Mangrove Mania Catches on in Grand Bahama

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Mangroves are the last defense locally, with climate change threatening our islands and rising temperatures killing coral reefs that protect coastlines and marine life from storms and erosion.

Now a group of Grand Bahama environmentalists are coming together to ensure that mangroves multiply. Our Jean Joseph has more on mangrove mania.

Mangroves sustain fisheries and serve as tourist attractions, but they are also an important buffer between our homes and storm surges.

During Hurricane Dorian, some East Grand Bahama communities experienced 17-inch storm surges, while places like Sweeting’s Cay – surrounded by mangroves – reported no deaths.

Grand Bahama environmentalists are now recruiting everyday citizens to bring our mangrove numbers up. They recently kicked off Mangrove Mania, a drive to plant more than 30,000 mangrove trees, with cash prizes for participants.

Minister for Grand Bahama Ginger Moxey says she is committed to the cause and is hopeful about the future.

“I applaud the work and the commitment of the team from Waterkeepers and its partners through continuous education and the creation of initiatives like Mangrove Mania,” Moxey said.

“The Ministry For Grand Bahama pledges its support and is open to collaborating on future initiatives that will further educate the community and the importance about the importance of preserving thus ecosystem and the significant role that the micro forests played in our islands infrastructure.”

Grand Bahama Port Authority Executive Director and Blue Action Lab Founder, Rupert Hayward, notes the mangroves’ importance but also sees the initiative as a springboard into new economies and opportunities for Bahamians.

“We might just be here planting mangroves today but the second step is developing blue carbon economies and how NFTs can be used to work with carbon to work with mangrove restoration to fund them the opportunities are wide in their diverse and it’s really incumbent on all of us to take advantage of these opportunities,” Hayward explained.