AN ESTIMATED 11 kilometres of Guyana’s coastline is expected to be protected by September 2011 but a targeted 6,000 mangrove plants will be planted at Number Six beach area in Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice) by August this year.
This was disclosed Tuesday by Guyana Mangrove Restoration Project (GMRP) Coordinator, Mr. Bissasar Chintamanie who said the Region Five site is one of several identified for such development in future.
He said the plants will be moved to Number Six from a mangrove nursery manned by residents, as community involvement in the procurement of seedlings extends to ensuring sustainability of the project.
Chintamanie said the momentum created through the plan’s successful implementation would aid long term sustainability.
Under the GMRP, the National Mangrove Management Action Plan 2010 was developed for a three-year period through 2012.
Its objectives are to promote sustainable management of mangrove forest; develop effective protection of mangrove ecosystem and rehabilitation; increase public awareness and education on the benefits of mangrove forests; establish and complete a legal framework for mangrove ecosystem management and encourage community-based mangrove management and establish the administrative capacity for the management of mangroves in this country.
The Mangrove Action Committee (MAC) was established to ensure the realisation of the goals and comprises of stakeholders from different sectors.
According to Chintamanie, the MAC has made significant strides towards the achievements of abating climate change through carbon sequestration, reforestation and forest preservation and mitigating the effect of climate change on the sea defence structures and biodiversity.
He said, too, that some 15 communities in Regions Five and Three (West Demerara/ Essequibo Islands) are involved in the scheme by procuring the seedlings.
Chintamanie said construction started, over the past weekend, on a $16M mangrove nursery at the headquarters of the National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI), Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara.
He explained that the 200 feet by 32 feet facility will be especially for hardening the mangrove seedlings before they are placed at the different development locations.

Procurement

Chintamanie said the initial seedlings procurement will be undertaken by the communities, because all the facilities are not available at NARI and, at the appropriate time, they will be transferred to Mon Repos, before, eventually, being placed at the sites being developed.
He said, more importantly, community involvement is critical to sustainability of the project.
However, he admitted that there are still groups which need to be made aware of the thrust as their activities threaten mangroves.
One group, in particular, is engaged in grazing animals in the mangroves.
“At the Number Six beach, the conditions for natural regeneration of mangroves is there, but there is the problem of grazing goats and sheep which damage the young seedlings,” Chintamanie said.
He said the Agriculture Ministry and the MAC have been working to find alternatives to the mangroves for the livestock rearers who have been accustomed to the practice for years and will take time to make the transition.
Chintamanie said the MAC has to help stakeholders in order for them to assist in the drive to protect, manage and restore mangroves.
He said progress must be made step by step to ensure that the seedlings are not damaged once they are planted along the coastline.
The types earmarked for Number Six beach are black and white mangroves as well as the monkey whistle mangrove.
One of the key persons concerned with procuring seedlings, Ms. Lloyda Angus said some were planted in late April and should be ready by August.
She said the organisation to which she belongs, Trafalgar/Union Community Development Council (CDC), approached the Agriculture Ministry to get on board with the drive as it is in the interest of their community’s development.
Angus said the project is beneficial and an increasing number of persons are becoming aware of the need to protect mangroves.
An estimated 80,000 hectares of mangrove forests are in existence and persons with knowledge of mangroves destruction are asked to telephone numbers 220-2841, 220-2842 or 220-2843 and report the incidence.