MAP’s Asia Coordinator Assists Training
MAP’s
Asia Coordinator Assists Training Workshop for
Asia Coordinator Assists Training Workshop for
Chinese
Mangroves Reserve Staff
Mangroves Reserve Staff
The China Mangrove Conservation Network (CMCN) invited myself as
MAP’s Asia Coordinator to assist with a three day training workshop (April
22-24, 2013) with the objective to help build capacity of the Chinese mangrove
reserve staff and rangers. The workshop was
sponsored by College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiaman University with funding
support from the SEE Fund, a Chinese entrepreneur Corporate Social
Responsibility foundation. I was given
the entire afternoon of the first day to present on mangrove conservation with
a special focus on community development and engagement. To-date Chinese mangrove reserve management
has played little attention in working in the surrounding communities to build
their mangrove awareness and help them see the mangrove nature reserves in a more
positive light, rather than just the strict enforcers of regulations which
impacts their livelihoods.
MAP’s Asia Coordinator to assist with a three day training workshop (April
22-24, 2013) with the objective to help build capacity of the Chinese mangrove
reserve staff and rangers. The workshop was
sponsored by College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiaman University with funding
support from the SEE Fund, a Chinese entrepreneur Corporate Social
Responsibility foundation. I was given
the entire afternoon of the first day to present on mangrove conservation with
a special focus on community development and engagement. To-date Chinese mangrove reserve management
has played little attention in working in the surrounding communities to build
their mangrove awareness and help them see the mangrove nature reserves in a more
positive light, rather than just the strict enforcers of regulations which
impacts their livelihoods.
Workshop participants at Xiaman
University; Seated center is Dr. Qingshun Quinn Li, Dean of the College of Environment & Ecology and to his
right Professor Wang Wenqing of the College.
University; Seated center is Dr. Qingshun Quinn Li, Dean of the College of Environment & Ecology and to his
right Professor Wang Wenqing of the College.
The workshop participants came from four
different National Mangrove Nature Reserves.
Following the workshop participates from each of the reserves will
implement their own mini-projects at their reserve, with support from CMCN, so
staff have the opportunity to put some of the theory into practice through
learning-by-doing. Three of the reserves
have drawn up proposals which focus on environmental education as the entry
point into the surrounding communities and schools. The fourth reserve will focus on developing
an alternative supplementary livelihood through bee keeping and honey
production near the mangroves. The idea
is to develop a specialty honey produced by bees pollinating mangroves which
could be marketed to mangrove reserve visitors as a premium mangrove product. Besides
the income generated it will provide an incentive for local villages to ensure
the health of the mangroves for future honey production.
different National Mangrove Nature Reserves.
Following the workshop participates from each of the reserves will
implement their own mini-projects at their reserve, with support from CMCN, so
staff have the opportunity to put some of the theory into practice through
learning-by-doing. Three of the reserves
have drawn up proposals which focus on environmental education as the entry
point into the surrounding communities and schools. The fourth reserve will focus on developing
an alternative supplementary livelihood through bee keeping and honey
production near the mangroves. The idea
is to develop a specialty honey produced by bees pollinating mangroves which
could be marketed to mangrove reserve visitors as a premium mangrove product. Besides
the income generated it will provide an incentive for local villages to ensure
the health of the mangroves for future honey production.
On the final day a field trip to Crocodile
Island or Eyuyu Island as it’s known in Chinese, took place by taking a short
boat trip about 5 km off Xiaman. The purpose
of the trip was see the handiwork of Mr. Lin Beishui, who has single handily
reforested the entire island on his own initiative over a 20 year period at
great expense for a simple fisherman and who has suffered a lot of ridicule
from his friends for wasting his time and money. He even went to the extent of borrowing money
in order to fulfil his dream of returning a barren eroding island to a state of
vegetated greenery. After meeting Mr.
Lin he took on us on a walking tour of the island which was a true inspiration
to see what the determination and stubbornness of a single person can achieve. To learn more about Mr. Lin, the modern day Chinese
version of American legend Johnny Appleseed, please see MAP
NEWS #308 edition, Feb.16,
2003.
Island or Eyuyu Island as it’s known in Chinese, took place by taking a short
boat trip about 5 km off Xiaman. The purpose
of the trip was see the handiwork of Mr. Lin Beishui, who has single handily
reforested the entire island on his own initiative over a 20 year period at
great expense for a simple fisherman and who has suffered a lot of ridicule
from his friends for wasting his time and money. He even went to the extent of borrowing money
in order to fulfil his dream of returning a barren eroding island to a state of
vegetated greenery. After meeting Mr.
