–    Community buy-in and support essential to GMRP’s success
IN advancing the Guyana Mangrove Restoration Project (GMRP), the Mangrove Action Committee (MAC) and other stakeholders have recognised the importance of a community buy-in to ensure that the efforts to protect, manage and restore Guyana’s mangroves are sustained.
And so the MAC, on Saturday, made another step in involving those at the grassroots level, through the five Village Mangrove Action Committees (VMACs).
Saturday’s meeting was an interactive session at the Guyana Women’s Leadership Institute at Cove and John.
It addressed the way forward for the committees and also the challenges they have encountered. MAC Chairperson, Mrs. Annette Arjoon-Martins, stressed that having the community buy-in and support is essential to the success of the GMRP.
The VMACs are committees set up in the areas where there are restoration efforts ongoing, and these include:
•    The Number Eight Village VMAC, in Region Five (Mahaica/ Berbice);
•    The Greenfield/ Beehive VMAC, Region Four (Demerara/ Mahaica);
•    The Victoria/ Belfield VMAC, Region Four;
•    The Buxton/ Friendship VMAC, Region Four; and
•    The Mon Repos VMAC, Region Four.
Recently, another committee was set up, the Reserve Committee, which addresses the sustainable protection and management of a recently declared Mangrove Reserve that stretches from Golden Grove to Cove and John on the East Coast of Demerara, Region Four.
“The committees are essential to securing the commitment we need from all Guyanese,” the MAC Chair said.
She maintained that with their support, the efforts undertaken, as outlined in the GRMP’s Action Plan, will be sustained years after the project has ended.
The GRMP’s National Mangrove Action Plan 2010 – 2013 aims to promote sustainable management of mangrove forests; develop effective protection of mangrove ecosystems 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.
The project, which kicked off in 2010, received some $100M from the Government of Guyana; and from this year through 2013; the GMRP is expected to benefit from some $1B in funding from the European Union (EU).
Considering the massive investments made, the GMRP has the backing of legislation and currently, under the Sea Defence Act 1998, anyone who destroys mangrove forests can be fined $12,000 and be sentenced to 12 months imprisonment. The amended Forestry Act 2010 also provides for penalties.

VMACS FEEDBACK

The consensus among the VMACs representatives is that more Guyanese need to wake up to the reality of climate change and understand the role of the mangrove forests in the fight to adapt and mitigate its impacts.
From the Village Number Eight VMAC, one of the more mature and successful committees, Mrs. Sandra Baldeo said the community group has big plans for 2011 to propel the GMRP.
According to her, these include the establishment of a Mangrove Awareness Centre, regular clean-up campaigns where the wider community can be involved, meetings with the wider community to advance education and awareness of the GMRP, and the establishment of a seedling nursery to support the restoration efforts where needed.
“We want to make our community a better place,” she said.
Baldeo pointed out that there have been challenges, but the VMAC has tried to respond as best as possible.
She explained that in Region Six, where the canals are cleared of grass, the cut grass drifts near to the young mangrove plants and cause some amount of damage.
In response, Baldeo note that the VMACs members have taken to using strips of bamboo to create a barrier between the mangrove plants and the grass, and other matter floating up near them.
However, according to her, farmers who graze their cattle and goats near the area where the mangroves are planted introduce another threat to the plants.
“This is a real problem for us,” she said.

Mr. Lester Realine, from the Greenfield/ Beehive VMAC, admitted that his group has had some trouble mobilizing the support of community members and attributed this to lack of awareness.
His counterpart, Ms. Avnel Woode, from the Victoria/ Belfield VMAC, pointed out that the establishment of a benab near the mangrove restoration site will afford members of the wider community a hands-on understanding of their importance.
“We plan to use a clean-up campaign as another tool to involve the community,” Woode said.
From the Buxton/ Friendship VMAC, Ms. Yvette Herod noted that she and her team are piggy-backing on community events to spread education and awareness.
She stated that a football match in the community is expected to be held soon and her VMAC has a booth where those attending the game can access pamphlets and other information on mangrove protection, management and restoration.
“Our main challenge is the availability of persons to take the effort forward,” Herod said.
In Mon Repos, Mr. Zaman Rahamatulla, representing the VMAC, stressed that recreational fishing and shocking birds are the area’s major challenges.
He explained that the fishing lines get hooked on the plants, and when pulled, they are damaged.
Similarly, the lines set to shock birds, when pulled, take off the top of the plants.
“We need more awareness and must be firmer with these people,” he proffered.

Arjoon-Martins, responding to these concerns, promised that MAC will look at having more signs put up – each warning against whatever is the main challenge in a particular area, such as ‘No shocking of birds’ in the Mon Repos area.

RESERVE COMMITTEE

The Reserve Committee representative, Ms. Carlotta De Jesus, pointed out that in moving forward with the Guyana Mangrove Restoration Project, one must take on some level of innovation.
According to her, the problem of garbage in the mangrove forests is being tackled from several fronts: a clean-up campaign that is used as an educational tool for students, as well as a means of inculcating a sense of civic responsibility.
Also De Jesus stated that the plastic bottles are collected and sold to recyclers who send the bottles to Trinidad and Tobago, where the energy costs are lower and a recycling plant processes the old bottles.
“GuyOil has also supported our effort, and is one of the first sponsors to come on board with us,” she said.

According to her, GuyOil has also supported the tours that are conducted along the Mangrove Heritage Trail, some 2.5 kilometers of mangrove forests, unique because there are four types of mangroves to be seen here together:  the Black, Red, White, and Buttonwood mangroves
In addition to the different mangroves, the scarlet ibis, wattled jacan, egret and heron, can also be spotted here, as well as monkeys and different fishes in the wetland areas.
“We will be collaborating with the World Wildlife Find (WWF), and in June they will be documenting the plants and animals species here,” De Jesus said.
Several schools have already visited the Mangrove Heritage Trail and the site not only supports opportunities for education and awareness, but also for scientific research, biodiversity conservation and income generation, since the trained tour guides are paid.

De Jesus stated that the Reserve Committee has decided on its management and regulations to guide the committee’s operations.

MOVING APACE

Taking into consideration the moves that have been made to date, the MAC Chairperson contends that the project is moving apace and has recorded tremendous success.
The recently appointed Project Coordinator, Mr. Aditya Persaud, pointed out that in the restoration effort, approximately 110,000 seedlings have been planted at the various restoration sites.
The MAC’s Education Officer, Mr. Paul McAdam, added that some 50 primary and secondary schools have been visited and sensitized to the GMRP.
He noted that the MAC is collaborating with the Ministry of Education, through the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD), to include mangrove education as part of the curriculum in primary schools.
McAdam said secondary schools are expected to benefit in a similar manner soon.
According to him, the schools have responded well to the work of the MAC and the school children are genuinely excited about the initiative.
He pointed out that they can also benefit from the Mangrove Heritage Trail tours by indicating their interest to NCERD or the MAC.
“It is all part of the focus we are placing on having this become a sustainable effort,” the Education Officer said.
As the project continues, 2011 is expected to see greater focus on institutional development and capacity building; research and development; monitoring, reviewing and evaluation; major restoration; and greater public education and community involvement.