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Friday, April 15, 2016

MAP News Issue 388, April 16, 2016

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The MAP News
388th Edition                               April 16, 2016


FEATURE STORY

MAP releases 2015 Year End Report
2015-Annual-Report
2015 was another significant year for both MAP and the mangroves. MAP’s workload greatly expanded and some added new staff helped ease the otherwise unwieldy burden of work overload. Mangroves are no longer so remote and maligned in misconceptions as “muddy, mosquito-infested wastelands!” There is a genuine awakening of both scientific and general public sentiment concerning mangroves today, and this gives rise to hope that after 24 years of dedicated work, we are witness to a remarkable change which could well lead to a reversal of that still dangerous 1% And towards that end, MAP has developed effective tools to further the goals of mangrove conservation and restoration via our proven track record with CBEMR and the Marvelous Mangrove (MM) Curriculum. More people living in the mangrove areas are learning important lessons that improve the overall approach to mangrove conservation and management. READ MORE
 
ASIA
 
Trouble Brewing in Paradise Over Fate Of Bali’s Benoa Bay
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INDONESIA - “Build Bali, subsidize the farmers. We all eat rice, don’t need reclamation.” If Bali needed a protest song, then the lyrics above from the song “Bali Tolak Reklamasi” (“Bali Refuses Reclamation”) summarize quite succinctly one of the most contentious issues bubbling beneath the veneer of the idyllic island paradise projected by tour operators. The song was written by a band called Nosstress and sung by dozens of Balinese artists, including renowned bands such as Superman Is Dead, The Bullhead, Nymphea and Gold Voice. It’s a rallying cry against the reclamation of land in Benoa Bay, in southern Bali, by the developer Tirta Wahana Bali Internasional — a massive project that critics contend will devastate the mangrove ecosystem and put the local fishing community out of work. A decree permitting the project was first issued without any fanfare on Dec. 26, 2012, but later revoked by Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika. However, the governor later issued a new reclamation decree granting TWBI permission to conduct a feasibility study on the plan to use, develop and manage the Benoa Bay area. READ MORE
 
From the Executive Director - Please see the linked article below about the Thai Union endorsing spending millions on a "shrimp center" to boost security in their failing industry. It is so naive for the TU to think by setting up such a "shrimp center" they will magically discover ways to solve the disease issues that stem from inherent fatal weaknesses in their mode of operation in the first place. I have stressed for two decades now the need to covert their unsustainable, open, throughput systems of aquaculture to closed recirculating systems built inland, away from the inter-tidal zones and not on otherwise productive, fertile lands or forests. There are plenty of already ruined lands and arid, barren areas to set up "shrimp shop!"
TU to set up B500m shrimp research hub
THAILAND - SET-listed Thai Union Group Plc (TU), the world's biggest exporter of canned tuna, plans to set up the country's first shrimp research and development (R&D) centre in a bid to make Thailand the world's number one in the business, says a senior executive. Rittirong Boonmechote, TU president for shrimp business, said the R&D centre would need an investment budget of 500 million baht, which is expected to come from seafood-exporting companies, the government and TU itself. The centre is expected to be fully constructed and start operation by 2017, he said. "We [the private sector and the government] are in talks concerning the centre and will sign a memorandum of understanding after Songkran," he said. However, they have not yet named the centre officially, Mr Rittirong said. The shrimp centre is one of the Pracha Rat (People's State) projects, which means the people, the government and businesses must work together to pursue sustainable development and help farmers, workers and communities secure their livelihoods. READ MORE
 
Group works to preserve coastal resources of Bangladesh
BANGLADESH - Bangladesh Environment and Development Society (BEDS) is a non-profit, non-political organization committed to the sustainable socio-economic development, conservation of natural resources, use of clean energy and protection of environment through research and implementation of activities. A group of enlightened environmentalists, development workers and nature lovers came together with the idea of advocating for the ever degrading coastal ecosystem of Bangladesh. As a result BEDS was formed on July 26, 2010 to work with the grass root level community. The organisation strives for the long-term co-existence of people and natural ecosystems on our planet creating harmony among the living beings. READ MORE
 
Bangladesh coal plant protests continue after demonstrators killed
BANGLADESH - Bangladeshi villagers staged further protests after police opened fire and killed at least four people demonstrating against the planned construction of two large Chinese-financed coal-fired power stations. According to police and eyewitness reports, several thousand villagers gathered in the coastal town of Gandamara near Chittagong to protest against the two power plants. These are expected to force the eviction of several thousand people in a fertile coastal farming areas and the demolition of temples and schools. The police admitted killing four people after the villagers’ demonstration was banned but the protesters claimed that at least five people had died and four others were missing. Around 100 people, including 11 police, are believed to have been injured in violent clashes. “We’ve filed cases against around 3,200 people for the violence. We’ve identified 57 of them but the rest are unnamed,” police chief Swapan Kumar told the AFP news agency. Eyewitness Abu Ahmed, who was was shot in the leg, told coal protest group Phulbari solidarity group that the villagers had been holding peaceful protests for several days after S. Alam, the Bangladeshi developer, started buying up land. READ MORE
 
