and we’re looking forward to building that momentum from your generosity last year helping us raise $8,000. We provide the vehicle to save the mangroves, and you provide the fuel to run that vehicle! During this season of giving, I hope you’ll take the opportunity to support MAP’s work to conserve and restore mangrove forests around the world. Your donation today will go straight into helping the decline of mangrove forests.
With your support YOU can make a difference!Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you! Alfredo Quarto, Executive Director | 
