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Mangrove restoration to save millions $$$ in sea defence
– Chanderpaul, Sarwan, Dave Martins to help in public awareness
By Leonard Gildarie
If all goes well, in a few weeks’ time, Guyana will be signing a major agreement that will see over $1B coming into the country’s coffers to further its mangrove restoration project.
According to Chairperson of the Mangrove Action Committee (MAC), Annette Arjoon-Martins, in the context of climate change, the protection of the country’s shores have taken heightened significance.
Chairperson of the Mangrove Action Committee (MAC), Annette Arjoon-Martins.
Speaking with media houses yesterday at the Pegasus Hotel, as MAC sought to garner more support and bring public awareness to the project, Arjoon-Martins stressed that mangroves is a “cheap” way to protect the country’s shores as compared to traditional man-made structures.
As a matter of fact, the official said during her presentation, figures are indicating that it will take about US$300 to preserve a metre of mangrove while a hefty US$3,000 is needed to preserve a metre of man-made sea defence structure. This would mean that the country stands to save several hundreds of millions of dollars per year on sea defence works, monies that can be spent on roads, schools and hospitals, the official said.
Currently $1B is being spent annually to maintain sea defence structures across the country.
So far, MAC has been engaged in several consultations across the country, with a National Mangrove Management Action Plan (NMMAP) being prepared. This will be tabled shortly before the Ministerial Cabinet to be adopted.
Already talks are ongoing to have celebrity cricketers, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan, along with singer Dave Martins and squash player Nicolette Fernandes, endorse the project.
Through the consultation process, some 40 suggestions and recommendations were noted and these will be adopted in the NMMAP. Consultations are being wrapped up in Region One.
In addition to more rangers to monitor the protected species, there are suggestions to educate young people in the school system with the introduction of Mangrove as a topic in Geography.
There will also be considerations to compensate farmers who have mangrove stands on their property to ensure that they are not destroyed. Signage on beaches should be highly evident and the development of residential areas along certain sections of the coast should be stopped.
According to Arjoon-Martins, the mangrove management plan will incorporate a public awareness component, a research component and a restoration aspect.
Initially, to protect standing mangroves and especially young ones, there will be moves to create breakwater structures using tubes and even bamboos.
A “mud bank” specialist is expected in the country later this month to advise on how to best improve the current situation.
The official also called for retired engineers and other experienced sea defence workers to be part of the team that will help Guyana to ensure that the project is a success.
So far, from initial indications, there is an estimated 80,000 acres of mangroves still standing, way below what it was 300 years ago. Erosion, clearing, irresponsible fishing and other activities have all contributed to the species disappearing over time.
Arjoon-Martins also drew attention to the possibility that Guyana can see monies being paid, under the carbon incentives, for having standing mangroves, since it would be providing a service of protecting the country.
Mangrove forests in Guyana are first line of defence against many of the effects of climate change and climate-related extreme events, MAC is contending. It also plays an important role in maintaining bio-diversity, being habitats for many species of birds, whilst also acting as a nursery for fish species and crabs.
The Guyana government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, has identified the National Agriculture Research Institute as the lead agency in the overall coordination of the program.
MAC comprised of 12 government agencies including the Guyana Forestry Commission, Sea and River Defence Department, Environmental Protection Agency and the Fisheries Department.
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