CLEAN (Coastal Livelihoods and Environmental Action Network)
BANGLADESH - CLEAN is a zonal organization working in the Southwest Coastal Region of Bangladesh on agriculture, mangrove forest and forest peoples, climate crisis and water resource management. CLEAN has been working as the secretariat of Sundarbans Watch Group, a civil society platform on the Sundarbans Mangrove Forest. It is operating Mangrove Club, a forum of school students who are practicing Marvellous Mangroves Curriculum in their schools and communities. CLEAN has also established a Mangrove Resource Centre (MRC) for the students and researchers to get information and reference on Mangroves easily. The organization has initiated Mangropedia, a free and open-sourced online encyclopedia on Mangroves. Contact: Hasan Mehedi, Chief Executive, CLEAN (clean.khulna@gmail.com) READ MORE
 
AMERICAS
 
Music from the Nueva Canción Tradition of Latin America benefits MAP
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USA - Northwest Heritage Resources is pleased to present a concert performance in partnership with the Mangrove Action Project, by the very talented traditional musical group, Sin Fronteras. The concert is scheduled for 7:00pm on Saturday, May 14, 2016 at the Naval Elks Lodge – 3rd Floor Ballroom, 131 E. First St., Port Angeles, WA. At a time in the Pacific Northwest when there is growing involvement in arts and social justice, there has been renewed interest in the nueva canción (“new song”) movement from Latin America. Seattle area trio Sin Fronteras (“without borders“), are highly skilled performers of this tradition and emigrated to the U.S. from Chile, Colombia, and Mexico. Suggested donation for the concert is $10 – 15 collected at the door. No advance ticket sales. Part of admission donations will go to support the work of the Mangrove Action Project, to help restore the rapidly disappearing mangroves of Central America. READ MORE
 
Mangroves as Fish Habitat
USA - With the continuing destruction of mangrove forests world-wide, their importance to fish populations by providing habitat connectivity, nursery grounds and trophic function is a rapidly expanding research area, and one that is increasingly at the focus of many coastal conservation issues. Based on papers and extended abstracts presented at the 2nd International Symposium on Mangroves as Fish Habitat in 2014, this timely book provides an updated look at mangrove fishery linkages, community ecology and connectivity, ecological services of mangroves, potential impacts from climate change, as well as mangrove restoration success stories. This volume will provide scientists, policy-makers, educators, and students with a current, concise volume on this topic, providing much needed direction for future efforts. READ MORE
 
OCEANA
 
Rare Mangrove Species discovered in Australia
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AUSTRALIA  - A local citizen scientist has made an amazing discovery in a busy Cairns’ suburb – finding a mangrove species that’s never been seen before in Australia. Local explorer, Hidetoshi Kudo made the remarkable discovery of Haines Orange Mangrove (Bruguiera hainesii). The species is largely unknown in the southern hemisphere, and has never been recorded in Australia. It is listed as rare and endangered on the IUCN Red List, and according to the records, less than 200 of the plants had previously been found on the planet. Dr Norm Duke, an international mangrove scientist with TropWATER at James Cook University, said Mr Kudo found another 25 of the rare mangroves in Cairns. “This is perhaps one of the most exciting recent day botanical discoveries for this country.” “It also highlights our sad lack of basic knowledge about even something as obvious as such sizable tree species. There clearly remain unknown species out there – as this instance clearly demonstrates - right under our very noses,” Dr Duke said. READ MORE
 
Climate-Related Death of Coral Around World Alarms Scientists
AUSTRALIA – Kim Cobb, a marine scientist at the Georgia Institute of Technology, expected the coral to be damaged when she plunged into the deep blue waters off Kiritimati Island, a remote atoll near the center of the Pacific Ocean. Still, she was stunned by what she saw as she descended some 30 feet to the rim of a coral outcropping. “The entire reef is covered with a red-brown fuzz,” Dr. Cobb said when she returned to the surface after her recent dive. “It is otherworldly. It is algae that has grown over dead coral. It was devastating.” The damage off Kiritimati is part of a mass bleaching of coral reefs around the world, only the third on record and possibly the worst ever. Scientists believe that heat stress from multiple weather events including the latest, severe El Niño, compounded by climate change, has threatened more than a third of Earth’s coral reefs. Many may not recover. READ MORE

LAST WORD(S)

Hello everyone!
 
My time as a volunteer intern at the MAP Asia office in Thailand has come to an end :-(  It has been an incredible experience and have learnt so much about mangrove restoration and mangrove ecosystems as a whole!  It has been a pleasure working and exchanging information with all of you. Thank you!
 
I wish you all the best for the future.
Happy Thai Buddhist  New Year!
 
