The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

NEARLY 50,000 red mangroves have been planted to date between Grand Bahama and Abaco since Hurricane Dorian.

The Bonefish Tarpon Trust (BTT) and Waterkeepers Bahamas (WKB) have collaborated with partners to kickstart mangrove recovery on the two islands after significant damage to the plants in 2019 as a result of the storm.

The Mangrove Action Project (MAP) was brought to Grand Bahama last week to conduct training and spread the message about mangrove conservation and restoration. The week-long sessions were held for bonefish guides, government representatives, students and volunteers at the Rand Nature Centre, Freeport.

Justin Lewis, Bahamas initiative manager at the BTT, invited the MAP team, led by Dr Laura Michie, as part of the ongoing mangrove restoration efforts.

“We are educating Bahamians from all walks of life about the importance of mangrove conservation and to carry out mangrove restoration appropriately,” he said.

“We are focusing on where and what makes the areas where mangrove live right now feasible for them to live and why we should be planting in those areas, and not just plant wherever; why it should be more targeted than doing it haphazardly.”

BTT has been collaborating with MANG Bahamas Natural Trust, Friends of the Environment, and Waterkeepers Bahamas as part of the Northern Mangrove Restoration Project. The goal is to plant 100,000 mangroves by the end of 2024.

Rashema Ingraham, executive director of Waterkeepers Bahamas, said last year’s training by MAP was very beneficial.

“It helped us … with understanding what we needed to do to yield higher success rates,” she said.

Sylvie Carey, secretary for the Bahamas Natural Resources Foundation, said: “I wish everybody would eventually do this because it gives you more of an awareness of mangroves. A lot of people think it is just bush, but it is a nursery for fish and helps sustain the fishing industry in the Bahamas.”

MAP, a US-based non-profit, collaborates with stakeholders at all levels to preserve, conserve, and restore our world’s mangrove forests. Teams have carried out mangrove restoration projects and trained community leaders worldwide, including in the Philippines, Thailand, and the Cayman Islands. The first Bahamas mangrove training initially took place in April 2022.

Dr Michie, programmed manager for MAP, said: “It is wonderful to be back and see just how much education work has been done, how many community members are involved and the ongoing commitment to the work.”

The success of the mangrove projects has relied on critical collaborations with stakeholders, including The Bahamas National Trust, Forestry Unit, The Nature Conservancy, Department of Marine Resources, Earthcare, bonefish guides, schools, community groups, and volunteers.