THE foreshore along the villages between Philippi and Tarlogie, Corentyne, Berbice, Region 6 (East Berbice/Corentyne) contain a large concentration of mangrove trees and some residents there have pledged not only to protect them as elements of sea defence, but make full use of their economic benefits. The recently formed Philippi/Tarlogie Mangrove Committee, which intends to give full support to the Guyana Mangrove Restoration Project (GMRP), comprises representatives of five villages along Corentyne Coast, Philippi, Farm, Cromarty, Wellington Park and Tarlogie.
Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Patrick Davis said it had been formalised by GMRP officials during a visit to the villages two months ago and, shortly after, members benefited from a training seminar, also conducted by the GMRP on the importance of mangrove forests as sea defences and within the context of the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and climate change.
Davis said the Committee had since accepted responsibility for protection of the named mangrove forests in Region Six (East Berbice /Corentyne), supported by the work of a full-time ranger.
He said: ”We are regarding the forest on the foreshore of our villages as a reserve. We will monitor what is happening to the trees and initiate legal action, if necessary,   against anyone who destroys any of them.”
Davis added, though, that they will place equal emphasis on raising the awareness of residents to all the reasons why their mangrove forest should be left intact.
He said foremost among the benefits to be emphasised is the potential economic value  of the forests, which include their use as sites for nature walks, bird watching and other elements of eco-tourism, as well as alternative means of income such as honey production.
The Committee will make arrangements for some of those activities to take place within their mangrove reserve, Davis said.
He remarked: “The group is pretty new but we have a vision and a mission to take the community efforts towards the restoration of mangroves to a national and, if possible, regional level.”
”With the support of the GMRP and other Government agencies, we are hoping to progress successfully in every venture,” Davis said.
Other officials are Mr. Komal Ganesh (Vice-Chairman); Ms. Alicia Drepaul (Treasurer); Ms. Anne Pestano (Secretary) and Mr. Latchman Bhola (Assistant Secretary).
Ms. Thelma Kyte, Ms. Savitree Kooblall, Mr. Annushka Kooblall, Ms. Oneika Parks, Ms. Latchmei Ashadat, Mr. Linden Richardson and Mr. Kenneth Bagot are other Committee members.