Final Report Wetlands Day 2013

8/12/2019 Final Report Wetlands Day 2013

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/final-report-wetlands-day-2013 1/11

1

Inauguration of Wetland Day in the Marshall Islands and Related Activities

to Raise Awareness of the Value of Mangroves as an Important Climate

Change Adaption Measure on Namdrik and Jaluit atolls

Final Report

Prepared by Senator Mattlan Zackhras-Chairman, World Wetlands Day 2013

On behalf of the General Manager of the Marshall Islands Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA) for presentation to the

Government of Australia/International Climate Change Adaptation Initiative,

RAMSAR and SPREP

February 2013



2

SECRETARIAT OF THE

PACIFIC REGIONAL ENVIRONMENT

PROGRAMME

PO Box 240, Apia, Samoa

Tel: +685 21929

Fax: +685 20231

Email: [email protected]

Project Title: Mangrove rehabilitation and replanting for coastal community adaptation,

awareness and resilience on Namdrik and Jaluit Atolls.

Objective: To promote public education and awareness of the value of mangroves as

an important climate change adaptation measure on Namdrik and Jaluit

Atoll.

Description/Activity(s): 1. Plant Mangroves and associated coastal species to create awindbreak and buffer protection

2. Distribute Mangrove seedlings and conduct a replanting activity as part of World Wetlands Day (February 2nd).

3. Launch the first Proclamation declaring Feb. 2nd as an officialannual event in the national calendar.

4. Launch the World Wetlands Day Campaign 2013 with the theme of“Wetland Management: Our Mangroves, Our Protection and Oursurvival"

5. Carry out school activities (art and essay contest) promoting theimportance of mangroves against climate change impacts.

6. Undertake arrangements to national recognition of 2013 as the year

of “mangroves as an adaptation measure” to prepare for the adverseeffects of climate change (wetland management) for Namdrik.

7. Construct arrival signs at Namdrik Airport and Port, showcasingmangroves as an important climate change adaptation measure.

8. Carry out mangrove awareness campaign via radio, newspaper priorto Feb. 2nd (December 2012 and January2013);(stickers, pamphletsand t-shirts)

Participating country: Republic of Marshall Islands.

Project partner(s): Marshall Islands Environmental Authority (EPA), International Climate

Change Adaption Initiative-Australia, SPREP, RAMSAR, Namdrik andJaluit Local Government, Youth to Youth in Health

Dates / duration: February 2, 2013

mailto:[email protected]






3

Justification The project will build resilience to Climate Change through:

Improved protection of shorelines

Less coastal erosion

Coastline and crops protected by the windbreak and decreased

vulnerability to high tides/flooding events.

Gardens and communities protected from salt spray Communities protected from storm surge and extreme events

Increased community resilience to climate change and sea level rise

Potential sustainable aquaculture for food security

Increased awareness of mangroves and their role in climate change

adaptation.

Expected outcomes Improved community life

Improved future of the community

Long term increase in food supply

Improved coastal protection Clarification of community priorities, especially for youth

Improve the health of coral reefs

Improved nutrition

Funding provided: USD35,000

Introduction and Participation

From January 26 - February 2nd 2013, a number of related activities took place to launch thefirst World Wetlands Day Campaign in the RMI with a theme of "Wetland Management: Our

Mangrove, Our Protection, Our Survival". The primary sponsor of this year's WWD 2013 wasthe Marshall Islands Environmental Protection Agency (RMIEPA) with technical and financialassistance from the AusAid - International Climate Change Adaptation Initaitive (ICCAI),Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environmental Programme (SPREP), and RAMSAR. Other

partners in the work were the Youth to Youth In Health (YTYIH) and the communities of Jaluitand Namdrik atolls. Both these communities are considered to be pioneers in the promotion of

wetland management initiatives and implementing adaptation measures to climate change. Thecommunities are responsible for collaborating with the RMI Government to adopt similar policies at the national level and to encourage other atolls to take similar initiatives to be more

involved.

The two communities received guidance and advise on planning and preparations for moreGovernment involvement through the introduction of a Presidential Proclamation and

implementation of nationwide awareness campaign. Director of EPA, Lowell Alik, Oli UludongBarry Relang and others at EPA were involved with the process to include both Jaluit and

Namdrik atolls as the first and second RAMSAR sites in the RMI. It was agreed that Namdrikatoll's inauguration as a new site on February 2nd would be used to carry out a list of activities



4

that would help promote World Wetlands Day 2013. The EPA officials a combined experience

of many years in wetland management development as well as government representation innumerous international and regional meetings dealing with the promotion of wetlands as an

adaptation measure. Orders for posters, stickers, t-shirts, brochures, coffee mugs, signs andfunds accounting were handled through RMIEPA. Co-funding for the WWD 2013 in the

amount of $3395 was raised through contribution by the private sector, ROC Embassy, ticketsale for Raffle, and Youth to Youth in Health provided in-kind support in the form of the use of

their facilities and conference room for the meetings and activities with the ground supportassistance from RMIEPA personnel Barry Relang and Grace .