Regards.
Manon Whittaker

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Action Alerts:


CALL FOR CHILDRENS ART: We invite all primary school children from tropical and sub-tropical nations, and whose schools are located near mangroves, to create art telling us "why mangroves are important to my community and me?” Selected winners will be published in the 2017 calendar to be distributed internationally READ MORE

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MAPs 2016 Childrens Calendar now available ORDER TODAY


The AMSN 2016 Conference Muddy Mangrove Movie-fest wants your mangrove and saltmarsh short films! CLICK HERE

Petition for Shrimper's Rights
The benefit for those who harvest wild shrimp in the state of Louisiana and possible health issues involved with consuming possibly diseased imports outweigh the savings to the consumer. Please sign this petition to insure imported shrimp stay off market and help insure the future of Louisiana's fishing families

 SIGN HERE


Tell Dam Builders to Pull Out of Agua Zarca Dam! For years, critics of the Agua Zarca dam project in Honduras have been targeted by a campaign of violence, intimidation and outright murder. Then, on March 2, Berta Cáceres – vocal critic of the Agua Zarca Dam, Goldman Prize winner and mother of four – was brutally murdered in her home. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH Sign out Petition

Tell Red Lobster its "Endless shrimp" deal is damaging and unfair to the workers SIGN THE PETITION
 
Training Opportunity
Course on mangrove ecosystems in the Western Indian Ocean region
 
Mangroves: Guidebook to Malaysia – available for download here
 
Mangrove rehabilitation in Asia – Local Action and cross-border Transfer of Knowledge for the Conservation of Climate, Forests and Biodiversity VIEW VIDEOS HERE

 

Volunteer Opportunities with Mangrove Action Project CLICK HERE
 
STOP PLANTING MANGROVES ON SEAGRASS BEDS _ A CALL TO ACTION

Want to learn more about mangroves?

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Our short presentation will give you a better understanding of the issues we are working to solve. WATCH PRESENTATION

What is CBEMR? Easy to follow fact sheet – CLICK HERE

SHARE MAP'S VISION 
CLICK HERE to watch short introductory video. Together we can work "at the roots of the sea".

Join us in saving our beautiful country!
We hope you have been following the ongoing battle in Bimini, Bahamas.
We are in need of your help more than ever Click here
 
Exclusive Interview with Alfredo Quarto, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Mangrove Action Project - See more
Save the Sundarbans from Rampal power plant – View Sample Letter to Minister
Sign the Petition
 
Question Your Shrimp- Don't Buy or Sell Imported Tropical Shrimp! Sign the Petition
 

Marvellous Mangroves Curriculum


Marvellous Mangroves Curriculum in Bangladesh - WATCH VIDEO

MARVELLOUS MANGROVES IN BRAZIL
En Portuges

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Marvellous Mangroves – A Curriculum-Based Teachers Guide.


FOR MORE ON MAPs AWARD WINNING CHINA MANGROVE CURRICULUM VISIT
Education in the Mangroves - China
VIMEO SHOW

VISIT OUR "MM" WEBPAGE


Check out our presentation for more details on Marvellous Mangroves

“Education In The Mangroves" can now be seen on the  PhotoPhilanthropy website here!

Read this 10 page history of the development of MAP’s educational curriculum VIEW DOCUMENT
 
Article in Canada's Green Teacher Magazine - Read More

 

FREE MAP Mangrove e-cards CLICK HERE
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MAP’s e-Cards offer you a unique way to spread the word about MAP’s good works, while sharing beautiful photographs of the mangroves

Donate to MAP via Paypal
Giving could never be easier
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It’s the action, not the fruit of the action, that's important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there'll be any fruit. But that doesn't mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.
 
—Mahatma Gandhi


Green Planet Fundraising Assists MAP – LEARN MORE


MANGROVE ISSUES 

View MAP’s uploaded Videos at MAPmangrover’sChannel

The importance of restoring mangroves in an effective, long-term manner. Mangrove CBEMR video - VIEW

Question Your Shrimp Consumer/Markets Campaign!  WATCH VIDEO

Mangrove Restoration in Asia – Watch Short Video

Mosaic of Life 
READ A MOSAIC OF LIFE Peek into the underwater world of mangroves, "womb of the sea." By Liz Cunningham Photos By Wes Matweyew and Liz Cunningham
 


"Question Your Shrimp" Campaign

Learn more about the affects of the shrimp industry on mangroves by visiting our blog

Editor’s Note: Mangrove Action Project’s Executive Director, Alfredo Quarto was interviewed about shrimp by Green Acre Radio’s Martha Baskin

LISTEN TO INTERVIEW

Information sheds clear light on shrimp-mangrove connection

Question Your Shrimp
SEE DETAILS MANGROVE/SHRIMP

 


Join MAP on Facebook


Sign the Consumer's Pledge to avoid imported shrimp


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