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Mangrove set ablaze at Hope Beach
Yesterday, the mangroves (courida bush) at Hope Beach, East Coast Demerara were afire. The blaze immediately attracted the attention of the Guyana Fire Service, which responded promptly to save the mangroves. Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud, has declared the trees a ‘protected species’ last February.
According to Chairperson of the Mangrove Committee, Annette Arjoon-Martins, mangroves commonly called courida are a protected species and are Guyana’s defence against the sea.
The growth serves as nurseries for the fishing industry since fish would lay their eggs in the environment.
“The development of locally based expertise, competence and understanding of the issues, challenges and solutions that surround the complex question of mangrove management and rehabilitation is an expected outcome of the project,” said Ms Arjoon-Martins.
She said that Guyana, with its low-lying coastal plane and a crumbling and under-resourced sea and river defence system is at exceptional risk.
“Breaches in our sea defences are catastrophic and destroy property and livelihoods in populated areas as well as making our agricultural land useless for more than ten years due to increased salinity in the soil.”
Annette Arjoon-Martins said that sea defences consist of three pillars — man-made and natural defences, drainage and irrigation, and conservancy dams. Mangrove protection and rehabilitation represent a critical pillar in both sea defence and climate change policies.
She added that mangroves are Guyana’s natural sea defences and contribute significantly by damping wave action. At the same, they protect the coastlines from erosion as their roots help to bind and stabilise the soil. They are important in combating global warming through the sequestration of carbon.
“They cover about 0.5% of Guyana and are considered a form of natural insurance against climate change.”
The woman said that the government has placed increasing importance on protecting the coastline in a cost effective and sustainable manner and has committed to the maintenance and rehabilitation of sea defences in order to protect property and lives.
Firemen fighting the fire
“To do so it has embarked on a project on Sustainable Coast Zone Protection through Mangrove Management with the overall objective of abating climate change and mitigating its damaging effects.”
She further revealed that the project will develop a Mangrove Management Action Plan and a Mangrove Code of Practice for mangrove management.
According to Director of (NARI), Dr. Oudho Homenauth, the government has embarked on a massive mangrove rehabilitation project which was started earlier this year.
“First is to maintain the establishment that what we have; secondly to look at areas that we can plant new mangroves.”
He explained that the primary function of mangroves which work as a barrier is to help to protect the sea defences, and when mangroves are destroyed the coastlines further erode.
He said that last Thursday the fire service extinguished a fire in the vicinity of Hope Beach.
Another report was made yesterday. However, it appears to be a willful act of setting fires.
The director advised that if that is the case, let persons desist since they would face prosecution.
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