Farmers, fishermen, students,Pat Lafontaine Sabres Throwback Jersey, leather men, sea defence employees and members of the community, were for the first time the recipients of an educational and sensitisation workshop which aimed primarily at the resuscitation and protection of mangroves.These plants, called courida, assist in the prevention of erosion.The forum, the regional stakeholders’ workshop on mangroves restoration,Roger Craig 49ers Jersey, the first in a series of workshops to be held on the Coast, was conducted in the boardroom of the Anna Regina Town Council.Members comprising the Guyana Mangrove Restoration Project,Dale Weise Canadiens Jersey, funded through the European Union, conducted the day’s session.In his declaration speech,O.J. Simpson USC Jersey, Vice Chairman Mr. Vishnu Samaroo, first commended the team for taking the opportunity of bringing the awareness, while sensitising Essequibians on the importance of the regrowth of Mangroves which he divulged aids in protecting the sea defence which he notes can be costly.Guyana Mangrove Restoration Project Co-ordinator, Bissasar Chintaminie,Sebastian Rudy Jersey, gave an overall review of the workshop, which he noted “critically analysed the updated National Mangrove Management Action Plan.”He further reminded the audience that Guyana is a highly forested country with substantial Mangrove belts along the Costal region and river estuaries.According to Mr. Chintamanie, mangroves contribute substantially to sea defence by damping and protecting coastal banks. These trees on the sea shore were degraded by natural and artificial means over the past decades.He said that mangrove conservation is therefore a priority of the Government of Guyana, thus the introduction and implementation of the Mangrove Restoration Project.He added that the overall objective of the project is to abate climate change [Carbon Sequestration through restoration and forest preservation] and also to mitigate its effects [Sea Defence,Chidobe Awuzie Jersey, biodiversity].Mr. Owen Bovell, a mangrove specialist, focused on the importance of these trees. He highlighted the three main mangrove species — red, black and white. He also alluded to the causes or reasons for the destruction of mangroves and urged that people stop grazing cattle in mangroves and desist from throwing garbage next to Mangrove trees.Paul Mc Adam,Jermon Bushrod Dolphins Jersey, Community Development Specialist,Sidney Crosby Penguins Jersey, highlighted the role the community has to play in the project. He noted that the efforts of the community would be recognised nationally as part of the efforts to protect the coastline.During the day’s session,Dikembe Mutombo Nuggets Throwback Jersey, there were five individual presentations that focused on strategies to resuscitate mangroves. |