Following the activities, the communities organized a fundraising Raffle with ticket salesleading up to the closing ceremony on February 2nd, 2013. Combined sales from the raffle aloneraised $2545 to go toward further WWD activities on Namdrik atoll in the future. In total, about

20 students were are currently attending the College of Marshall Islands participated as part ofthe planning committee and helped organized the community events. Valuable exposure to

members of both communities, larger groups in Majuro, as well as those living in the outer

islands given the programs and live interviews were done live on the national radio and over theinternet to those living in the US. Many partners who were involved in the outreach activitiesalso gained valuable knowledge through the sharing of information and booth displays.

Activities and Accomplishments

Information sharing and awareness raising campaign

With the involvement of the CMI students, much information about the role mangroves play intheir home atoll has allowed some of them to explore marine science as a field of interest. While

growing up, most members of the communities have used mangrove trees for various reasonswithout really understanding how they can act as an adaption measure to climate change. During

the week of activities and discussions both among policy makers, Government officials at thehighest level in government, as well as within the community, we are confident that people are better aware about wetlands and mangroves than before and will be taking part to protect them.

Replanting and Distribution of Mangrove Seedlings

The positive feedback received from those who received one of the 1000 mangrove seedlingdistributed in Majuro was very reassuring. The fact members of the Government were excited

about the seedlings and wanted to start a replanting program on their atolls should be followedup by EPA. The Namdrik youth group will continue to replant mangroves in areas that have

dying mangrove trees. Reports have indicated that there are areas that need immediate attention.The involvement of the Namdrik local government and leadership in this initiative has improved

tremendously and has indicated that with the right support and guidance, much can beaccomplished at the local level. The long term impacts from replanting mangrove seedlings and

other trees along the coastline will go a long way to protect the community from threats fromclimate change.



5

Planning & Preparations, Games and Activities before Official Ceremony

Much effort was taken to provide information to the communities and to set up a coordinatingcommittee to prepare the activities and events leading up to the February 2nd ceremony. The

community agreed to involve its students at College of Marshall Islands (CMI) and LocalResource Committee on Namdrik in the planning efforts to get the word out.

Figure 2. Planning

Committee included CM

Student Association

Figure 3. WWD

Community Beach

Clean-up outreach

activities

Figure 4. Ban

Signs and Posters

Figure 1. Community

Meeting at MIR to discu

WWD plans and activitie



6

Figure 5. Proposed Venue @

Youth to Youth in Health

Figure 6. WWD

sponsored 3-on-3

Basketball Tournam

Figure 7. WWD spon

Tennis Tournament



7

World Wetlands Day Activities on Namdrik atoll

The WWD Planning Committee worked in collaboration with the Mayor and Local ResourceCommittee on Namdrik atoll to ensure that related activities were also taking place during the

week leading up to February 2nd. The students at the Namdrik Elementary School took part inthe poster drawing contest while Namdrik students attending Jaluit High School participated in

the essay writing contest. The posters and essays were sent to Majuro to be reviewed by aselected group before being announced during the official ceremony. Members of the youth

groups on Namdrik also collected at least 1,000 mangrove seedlings and send them to bedistributed to members of the Parliament, including community members in the center area of

Majuro. The same group participated in replanting 1,500 mangrove seedlings in identified areasindicating impacts of climate change.

Figure 8. WWD

sponsored canoe rac

on Namdrik atoll

Figure 9. WWD tree

planting launchingceremony on Namdrik

atoll

Figure 10. WW

sponsored

community spo

and student

poster/essay co



9

WWD 2013 Gift Baskets for Members of Nitijela (Parliament) and Traditional Leaders

As a new RAMSAR site, the Namdrik leadership and community include in the wetlands daygift baskets t-shirts, coffee mugs with logo, bracelets, and black pearls from Namdrik atoll.

World Wetlands Day Sponsored Walkathon and Aerobics - Figures. 14

Figure 13.

WWD Gift Ba



10

Figure

Comm

Mini-G

and Da

Figure

WWD

Openin

Cerem

Figure 1

Booth D

and Coo

Demons



11

Conclusions

All goals, objectives and expected outcomes of this technical assistance, as outlined on the cover page, were met. Community members from Namdrik and Jaluit received the necessary

information and assistance to better understand the value of their mangrove and ways they canget more involved in the protection of these natural resources. In addition, the necessary skillswere passed on to the students, youth groups for them to organize and conduct an community

wide effort to replant mangroves and share their experience with other atolls with similarinterests in the Marshall Islands. In total some US$3395,000 was raised during the one week of

activities and funding raising to provide much needed capital for these communities to reinvestin a wetlands for the future fund.

Figure 18. Namdrik

mangrove area

Final Report Wetlands Day 2013

Documents

Transcript of Final Report Wetlands Day 2013