Planting One Million Mangroves in the Bahamas
Summary
In 2024, The Bahamas Mangrove Alliance committed to planting 1,000,000 mangroves across 800 hectares in Grand Bahama Island and Abaco by 2026 through a series of community volunteer events, in partnership with the Perry Institute for Marine Science (PIMS) , Waterkeepers Bahamas (WKB) , and Bonefish & Tarpon Trust (BTT) . In 2019, Hurricane Dorian caused widespread destruction to mangrove ecosystems crucial for the survival of numerous marine species, providing essential protection against storm surges and erosion. Mangroves play a vital role in combating climate change by sequestering significant amounts of carbon dioxide, far surpassing the capacity of rainforests. Pound for pound, they are four times more effective in carbon storage. The commitment recognizes the urgent need to restore these habitats not only for the benefit of local communities but also to contribute to global climate mitigation efforts. By restoring and maintaining mangrove habitats, the initiative aims to enhance resilience against future natural disasters, support fisheries, and preserve biodiversity.
Approach
The Bahamas Mangrove Alliance (BMA) commits to planting 900,000 mangroves in Grand Bahama Island and Abaco by 2026 across 800 hectares of land, contributing to a nationwide effort totalling 1,000,000 mangroves planted across The Bahamas.
The BMA aims to go beyond traditional conservation approaches by focusing on a wide range of activities including protection, restoration, scientific research, grassroots advocacy, and education. By uniting diverse stakeholders including nonprofits, national park managers, island communities, businesses, and governmental bodies, the BMA strives to foster collaboration and alignment with national and international priorities. The BMA was founded by the Perry Institute for Marine Science (PIMS) , Waterkeepers Bahamas (WKB) , and Bonefish & Tarpon Trust (BTT) , and was created in an effort to support mangrove restoration, following Hurricane Dorian in 2019. In partnership, these organizations will oversee science deliverables, including monitoring and evaluating mangrove restoration efforts, including assessing progress, effectiveness, and impact, using standardized methodologies and indicators; lead communications to enhance public awareness and engagement in mangrove restoration initiatives; and convene the Northern Bahamas Mangrove Restoration Project Secretariat to facilitate coordination and collaboration among stakeholders through committee meetings.
Through this commitment, the BMA will expand nursery capacity by producing an additional 100,000 seedlings and restoration training for 50 individuals to meet the commitment’s planting goals. The training will encompass workshops, school visits, and community engagement activities, supported by comprehensive training materials developed by the partners. The BMA will also include deliberate focus on including women and girls in this outreach to increase gender inclusion and enhance capacity. Collaboration with local science partners such as BTT, PIMS, and The Bahamas National Trust ensures that restoration efforts are informed by scientific research and conducted to maximize ecological benefits. Through this commitment, stakeholders work towards the shared goal of safeguarding mangrove ecosystems for the benefit of nature and communities while contributing to the global fight against climate change.
Action Plan
April 2024 – December 2025:
Using different mangrove dispersal methods for planting along with community volunteers and students, engaging over 200 individuals during planting events; events will take place intermittently over the 2 year period.
Capture data from partners and volunteers to create a centralized restoration database for inventory of nurseries, shapefiles of planted areas, diversity of volunteers and partners, number and types of mangroves planted and restoration index of damaged areas.
Reach 20 schools across the nation, widening mangrove education and using that as an avenue to expand student participation in mangrove harvesting.
December 2025 – September 2026: Continue to provide training opportunities and workshops to the public, with re-training and progress workshops for over 50 individuals who would have received previous training by BMA partners, including government agencies, NGO reps, teachers, students and community activists so as to help to develop a community-based planting and restoration resource guide that can be for national policy development of mangrove restoration and protection.
Background
As a result of increasingly frequent and intense natural disasters, particularly in the Caribbean, as part of human-caused climate change, Hurricane Dorian caused devastating human and environmental impacts to the Bahamas in 2019. In particular, this natural disaster caused widespread destruction to mangrove ecosystems in two islands, Grand Bahama and Abaco, which are crucial for the survival of numerous marine species and provide essential protection against storm surges and erosion.
Mangroves play a vital role in combating climate change by sequestering significant amounts of carbon dioxide, far surpassing the capacity of rainforests. Mangroves cover less than 1 per cent of the Earth’s surface, but pound for pound, are four times more effective in carbon storage. Moreover, they serve as the foundation of flats ecosystems, supporting diverse marine life and serving as nurseries for commercially valuable species. Despite their importance, we’ve lost over 50 per cent of mangroves globally. In The Bahamas, 70 percent of Grand Bahama and Abaco mangrove forests were destroyed during Hurricane Dorian.
There is an urgent need to restore these habitats not only for the benefit of local communities but also to contribute to global climate mitigation efforts. The initiative aims to enhance resilience against future natural disasters, support fisheries, and preserve biodiversity by restoring and maintaining mangrove habitats.
Progress Update
Partnership Opportunities
Financial Resources: BMA seeks funding to sustain and expand their mangrove conservation programs. This includes securing $250,000 or more annually to meet the operational needs of the Bahamas Mangrove Alliance (BMA) , as outlined in their membership tiers.
Implementing Partners: BMA is interested in collaborating with organizations that share their commitment to mangrove conservation and restoration. Implementing partners can contribute expertise, resources, and manpower to support collective efforts.
Media Support: BMA seeks media support to raise awareness about mangrove conservation issues and promote the BMA’s work. This includes assistance with marketing and communication efforts and active sharing and engagement with BMA content on social media.
Topic Expertise: BMA welcomes partners with expertise in mangrove ecology, restoration techniques, community engagement, and policy advocacy to enhance the effectiveness of programs and ensure that their initiatives are based on sound scientific principles and best practices., Bahamas Mangrove Alliance will share their knowledge and experience in mangrove conservation, including best practices for protection, restoration, and scientific research. This includes proven methodologies for monitoring and evaluation, as well as strategies for community engagement and advocacy.
They welcome partnerships with organizations interested in collaborating on mangrove conservation projects. By working together, organizations can leverage their strengths and resources to achieve shared goals.
The BMA’s team brings extensive mangrove ecology, conservation science, and community engagement expertise. They are available to provide technical assistance, training, and capacity-building support to organizations seeking to enhance their knowledge and skills in mangrove conservation.