Freeport, Grand Bahama—Local teams are ready to source and care for mangrove propagules now that the Mangrove Mania competition has officially kicked off! On Saturday, May 14, Mrs. Ann Marie Davis, wife of Prime Minister the Hon. Philip Davis, rang the bell to get the competition underway. Mrs. Davis and the Hon. Ginger Moxey, Minister for Grand Bahama, attended the launch event hosted by Waterkeepers Bahamas and its project partners.
Mangrove Mania is a project facilitated by Waterkeepers Bahamas (WKB), Earthcare, Coral Vita, Save the Bay, and Blue Action Lab. It is a community-based outreach program encouraging the community to work together to source many local mangrove propagules for future planting and restoration efforts. The competition also aims to increase awareness of the dire state of the island’s mangrove forests and the looming existential threats posed if mangrove restoration efforts fail.
“This community-based collaboration is an example of businesses and residents coming together to rebuild. Impressed by Mrs. Davis’ environmental platform, we are encouraged that our restoration project is wide-reaching and will significantly impact society,” said Rashema Ingraham, WKB Executive Director.
During her remarks, Mrs. Davis, who has demonstrated her commitment to highlighting environmental issues throughout The Bahamas, said, “We really need to protect our shoreline, and the mangroves, as we know, are vital.” Speaking about damage caused by Hurricane Dorian, Davis said, “We need our mangroves, which act as a filter for the water and a buffer from storm winds. They also help prevent erosion, stop storm surges, and all that good stuff.”
Participants from Lucayan Groves, GGYA St. Georges, The Citizen Scientists, Walter Parker Primary, Kiwanis Club of Freeport, and Wilbur Outten Academy attended Saturday’s event.
The competition, which is set to begin in the summer officially, focuses on WKB’s ongoing mangrove restoration efforts. The goal is to have a minimum of 30,000 mangroves within the nursery by the end of this year. “We would like more, but let it be a minimum of 30,000 propagules,” charged Mrs. Davis. “I want to congratulate you for your energy and excitement on this important journey of bringing these mangroves in. We need it. We need you!”
The competition requires participants to safely collect mangrove propagules from local beaches or mangrove locations designated by the project partners. Teams must care for the sourced mangrove plants in accordance with WKB requirements. In June, team members will receive training to become fully versed in the collection process.
Mrs. Ann Marie Davis planted a propagule during her visit to the mangrove farm as part of launch events for Mangrove Mania. Save The Bays Chairman Joseph Darville looks on
In a full show of support for restoration efforts, The Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) has committed to platinum sponsorship for the Mangrove Mania Competition and silver sponsorship from The Grand Bahama Development Co. Ltd. and Clean Marine. The project groups also have support from the Bahamas Protected Areas Fund, which partially funds the overall mangrove restoration project.
GBPA Executive Director Rupert Hayward said, “We applaud Waterkeepers Bahamas’ efforts in launching this important initiative to restore and rejuvenate our mangroves. These are key to protecting our island by alleviating the impact of storms and climate change and ensuring a healthy marine environment.”
Representatives from Waterkeepers Bahamas and its project partners, Earthcare, Coral Vita, Save The Bays, and Blue Action Lab, pose with Mrs. Ann Marie Davis, Minister for Grand Bahama, Ginger Moxey, and environmental youth group members at the Mangrove Mania kick-off.
Speaking on the significance of rebuilding mangroves, Justin Lewis, Bahamas Initiative Manager, Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, said, “Mangrove restoration is essential to helping kickstart recovery of our mangrove forest in the northern Bahamas, to help ensure our coastal resilience for future storms and the sustainability of several important recreational and commercial fisheries.”
There is still time to get involved. The deadline for teams registration is June 1st, and the competition runs until the end of September.