Awareness on mangroves

CONSERVATIONISTS exercised awareness of mangrove protection and rehabilitation under the seascape improvement programme in Gabagaba, Boera and Lealea in Central recently.
Two thousand mangrove seedlings supplied by the National Fisheries Authority (NFA) were planted in the three villages.
NFA acting managing director Noan Pakop said the NFA was pursuing small, targeted programmes to improve the seascape in and around Port Moresby to explore mangrove and coral reef rehabilitation and waste management.
The mangrove nursery developed under this programme has contributed to the planting of thousands of mangroves along the coastline in Port Moresby and Central.
In Gabagaba, primary school students joined NFA officers to plant the seedlings while learning of their importance, health of marine and ecosystems for fish, crabs, birds which acted as a buffer for shoreline erosion and rising of sea levels.
The programme, assisted by the NFA, in testing possible interventions that can be introduced into areas seeking to migrate the risks of climate change, rising sea levels and environmental degradation to fishing communities.
Mangrove forests, tidal marshes and sea grass meadows are powerful carbon sinks.
They help reduce carbon in the immediate waters
They contribute to protecting existing coral reef from ocean acidification.