Fiji with its forests, mountains and coral reefs, spread across 300 islands, contain a wealth of biodiversity. It is also on the front line of climate change that brings increasingly unpredictable weather and over time slowly rising sea levels, both of which will degrade coast lines, place natural resources and threaten communities.
Mangrove forests stabilize the coastline, reducing erosion from storm surges, currents, waves, and tides. They also improve the health of inshore fisheries through providing a safe environment for fish and other organisms to thrive. Unfortunately, mangrove forests and also shoreline vegetation have suffered over decades through removal and pollution.
On Saturday 29 July 2017 Suva Rotarians, including District Governor Malini and Assistant Governor Griffon, Rotaractors, Year 12 students from the Yat Sen school and corporate and conservation staffs joined together to plant over 340 trees and to clear away rubbish along the shore of Suva Park which is part of the Fiji National Park network.
This was also the launch of Global Mangroves Alliance
Group One: Protect current mangroves and associated mangrove forest
Group two: Plant mangroves and associated mangrove forest
Group 3: Prevent and remove invasives
Group One: Protect current mangroves and associated mangrove forest
Group two: Plant mangroves and associated mangrove forest
Group 3: Prevent and remove invasives
The Global Mangrove Alliance is a commitment from the international community to reverse the loss of critically important mangrove habitats worldwide. It is guided by the concept of a cooperative, collective effort as a means to accomplish more than individual organizations attempting to tackle this issue on their own.
The day was an opportunity for the various groups to work together and in getting to know each other to form the basis for future cooperation.