The Tribune

By FELICITY DARVILLE

WHEN two young men, students of Anatol Rodgers High School, joined a programme designed to save the mangroves on their island, they did not expect that it would change their outlook on life. Chico Young and Gerrado Anacius spent six months nurturing little mangrove propagules into plants, ready to join the mangrove forest.

They had to nurture their plants and keep them alive. Some students got attached and even named their plants. It gave them purpose and it got them thinking about the environment in ways they never did before. These young men developed a sense of personal responsibility. They learned that there were actually things they could do as individuals that could positively impact their environment and by extension, help change the world.

Mangrove seeds are known as propagules. Mangrove propagules are soaked for at least 24 hours prior to planting. A mixture of half sand, half soil is used for planting mangroves in pots. The pots would have small rocks in the bottom. Unlike typical plants, mangroves will thrive in wet conditions and therefore, the students could not let their plant babies dry out. After six months of nurturing them, it was time to literally get in the swampy mangrove forest and give their plants a permanent home.

The students were a part of a “Plan to Plant” initiative, designed to inspire a new generation of climate ambassadors who would work to protect the environment. With school-aged children participating, the likelihood of more students choosing careers related to the environment increases. The students even discovered that a myriad of disciplines and industries are interconnected with the environment.

When they planted hundreds of mangroves at Adelaide Pond weeks ago, they discovered how environmental issues are woven into the fabric of all aspects of human life.

The young men were fascinated as a skilled drone operator caught aerial shots of Adelaide Pond. They learned that drones can be used for more than photos - they can actually map the forest and even provide a population count. This gives vital information to environmental scientists.

“This work was very important to us,” said Gerrado Anacius.

“We are out here helping our mangroves, protecting the coastline, helping The Bahamas, and helping the world overall. This is a great way to serve our community.”

“Without the mangroves, we would have many problems - the fish would disappear, and we would have garbage in the water,” added Chico Young.

“We learned that without the mangroves, The Bahamas wouldn’t exist.”

These 11th graders shared: “A gentleman - a researcher - debriefed us and told us that if we were to lose our mangroves, our Bahamian territory would shrink. Much of the water we have for fishing would be lost and, of course, our fishing industry. We would lose access to those waters - so having mangroves helps The Bahamas a lot because we depend on our fishing industry quite a bit. Maybe not as much as tourism, but we do depend on it. It allows us to generate our own income. If we were to lose those lands, the world would lose certain resources such as conch, crawfish, and other marine resources.”

With their newfound purpose as environmental ambassadors, Chico and Gerrado said they would be telling others the importance of not littering, and not cutting down mangroves indiscriminately or dredging in those areas.

These two young men joined scores of students in planting hundreds of mangroves at Adelaide pond from Anatol Rodgers, CR Walker, and Windsor Schools. Young men and women had to trudge through difficult terrain to ensure that their mangroves were planted in areas where they were most needed.

Chico shared his experience: “Out there was very soft like quicksand - one wrong step and you are gonna fall in the water, into the sand and the sediment! Trust me, it was a workout to be out there, especially for your legs pulling your foot out of that sediment!

Gerrado added: “While I was out there, I did a lot of dance moves - moving left and right, twisting my foot, trying not to fall into the sand and the sediment - trust me, it wasn’t easy!”

“We used special tools to help plant the mangroves. (A heavy, iron tool with a spade, foot rest and handles.) We put the tools into the ground and moved them back and forth a couple times. Then we did the planting, making sure that each mangrove was secured.”

Danielle Hanek, head of the Bahamas Forestry Unit, Ministry of the Environment & Natural Resources, was proud of the students for sticking it out through the entire six-month Plan to Plant Initiative.

“For each child we are able to connect with, the message carries on to their families and that is how it builds,” Ms. Hanek said.

“We can’t eat mangroves, but we need mangroves to eat! This is where we get our bonefish, snapper, grouper, conch, crawfish, big game fish - everything starts in the estuaries of our mangroves. We wouldn’t have our marine populations without mangroves - so they contribute to our health and our wealth.”

Ms. Hanek said the Plan to Plant initiative was inspired by the Pine Islands - Forest/Mangrove Innovation and Integration Project, underway in Grand Bahama, New Providence, Abaco and Andros by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The project’s mandate is to: “Integrate BiodiversityConsiderations & Ecosystem Services into Forest Management and Land Use Planning” in the four Pine Islands of The Bahamas.

The Plan to Plant Initiative is a partnership between the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (MENR) through the Forestry Unit; Waterkeepers Bahamas; and the Bahamas National Independence Secretariat with the support of the Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training (MOETVT). This project is partially funded by the Builders Initiative and the GEF Small Grants Programme.

Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources Vaughn Miller was on hand for the big planting day: “It’s great being in Adelaide. This historic village is a part of my constituency, and I am honoured to be here. This initiative serves a great purpose and in time, we will be able to measure its impact. This year’s theme is about forests and innovation. It is said that the terrestrial forests are the lungs of the earth. Well, mangroves are a part of that, and mangroves exchange oxygen for carbon dioxide exponentially, making them even more significant in mitigating climate change. For our fisheries, this is where it all begins - in areas like these. Mangroves are important for fish as they are for other wildlife like birds - providing food and shelter. They are also important for our ecotourism.”

Taverria Chelsie Munroe also shared her Plan to Plant experience: “We planted over a hundred seeds from each school. It was a very therapeutic experience! We had fun. The mud was really relaxing as we put our feet in the water. All of us had fun! We have to protect our mangroves. Our islands are all we have and we have to take care of them!”

Students are also participating in a PSA (public service announcement) competition hosted by The Bahamas Forestry Unit. The competition gives them an opportunity to come alive as climate ambassadors by creating compelling videos that convince others to protect the wetlands and all natural resources in The Bahamas.

Winners will be announced in May.