Lin he took on us on a walking tour of the island which was a true inspiration
to see what the determination and stubbornness of a single person can achieve. To learn more about Mr. Lin, the modern day Chinese
version of American legend Johnny Appleseed, please see MAP
NEWS #308 edition, Feb.16,
2003.
 |
| Jim with Mr. Lin Beishui (right) & Prof. Zhang Yihui (left) mangrove researcher from Xiaman University |
Since 2003 CMCN has been assisting Mr. Lin
with mangrove restoration on Crocodile
Island, but more
importantly using the island site for volunteers to get involved in hands-on mangrove
learning right in the mud. Also CMCN along with academics have undertaken
some mangrove research. Please MAP
NEWS #303 edition, Dec. 8, 2012 for more information. But probably the most important part of the volunteer
experience is the inspiration to young visitors through meeting Mr. Lin and his
son, Lin Dasheng and hearing their personal story while on the green island. This accomplishment provides some hope in an
area where rapid coastal development is quickly destroying large areas of the
natural environment.
with mangrove restoration on Crocodile
Island, but more
importantly using the island site for volunteers to get involved in hands-on mangrove
learning right in the mud. Also CMCN along with academics have undertaken
some mangrove research. Please MAP
NEWS #303 edition, Dec. 8, 2012 for more information. But probably the most important part of the volunteer
experience is the inspiration to young visitors through meeting Mr. Lin and his
son, Lin Dasheng and hearing their personal story while on the green island. This accomplishment provides some hope in an
area where rapid coastal development is quickly destroying large areas of the
natural environment.
CMCN is a very active NGO with seven
fulltime staff and lots of student volunteers based in Xiaman, Fujian
Province and their work focuses on mangrove education, awareness raising,
conservation, planting and community development. CMCN’s started in 2001 with roots going back
to the Greenwild Association based at Xiamen University
which grew into the China Mangrove Protection Project (CMPP) and finally
CMCN. Mr. Lui Yi is the founder and motivator
for starting these grassroots organizations, first as a student, when there was
very little attention or concern for mangroves along China’s southeast coast. MAP’s records show Mr. Lui Yi started
correspondence with us in 2004 sharing information, reports and photos of their
activities with students. More recently Martin
Keeley, MAP’s Education Director for the past several years has been working
with CMCN to introduce the Marvelous Mangrove curriculum into Chinese schools
which has cemented this earlier networking information exchange.
fulltime staff and lots of student volunteers based in Xiaman, Fujian
Province and their work focuses on mangrove education, awareness raising,
conservation, planting and community development. CMCN’s started in 2001 with roots going back
to the Greenwild Association based at Xiamen University
which grew into the China Mangrove Protection Project (CMPP) and finally
CMCN. Mr. Lui Yi is the founder and motivator
for starting these grassroots organizations, first as a student, when there was
very little attention or concern for mangroves along China’s southeast coast. MAP’s records show Mr. Lui Yi started
correspondence with us in 2004 sharing information, reports and photos of their
activities with students. More recently Martin
Keeley, MAP’s Education Director for the past several years has been working
with CMCN to introduce the Marvelous Mangrove curriculum into Chinese schools
which has cemented this earlier networking information exchange.
 |
| Jim with CMCN staff at their Xiamen office |
In 2008, when Lui was a 26-year-old
student, in his last year for his master’s degree at Xiamen University,
he was honored by winning the Whitley Award from Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN)
a British charity. Liu Yi became the
youngest ever recipient of a Whitley Award which was presented by HRH The
Princess Royal (Princess Anne) at the Royal Geographical Society in London for
his efforts in restoring and expanding the mangrove forests that protect
coastal communities from sea surges and benefit biodiversity in the southeastern
coast of China. The award provided a
huge psychological and financial boost to CMCN’s mangrove conservation movement
which continues today.
student, in his last year for his master’s degree at Xiamen University,
he was honored by winning the Whitley Award from Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN)
a British charity. Liu Yi became the
youngest ever recipient of a Whitley Award which was presented by HRH The
Princess Royal (Princess Anne) at the Royal Geographical Society in London for
his efforts in restoring and expanding the mangrove forests that protect
coastal communities from sea surges and benefit biodiversity in the southeastern
coast of China. The award provided a
huge psychological and financial boost to CMCN’s mangrove conservation movement
which continues today.
By: Jim Enright, MAP Asia Coordinator