I support the ‘Focus on Mangroves’

Dec 18, 2023 Letters

Dear Editor,

Kaieteur News – No doubt about it: “Guyana’s mangroves are a global asset.” So it is perfectly in order that “A $60 million Mangrove Centre has been constructed at the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) in Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara.”

Quickly let me share available and trusted information for our readers.

First, when there are right environmental conditions, mangroves can store the carbon they took from the atmosphere for decades, centuries, or even millennia. They protect against extreme weather and disasters, are a haven for threatened animals, boost food security, and have the ability to bounce back naturally.

Then mangroves provide natural infrastructure to help protect nearby populated areas by reducing erosion and absorbing storm surge impacts during extreme weather events such as hurricanes. They are also important to the ecosystem too, as their dense roots help bind and build soils.

Editor, let me add one more (of the many things in this mangrove conversation). It is that mangrove forests act as a physical buffer between marine and terrestrial communities. The trees protect the coastlines from severe weather events as well as slow down erosion. The mangroves provide valuable protection for those nearby communities that are prone to storms and are at risk of sea-level rises. As a matter of fact, it is well-documented that wide areas of mangroves help reduce tsunami heights, thus aiding to reduce loss of life and damage to property in areas behind mangroves. The dense roots of mangroves help to bind and build soils. The above-ground roots slow down water flows, encourage deposition of sediments and reduce erosion.

Bottom line: The People’s Progressive Party/Civic must stay on this line of development, and I am glad to note Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips “… posited that the facility displays Government’s commitment to restoring Guyana’s mangrove industry, lead in forest management and climate change. The PM explained quite rightly that “Guyana’s mangroves are a global asset.”

This is exactly what I said before but worth repeating: “Mangroves, with their unique ecosystem and unparalleled ecological significance, play a vital role in mitigating climate change…By conserving and protecting our mangroves, we actively contribute to global efforts, striving to combat climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

Now, concerning this $60 million Mangrove Centre, the press has that “… the initiative is part of a collaborative effort with the Guyana Conservation Initiative (GCI), facilitated by Iwokrama, and funded by ExxonMobil, to implement a Strategic Plan for Agriculture and Rural Statistics (SPARS) and develop an Integrated Agriculture Information System.” Added to this, “The centre will also serve as a hub for research on mangrove restoration, secure coastal areas, generate economic opportunities and support bio-diversity.”

The list is quite impressive: expanding beekeeping in mangroves through a partnership with Cuban beekeeping experts and GLDA; contributing to the scaling up of Guyana’s honey production; and integrating mangroves into the landscape, (thus) ensuring recreational space for all Guyanese.

Editor, Guyana will be employing the “… green-grey infrastructure approach to securing its coastline by combining hard ‘engineered’ sea defences with the restoration, conservation, and management of mangroves…” This translates into a plan-of-action that “… provides climate resilience for vulnerable coastal communities… (and is testimony the Government’s commitment to environmental stewardship.”

Let us not forget that Guyana is very multi-dimensional, and therefore Government must be very balanced in developmental style and strategy. I too, like the PM, “… call upon every Guyanese to take pride in preserving these invaluable ecosystems. Together, let us ensure a legacy of environmental harmony and prosperity for generations to come.”

Sincerely,

HB Singh

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East Coast Demerara, facilitated by Iwokrama, Guyanese, NAREI, Prime Minister Brigadier, The People’s Progressive Party

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