First Guyana Mangrove Forum to commence tomorrow

MangroveUnder the theme “Restoring and Managing Mangrove Ecosystems in a Changing World” the Ministry of Agriculture, through the National Agricultural Research & Extension Institute/Guyana Mangrove Restoration Project will be hosting the first Guyana Mangrove Forum from April 11-13, 2013.

The event will be held at the Grand Coast Inn, East Coast Demerara On Thursday, 11th April, 2013 at 09:00HRS.

The first Guyana Mangrove Forum aims to build local and regional capacity in mangrove restoration and management, raise the public profile of the values of mangroves in Guyana and the Region, bring together national, regional and international researchers and mangrove managers to share experiences and knowledge of the sustainable management of mangrove ecosystems.

The Forum will include the following technical sessions: Mangrove restoration case studies; Mangrove ecology and biodiversity management; The influence of coastal processes on mangrove restoration efforts and the potential for application of coastal engineering solutions; Community engagement in mangrove forest management Institutional arrangements for mangrove management including protected area management; Emerging areas in mangrove research related to sea level rise and carbon sequestration potential of mangroves; and Future directions for mangrove restoration and management in Guyana and the potential for future research collaboration between countries in the region focusing on mangrove restoration and sustainable management.

The Forum will also include round table discussions, poster sessions, and a cultural and social programme.

The twenty six presenters at the forum will address all aspects of mangrove restoration and management from the technical aspects of mangrove restoration to approaches to restoration and sustainable use of mangroves, coastal processes and engineering solutions to mangrove loss, institutional issues associated with mangrove restoration and management and emerging areas of blue carbon and GIS/remote sensing technologies which can be applied to management of mangrove ecosystems.

The theme for the forum “Restoring and Managing mangrove ecosystems in a changing world” was selected to highlight the realities of mangrove restoration on the ground in Guyana which is occurring in the context of an extremely dynamic coastline and the realities of sea level rise emphasizing the need for robust systems for monitoring and understanding environmental conditions along the Guyanese coastline as the basis for informed decision making on approaches to mangrove restoration.

The Forum, is an important event of the Guyana Mangrove Restoration Project (GMRP), a project co-funded by the Government of Guyana and the European Union, as it provides an opportunity for the project to share experience and reflect on the work completed over the last two years since project inception and hear from other mangrove practioners in the region on their experiences on related projects. Importantly, the forum also provides an opportunity to capture lessons learnt from the above and to look forward to the next phase of mangrove restoration and management in Guyana including the potential for ongoing cooperation and collaboration with regional partners.