The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

MORE than 2,000 red mangroves were planted in East Grand Bahama over the weekend in observance of World Wetlands Day, which is celebrated on February 2.

This brings the total planted in Abaco and Grand Bahama close to 19,000 since December 2020 when the Northern Bahamas Mangrove Restoration Project was launched to kickstart recovery of the destroyed mangrove forests on both islands following Hurricane Dorian.

Justin Lewis, of the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, led a group of volunteers on Saturday to a spot near Deep Water Cay where they planted 2,400 red mangroves.

“This planting was in celebration of World Wetlands Day today,” he told The Tribune. “It is a way for the world to bring awareness to the importance of wetlands, such as mangroves, to the world.”

According to Mr Lewis, mangroves and wetlands capture and remove carbon from the atmosphere. He said that is particularly important in the fight against climate change.

He said research shows that mangrove ecosystems can sequester four times more carbon than rainforests.

“So, it is very important to conserve mangroves and ecosystems we have left, and to do restoration in wetland areas that were destroyed through human activity where possible,” he said.

Following the destruction of Hurricane Dorian in September 2019, he stated that 43,000 acres of mangroves between Grand Bahama and Abaco were destroyed.

“The goal of the Northern Bahamas Mangrove Restoration Project (a multi-year project) is to plant at least 100,000 mangroves in an effort to get that recovery up and running,” Mr Lewis explained.

With this recent planting, Mr Lewis reported that to date, 18,783 mangroves have been planted with the help of volunteers.

He thanked those who participated, including students and teachers at the Bishop Michael Eldon High School and Lucaya International School, representatives of the Ministry of Tourism, the Department of Marine Resources Forestry Unit, and the Kiwanis Club. He also thanked major partners Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, Bahamas National Trust, MANG, and Friends of the Environment.