PROJECT Coordinator, Mr. Bissasar Chintamanie, has reported that the massive Guyana Mangrove Restoration Project (GMRP), which is to assist in abating climate change impacts, is progressing smoothly.
In an invited comment, he told the Guyana Chronicle that, as part of the effort to ensure that Guyana’s mangroves are protected, managed and restored, 10,350 seedlings were planted at Hope and another 10,000 are expected to be put there next year.
He said the most recent planting, at Mon Repos, saw 13,300 put in the ground along 2.2 kilometres.
“A total of 11 kilometers will be planted by 2012 but I foresee that we will be doing more than that,” Chintamanie said.
He said now that it has been done at Mon Repos, the next target is the area between Triumph and Success, also on East Coast Demerara, where 18,000 will be cultivated.
The undertakings are facilitated with support from Drainage and Irrigation (D&I) workers and Chintamanie said, usually, between five and 10 members of the community would help.
“The challenges we have are not many. It is only that the workers have to be out very early, before 05:00 h, as well as that we have to work with the tide. But we have overcome these to an extent and are moving smoothly,” he informed.
Chintamanie said the Mangrove Action Committee (MAC), established for the $100M Government funded GMRP, is appealing to communities to be more involved, so as to ensure success is sustained.
He said, in addition to a public awareness campaign, the MAC co-sponsored special activities, including a community cricket competition at Mon Repos a few weeks ago and it helped to sensitise more young people.
Chintamanie said, apart from the successes the GMRP has recorded, the MAC has been forced to use the “big stick approach” to ensure that mangroves are protected.

Arrested

“We had to call in the Police to deal with persons who were destroying the seedlings at Mon Repos. Four people were arrested and released on bail,” he disclosed.
But attempts to follow-up on the disclosure proved futile.
Prior to the arrests being made, reports revealed that several persons from the community graze sheep and goats at Mon Repos foreshore and the animals are responsible for the destruction of mangrove plants there.
However, quick action by the MAC resulted in Police warning residents to desist from such activities.
Chintamanie said the MAC would, however, not advance the ‘big stick’ method but, rather, with the support of the Police, will issue warnings to the small group of people who are seemingly unaware of the consequences of mangrove destruction.
But he maintained that prosecution will be the course of action if residents persist in such destructive actions.
Currently, under the Sea Defence Act 1998, anyone who destroys mangrove forests can be fined $12,000 and sentenced to 12 months imprisonment and the amended Forestry Act 2010 also provides for penalties.
The GRMP’s National Mangrove Action Plan 2010 – 2012 aims to promote sustainable management of mangrove forest; develop effective protection of mangrove ecosystem and rehabilitation; increase public awareness and education on the benefits of the 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 Guyana.
It is managed by the MAC, within the Climate Change and Agricultural Adaptation Unit of the National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI).