Latest news with #mangroverestoration
Al Jazeera
02-07-2025
- General
- Al Jazeera
Photos: Suriname's battle to keep sea at bay
Suriname, South America's smallest country, is one of the most vulnerable in the world to rising sea levels. Nearly seven out of 10 people in the former Dutch colony of 600,000 inhabitants live in low-lying coastal areas, according to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. 'Every day I see a piece of my land disappear,' said Gandat Sheinderpesad, a 56-year-old farmer who has lost 95 percent of his smallholding to the sea. Local authorities have for years been trying to find a way to hold back the tide. 'Some areas are not problematic because we have five, 10, even 20 kilometres (three, six or 12 miles) of mangrove' acting as a buffer between the waves and the shore, said Riad Nurmohamed, Minister of Public Works. But near Paramaribo, the capital city of Suriname, 'there is just one kilometre so it's a very vulnerable zone', he added. In 2020, a programme to restore the capital's mangroves was launched. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sought to add VIP power to the initiative in 2022 by wading into the mud to personally plant seedlings. But five years later, Sienwnath Naqal, the climate change and water management expert who led the project, surveys a scene of desolation. The sea is now lapping at the edge of a road and the wooden stakes to which he had attached hundreds of saplings are largely bare. High seas carried away the substrate sediment, leaving the roots exposed. 'Over the last two to three years, the water forcefully penetrated the mangroves, which were destroyed,' Nurmohamed said. The dredging of sand at the entrance to the Paramaribo estuary to facilitate the passage of boats headed upriver to the port also contributed to the erosion, said Naqal. But like the Amazon rainforest in neighbouring Brazil, the destruction was also deliberate in places, with farmers uprooting mangroves to make way for crops. With the water lapping at the feet of Paramaribo's 240,000 people, Suriname has changed tack and set about building a dyke. For Sheinderpesad, the levee represents his last chance of remaining on his land. 'I have nowhere else to go. When we have the dyke, I will be safer, although I'm not sure for how long,' he said. The 4.5km-long barrier will cost $11m, which the government has promised to fund from state coffers. 'If you go see donors it takes years before you can start to build. We have no time to waste, we'll be flooded,' Nurmohamed explained. But plugging one hole in the country's maritime defences will not suffice to keep the mighty Atlantic at bay. The government wants to build up the entire network of dykes that dot the country's 380km coastline. It's just not sure where to find the money. 'It's a colossal investment,' Nurmohamed said. The country's newly discovered offshore oil deposits may provide the answer. Last year, French group TotalEnergies announced a $10.5bn project to exploit an oil field off Suriname's coast with an estimated capacity of producing 220,000 barrels per day.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
USF researchers lean on Bay Area beach erosion lessons to help coastal ecosystems across the globe
The Brief USF researchers are using knowledge of the Bay Area's beach erosion and coastal ecosystems to help coastal areas around the world. The group recently traveled to a village in Belize and came up with a plan to help maintain healthy beaches. Students from USF's School of Marine Sciences will travel to the village in June to look at ways to restore mangrove and coral reef ecosystems. TAMPA, Fla. - USF researchers are using knowledge of the Bay Area's beach erosion and coastal ecosystems to help coastal areas around the world. What they're saying Grad student, Libby Royer said, "It all comes back to appreciating the nature around you." "My program is mostly focused on beach erosion and shore protection, impact of hurricanes and storms to coastal system," explained USF geography professor Dr. Ping Wang. "We've been doing this study for quite a while and the past year we've had so many hurricanes." What they learned was Tampa Bay is the poster child for a resilient shoreline system due to natural implementations. "We have been nourishing the past 35 years for this," he said. "It really has worked." READ:Florida scallop season 2025: Here's what to know That's in addition to oyster reefs and sand dune implementation. Dig deeper Their research got the attention of a USF engineering professor who said the 16-mile Placencia Peninsula in Belize could use their help. In April and May, Dr. Ping, Royer, and USF grad student Lara Novalvos traveled to the village. The first thing the group observed was staggering. "Crazy erosion and then palm trees falling down, into the water," Royer shared. "The water coming right up to people's homes." Novalvos added, "People go because they have beautiful landscapes that are worth going for. But a lot of people are at the pool with views of the ocean." READ:St. Pete officials reveal $160M disaster recovery plan to help victims of the 2024 hurricanes Dr. Wang said things the community implemented was working against nature. "When someone bought a house, and the beach is eroding, people are getting worried, so they put some rocks in front of the beach. They build a rock structure to stop it from getting eroded," he explained. Dr. Wang said that only worsened the issue. The group quickly got to work. He said, "Collect data, run some computer models, and see how can we kind of maintain the healthy beaches." The group presented an implementation plan to the village of Placencia. They will soon also assist Biscayne Bay in Miami and sites on the U.S. Virgin Islands. Royer said, "It's nice to see that what you're learning has a broad application and can be used to help other communities." What's next Students from USF's School of Marine Sciences will travel to the village this month to look at ways to restore mangrove and coral reef ecosystems. The Source This story was written with information gathered by Jennifer Kveglis. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter Follow FOX 13 on YouTube
