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THE Guyana Mangrove Restoration Project (GMRP) has, up to now, planted in excess of 336,000 black seedlings along the coastline in Regions 4 (Demerara/Mahaica), 5 (Mahaica/Berbice) and 6 (East Berbice/Corentyne).
As a result, approximately 5.5 kilometres of the targeted area is protected, according to a status release issued yesterday by the Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Alli Baksh.
The programme engages groups and individuals, as contractors, to grow mangrove seedlings in nurseries within communities and then plant them in the selected sites.
The release said contractors are reimbursed at the rate of $100 per seedling.
The release also said GMRP, through a partnership with the Sea and River Division, constructed Guyana’s first geotextile structure, an offshore breakwater at Victoria, East Coast Demerara.
It was explained that this breakwater will assist in the protection of the existing mangrove fringe from further erosion by wave action.
However, GMRP also anticipates additional benefits in the form of accretion of the foreshore.
“The construction of coastal engineering structures to aid in accretion and/or protection of existing mangrove forests from erosion is an integral part of the project’s restoration programme,” it stated.
Signed contracts
In this regard, the GMRP has signed contracts with Toolsie Persaud Quarries Inc. for the construction of a groyne field at Cane Garden, on Leguan island in Essequibo River and a groyne at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara.
The statement revealed that the 2013 work plan also includes building low cost brushwood dams at selected locations along the coastline.
It pointed out that the GMRP has established a monitoring system to effectively monitor and protect Guyana’s coastal mangrove resources, comprising the Guyana Mangrove Monitoring Plan and complementary Geographic Information System (GIS) database, as well as rangers.
The statement added that the GMRP has eight rangers engaged in protecting 24 kilometres of coastal mangrove forest.
It posited that the success of mangrove management and protection is dependent on the involvement of the communities which utilise the mangrove forests. As such, GMRP has created five Village Mangrove Action Committees (VMACs) where it has restoration sites and areas where mangroves are particularly vulnerable.
The VMACs work in collaboration with the GMRP to promote mangrove awareness and management at the community level and the latter has a mangrove tourism product, called the Mangrove Heritage Trail, the creation of which was through the proposed Golden Grove/Belfield mangrove reserve.
The Mangrove Heritage Trail is the winner of the Tourism and Hospitality of Guyana Environmental Award 2012 and the Caribbean Tourism Organisation Biodiversity Conservation Award 2012.
Meanwhile, community groups from seven communities along the coastline in Regions 4, 5 and 6 have formed themselves into a cooperative called the Mangrove Reserve Producers Coop Society.
Alternative livelihoods
The coop provides an alternative livelihood for single mothers who produce small scale agro-processed mangrove honey and beeswax candles, all marketed under the Mangrove Reserve Products brand.
The GMRP’s public awareness and education campaign has produced a mangrove documentary titled ‘Holding Back the Sea’ which was launched in collaboration with National Centre for Educational Research Development (NCERD) and is being aired on the Guyana Learning Channel television.
That is complimented by numerous public billboards, short infomercials, posters and brochures on the importance of mangroves and their protection.
In addition, secondary schools, with their teachers’ resources, were targeted with the development of a manual for training and, to accomplish that, the GMRP also collaborated with the Ministry of Education, through NCERD, to facilitate some 20 school tours to the Golden Grove/Belfield mangrove.
The release indicated that research on Guyana’s mangrove forests is being executed collaboratively with the University of Guyana (UG), after the signing, in 2012, of 11 grant contracts with that institution for researching in several key areas.
Seven of the researches were done by UG students and faculty staff with funding from the GMRP during 2010/ 2011.
The release said the overall objectives of the GMRP, as detailed in the National Mangrove Management Action Plan (NMMAP), is to respond to climate change and mitigate its effects by the protection, rehabilitation and wise use of Guyana’s mangrove ecosystems, using procedures that maintain their protective function, values and biodiversity while meeting the socio-economic development and environmental protection needs in estuarine and coastal areas.
As a result, approximately 5.5 kilometres of the targeted area is protected, according to a status release issued yesterday by the Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Alli Baksh.
The programme engages groups and individuals, as contractors, to grow mangrove seedlings in nurseries within communities and then plant them in the selected sites.
The release said contractors are reimbursed at the rate of $100 per seedling.
The release also said GMRP, through a partnership with the Sea and River Division, constructed Guyana’s first geotextile structure, an offshore breakwater at Victoria, East Coast Demerara.
It was explained that this breakwater will assist in the protection of the existing mangrove fringe from further erosion by wave action.
However, GMRP also anticipates additional benefits in the form of accretion of the foreshore.
“The construction of coastal engineering structures to aid in accretion and/or protection of existing mangrove forests from erosion is an integral part of the project’s restoration programme,” it stated.
Signed contracts
In this regard, the GMRP has signed contracts with Toolsie Persaud Quarries Inc. for the construction of a groyne field at Cane Garden, on Leguan island in Essequibo River and a groyne at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara.
The statement revealed that the 2013 work plan also includes building low cost brushwood dams at selected locations along the coastline.
It pointed out that the GMRP has established a monitoring system to effectively monitor and protect Guyana’s coastal mangrove resources, comprising the Guyana Mangrove Monitoring Plan and complementary Geographic Information System (GIS) database, as well as rangers.
The statement added that the GMRP has eight rangers engaged in protecting 24 kilometres of coastal mangrove forest.
It posited that the success of mangrove management and protection is dependent on the involvement of the communities which utilise the mangrove forests. As such, GMRP has created five Village Mangrove Action Committees (VMACs) where it has restoration sites and areas where mangroves are particularly vulnerable.
The VMACs work in collaboration with the GMRP to promote mangrove awareness and management at the community level and the latter has a mangrove tourism product, called the Mangrove Heritage Trail, the creation of which was through the proposed Golden Grove/Belfield mangrove reserve.
The Mangrove Heritage Trail is the winner of the Tourism and Hospitality of Guyana Environmental Award 2012 and the Caribbean Tourism Organisation Biodiversity Conservation Award 2012.
Meanwhile, community groups from seven communities along the coastline in Regions 4, 5 and 6 have formed themselves into a cooperative called the Mangrove Reserve Producers Coop Society.
Alternative livelihoods
The coop provides an alternative livelihood for single mothers who produce small scale agro-processed mangrove honey and beeswax candles, all marketed under the Mangrove Reserve Products brand.
The GMRP’s public awareness and education campaign has produced a mangrove documentary titled ‘Holding Back the Sea’ which was launched in collaboration with National Centre for Educational Research Development (NCERD) and is being aired on the Guyana Learning Channel television.
That is complimented by numerous public billboards, short infomercials, posters and brochures on the importance of mangroves and their protection.
In addition, secondary schools, with their teachers’ resources, were targeted with the development of a manual for training and, to accomplish that, the GMRP also collaborated with the Ministry of Education, through NCERD, to facilitate some 20 school tours to the Golden Grove/Belfield mangrove.
The release indicated that research on Guyana’s mangrove forests is being executed collaboratively with the University of Guyana (UG), after the signing, in 2012, of 11 grant contracts with that institution for researching in several key areas.
Seven of the researches were done by UG students and faculty staff with funding from the GMRP during 2010/ 2011.
The release said the overall objectives of the GMRP, as detailed in the National Mangrove Management Action Plan (NMMAP), is to respond to climate change and mitigate its effects by the protection, rehabilitation and wise use of Guyana’s mangrove ecosystems, using procedures that maintain their protective function, values and biodiversity while meeting the socio-economic development and environmental protection needs in estuarine and coastal areas.
