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Mangroves WWF
Mangroves WWF
Mangroves prot
By Sera Whippy
THE importance of mangroves that foul smelling muddy forests cannot be over emphasised. The backbone of tropical ocean coastlines, the finger-like roots of mangrove plants protect coastal wetlands against the ocean and are also important fish habitats. And it is for this reason that World Wildlife Fund for Natures project coordinator Monifa Fiu was at the Ba delta last week to conduct an awareness workshop on the issue. Ms Fiu with a group of volunteers were involved in the AusAID-funded Building Resilience Project that included assessing coastal resilience-building in high biodiversity tropical mangrove areas and their associated coral reef, sea grass and upland ecosystems. Mangroves are important because they are the lands natural filters, protecting the ocean from land-based sediments and pollutants and also protecting the land from the ravages of the ocean, she explained. She added mangrove foliage had declined over the past several decades because of increasing coastal development and damage to its habitat. I have volunteers from Ba and Macuata assisting me in this survey It is vi. tal to include the people of the district because this is their land, their environment and they need to be aware of its impact on their environment, Ms Fiu said. The four-day workshop held at Nailaga Village in Ba allowed participants to understand mangrove resilience, taking into account the amount of exposure, sensitivities and its capacity to adapt.
Two Fiji National University students join Senikarawa of Live and Learn during the workshop. Picture: SERA WHIPPY
The mini-desert in the middle of the Ba mangrove swamp. This is a natural phenomenon, says WWF project co-ordinator Monifa Fiu. Picture: SERA WHIPPY
WWF project co-ordinator Monifa Fiu (right) showing a map of the Ba mangrove swamp to volunteers. n Left WWF officers and media personnel leaving the mangrove swamp.
Picture: SERA WHIPPY
Top - WWF project co-ordinator Monifa Fiu with volunteers. Picture: SERA WHIPPY
n Bottom The Ba river is always buzzing with activities. These fishermen are on their way home.
Picture: SERA WHIPPY
n Far right - Nawaqarua Village along the Ba river. paula Saurara (facing camera) with volunteers.
Picture: SERA WHIPPY Pictures: SERA WHIPPY
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AT A GLANCE
Mangroves and people
flats in the leeward areas of large islands. Unfortunately, the areas n Mangroves dominate three n quarters of tropical coastlines where mangroves will seek and Fiji has the third largest habitat with sea level rise are mangrove area of an estimat- those areas most favoured for ed 517 square kilometres in coastal tourism development. Other threats to manthe Pacific Region, comprising n seven true mangrove species groves ecosystems include tag reclamation, firewood coland a hybrid. n Largest areas of man- lection, utilising the area as groves are found on the south- a dumping ground for solid east, northwest shorelines waste both household type of Viti Levu and the northern and industrial. n Medium-level threats also shores of Vanua Levu. n Different locations in Fiji include overfishing, watershed are expected to experience alteration, coastal sedimentadistinct effects of climate Whippy Sera tion, aquaculture ponds, sewchange because of climatic erage, pesticide and animal variation and tectonic setting waste runoff, logging, and more. of the islands. n There will also be differ- n According to the Fiji Manences in the rate of sea level grove Management Plan, the rise within Fiji as certain areas mangroves along the Rewa are experiencing tectonic up- Delta were listed as needing lift or subsidence, while others urgent consideration for biological conservation while the are tectonically stable. n Climatic variation across mangroves of the Ba and Labathe larger islands in Fiji influ- sa deltas were listed as requirences mangrove distribution ing consideration in terms of their hydrological functions. and ecology. n Mangroves play an important role in Fijis sewerage Threats to mangroves treatment programs, where n These future mangrove most facilities are associated habitats are lowland forests with mangroves. n Source: WWF on the windward areas or salt
president of the Macuata provincial youth association, Manoa Tuiwainikai (right) and a youth measure the height of a mangrove tree. Picture: SERA WHIPPY
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