This article was originally published on the MACBLUE project website.
More than 30 students of Ro Delainamako Primary School participated in a mangrove restoration programme on Wednesday to commemorate World Mangrove Day.
During the event, the Year 7 and Year 8 students of the Naboro-based primary school were taught the importance of mangrove ecosystems, impact of mangrove degradation and how to conserve mangrove ecosystems.
The awareness session was followed by a mangrove restoration exercise at Kalokolevu Village.
Head Teacher Vatiseva Cirinainima shared that such programmes will aid in shaping students to be responsible citizens.
“I know for the students that are part of the programme, from now onwards they are going to be very careful in how they look after their surroundings, keeping their environment clean and not dumping their rubbish anywhere, anyhow,” Ms Cirinanima shared.
“The children that are under our care are our future generations. Once we instil in their minds the importance of looking after their part of maintaining (environment), they will carry it with them for the rest of their life.”
She added it is important to include the younger generation in supporting conservation efforts of Fiji’s national commitments.
The Government, through the Department of Forestry, has set out a goal of planting 30 million trees in 15 years.
According to the Department of Forestry, Fiji has over 46,600 hectares of mangrove forests.
Held at the Kalokolevu Village Hall, the present of community leaders was an added boost to the learning experience.
Kalokolevu Village Turaga ni Yavusa Seveci Naisilisili shared the crucial role of mangroves in human lives cannot be denied and therefore the onus is on individuals to protect mangroves.
He added in the adversity of climate change, it is important to be action-oriented in championing climate initiatives.
“Mangroves bring life, prevent soil erosion and are an important habitat for seafood such as nuqa (spinefoot rabbitfish) and mud-crabs,” Naisilisili shared.
According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, it has been estimated that more than three-quarters of the world’s mangroves are under threat, along with all the aquatic and terrestrial organisms that depend on them.
“In 2019, the village started planting 300 trees to combat the impacts of climate change. In March 2021, the then Minister of Environment commissioned the Kalokolevu Biodiversity Park as the first biodiversity park in Fiji. To date, we have planted over 4000 trees,” 70-YEAR-OLD Naisilisili shared.
He highlighted the inclusion of the younger generation in mangrove planting is a great boost to the village tree-planting initiatives.
“After today, Kalokolevu Village will continue to plant mangroves, all because of our fight against climate change,” he concluded.
The World Mangrove Day commemoration held annually on July 26 was jointly organised by the Itaukei Affairs Board in collaboration with the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) through its KOICA Club Fiji and the Management and Conservation of Blue Carbon Ecosystems (MACBLUE) project.
The MACBLUE project is jointly implemented by the Pacific Community (SPC) through its Digital Earth Pacific programme, the Secretariat of the Regional Environment Programme and the German Agency for International Cooperation and is focused on the protection and rehabilitation incentives for coastal carbon sinks in the Pacific.
