MAP News Issue #589 – Jan. 13, 2024 |
A 22-million-year-old petrified mangrove forest found in the Panama Canal |
PANAMA – A team of environmental and natural scientists from Universidad EAFIT in Colombia, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama, and Boise State University in the U.S. has found evidence of an ancient petrified mangrove forest on an island in the Panama Canal. For their study, reported in the journal Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, the group collected fossils and sediment samples from the island. Prior research has shown that approximately 23 million years ago, the South American and Caribbean plates collided, pushing up parts of what is now Central America. One region became a large hill, forming what is now known as Barro Colorado Island—it is situated in Gatun Lake, which is part of the Panama Canal. In this new effort, the research team studied 121 pieces of preserved wood found on the island over the past several years. They also studied sediment samples collected from the sites where the fossils were found. They determined that many of the fossils had come from a type of mangrove tree that no longer exists. Dating of the fossils showed them to be approximately 22 million years old. Also, the sediment was from a lahar—a type of mud-and-rock river, similar in many ways to concrete, which forms as water flows down a mountain after a volcanic eruption. |
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Mangrove forests are ‘food baskets’ for coastal communities |
INDONESIA – When the tide is in, the salty understorey of a mangrove forest glitters with life. Fish dart through the labyrinthine root systems and find safe spots to mate and spawn; crabs and snails search amongst the fallen leaves; shellfish attach themselves to the trees’ aerial roots. Mangroves are finally making it onto policymakers’ radars as critical to climate mitigation and coastal protection, but their importance in local diets – particularly by serving as breeding grounds for fish and other aquatic animals – remains underexplored. Into that gap, a new study by scientists at the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), the University of Kent (UK), and Charles Darwin University (Australia) has found that mangroves “contribute substantially to the food security and nutrition of coastal communities in Indonesia.” When shaping the study, lead author Amy Ickowitz, senior scientist at CIFOR-ICRAF, realised why this particular topic has been explored so little to date. “It seems that it is very difficult to just see which fish use mangroves and count them up – fish are highly mobile, some use mangroves at different stages of their life cycles, and some fish may not use mangroves directly, but might consume those fish that do,” she said. |
| ‘SK-backed’ green company to cover the Mekong River with mangroves |
VIETNAM – Starting with the planting of mangroves in the southern province of Trà Vinh in 2018, SK Innovation has restored 226 hectares of mangrove forests in Southeast Asia. In particular, the area of mangrove forests restored in the southern Vietnamese provinces of Trà Vinh, Sóc Trăng, and Vĩnh Long along with MangLub alone amounts to 213 hectares. Thy Phạm, chief operating officer (COO) of MangLub Vietnam, an eco-friendly business founded under the auspices of SK Innovation, shared her ambitious vision during an interview with a Yonhap correspondent in Trà Vinh Province on December 19 (local time). Phạm has been engaged in a mangrove restoration initiative along with MangLub founder Kim Hang-seok in the southern province of Trà Vinh since 2019. “In fact, SK’s support enabled us to not only lay a foundation for mangrove expansion, but also raise awareness of the need for restoration through active educational efforts,” said Phạm. “Currently, more than 100 Vietnamese are involved in planting and nursery management.” Mangroves, which live in tidal mudflats and seashores in subtropical regions, are considered to be effective in countering climate change due to their superb carbon dioxide absorption capabilities. |
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Fabrication and Partial Characterization of Silver Nanoparticles From Mangrove (Avicennia marina) Leaves |
USA – Scientists are currently investigating ecologically sound and enduring techniques for nanoparticle production. Utilizing natural sources such as plant extracts provides an environmentally friendly and economically efficient method. Avicennia marina, also referred to as the gray mangrove, is predominantly located in coastal regions. The leaves of this plant may contain bioactive metabolites that can be used to synthesize nanoparticles. This study aimed to synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using A. marina leaf extract and subsequently assess their antibacterial properties against oral pathogens. The research involved the successful synthesis of AgNPs using an environmentally sustainable method employing the leaf extract of A. marina. AgNPs showed significant antibacterial efficacy against both gram-positive bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans, and gram-negative bacteria, such as Klebsiella sp. In general, the use of A. marina leaf extract for the green synthesis of AgNPs is a viable and environmentally friendly approach for producing nanoparticles that exhibit favorable biological properties. |
| FOA Course certification offered in measurement, reporting and verification for environmental integrity |
GLOBAL – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has announced a new forestry certification program. The ‘Forest monitoring for climate action’ curriculum aims to strengthen institutional and technical capacities, to meet the measurement, reporting and verification requirements, as well as the enhanced transparency framework requisites. It consists of a series of e-learning courses. This course highlights the importance of forests in climate change mitigation and how quality measurement, verification and reporting (MRV) is needed to ensure environmental integrity. It outlines the MRV requirements for jurisdictional REDD+ of different standards/programmes, in case countries are seeking to obtain results-based payments or climate finance. This course offers certification. You will get your digital badge upon passing a final exam after completing the course and achieving a grade of at least 75%. The FAO elearning Academy provides learning opportunities and multilingual elearning courses for professionals working in food and nutrition security, social and economic development, and sustainable management of natural resources, with the overall goal of strengthening the capacity of member countries to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. |
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Indonesia: Fight the marine bitumen spill off Nias Island! |
INDONESIA – An environmental disaster is unfolding off the coast of Sumatra: “The coral reefs and mangrove forests all the way to the coast of the island of Nias have already suffered terribly,” explains Rianda Purba, director of the environmental NGO WALHI North Sumatra. “The authorities urgently need to take action. We need the whole world to see what is happening here to ensure that effective measures are taken against the spill.” In February, the tanker MT AASHI ran aground in the waters between Sumatra and the island of Nias to the west. The ship, flying the flag of Gabon, was carrying 3,600 tons of bitumen from the United Arab Emirates to Sumatra. According to the Ministry of the Environment, the ship was already corroded and was damaged by powerful waves in the Indian Ocean. Bitumen has been leaking and polluting the sea and nearby coastlines since then. The oil slick has now reached a radius of 70 km. The MT AASHI is designed to carry bitumen. The vessel had a crew of 20 – a captain and sailors from India. The crew was rescued and accommodated by local people. The shipowners have not taken action, however: After ten months, the ship has still not been salvaged and no measures have been taken to clean up the spill. |
| Mangroves Planted in Florida State Park for Post-Hurricane Restoration Project |
USA – Duke Energy, Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) Florida, and Lee County Electric Cooperative recently partnered to lead a restoration project at Delnor-Wiggins State Park in Naples, planting 500 mangrove trees to support coastal ecosystems. During the project, more than 25 volunteers planted red and black mangrove trees, grown and donated by Duke Energy Crystal River Mariculture Center and CCA, across a 4,400 square-foot span of the park. The project was conducted to restore the mangrove ecosystem in the area, which is known to help reduce coastal erosion, improve water quality, sequester carbon, and provide crucial habitats for fish and wildlife. The restoration was organized in response to damages caused by Hurricane Ian in September 2022. Aside from these restoration efforts, the Crystal River Mariculture Center has also been working to rebuild and maintain Florida’s fish populations for over 30 years. |
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Mangrove Action Project Annual Report |
MAP is proud to release a report of our annual accomplishments and financial health for the past year. Check out a global map of the places we’re working, and highlights from all of our programs. Thank you to our many supporters who made this work possible, and to all of our friends and partners working to protect mangrove forests, worldwide. |
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