The Ranger Review In this newsletter : ~ ranger Dinara presents at COP 26!~ ~rangers take lead in primary school mangrove field trips~ ~Our weekend-long celebration of World Wetlands Day 2022~ ~The start of online learning with Ranger Cassie~ ~Highway extension not looking good for Central Mangrove Wetland¬
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Ranger Dinara presents at COP 26 in Glasgow, UK
Several young Caymanians recently attended the COP 26 UN Climate Change Conference recent in Glasgow, Scotland. COP26 brought together world leaders to act together to limit temperature rises and climate change. The main objectives of the COP26 meeting were to: commit to more ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and discuss measures to adapt to the inevitable impacts of climate change. In addition to representatives of students from Protect Our Future and the CI National Trust, were lead Rangers Dinara Perera and Rickeem Lashley, both of whom are currently attending university in the UK. Dinara, who was a finalist for the recent Lois Blumenthal Youth Conservation Award, says she enjoyed attending the conference’s public events, meeting people from all over the world “and seeing the energy there”, as well as following the outcome of the negotiations among world leaders on climate change issues. At the event, she and Rickeem (our the photographer) together with Catherin Childs, the CI NT Environmental Programs Manager, took part in the UK National Trust panel on Coast to Coast: Nature-Based Solutions for Climate, Biodiversity & People
Prior to COP 26, Dinara represented the Cayman Islands at a pre-COP26 virtual conference, hosted in Milan, Italy, at which she did a presentation on the importance of coastal lagoon ecosystems, such as mangroves, seagrass beds, and coral reefs, in small island states. Perera said she felt it was extremely important that young people play a role in the climate change conversation locally and internationally. “Young people are going to be inheriting the Earth and now we are at the point where we don’t have much time left to do something. It’s really important we do get involved and press our governments to act now… so our future can be protected,” she said.
Dinara Dinara represents the Cayman Islands at the pre-COP26 virtual conference
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBVnsRMWYKg&t=2s https://www.caymancompass.com/2021/10/30/cayman-youth-to-have-voice-at-cop26climate-summit/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skbB5HxI6x0&t=1015s
Rangers take lead in Grace Academy and Montessori by the Sea Mangrove field trips.
Year 5 students from Grace Christian Academyexploring the Central Mangrove Wetlands with Mangrove Rangers and MAP Education Manager, Cassie MacDowell (left), and Janique Bodden Cassie, Janique, and Haleigh along with Martin guided the year 5 class of Grace Academy on a tour of the Central Mangrove wetlands where they got to learn and see close our many species of mangroves and all the cool animals who depend on mangroves for habitat. Some of these animals were fiddler crabs, Whistling Ducks, Woodpeckers, Warblers and so many more. After a few hours in the wetlands, we got some lunch and headed back into the classroom where we did some more learning. The students use microscopes to look for organisms in the Mangrove water samples, some even found tadpoles in their sample which they thought was
cool. We also collected some seagrass from the nearby beach to take a look at the characteristics and organisms of our seagrass as well! The kids loved it and learned so much about why we should continue to protect these very important trees. We look forward to working with some more classes from Grace Academy.
Grace Christian Academy Year 5 students studying mangrove water samples for microorganisms
Students from Montessori by the Sea planting mangroves in Prospect with Ranger Haileigh Farrington
Students from Montessori by the Sea planting mangroves in Prospect.
Assisted by Rangers Nikolaus and Haleigh, Some 50 students from the Lower Elementary classes of Montessori-by-the-Sea school in Prospect joined the Mangrove Rangers in a mangrove restoration project at the home of Mr. Tim Furey and his family. This is another one of our great hand on projects which the kids love. Being outside and being in the midst of it all getting their hands dirty is definitely something these kids will remember forever. Unfortunately, the success rate for Mangrove restoration is about 10% or less. which is why we try our best to educate the public not to remove or destroy Mangroves. We look forward to the next few months to see the growth and survival rate of these newly panted in Prospect with the kids.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVVC3W4nNHk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaqlPzvJC7k videos courtesy iPOW Creations
The Mangrove Rangers host a fun-filled World Wetlands Day Celebration. World Wetlands Day has been used to raise public awareness of wetland values and benefits, promote the conservation and wise use of wetlands. To kick off the weekend, the Rangers jumped right into it, literally. Families came out with some of our rangers and went for a snorkel in the North Sound to get a really cool underwater view of the red mangroves which connect to the Central Mangrove Wetlands, nbot to mention the Cassiopeia (upside down) jellyfish.
After an eventful snorkel trip, we headed over to the 1981 Brewing Company for a bbq and beer fest! here, the rangers launched the sale of our new WWD T-shirts and the 1981 Brewing CO launched the Red Mangrove Larger and the Black Mangrove Stout (so good!). We currently have a few more T-shirts for purchase so please contact us if you are interested. All proceeds go towards education projects! The Sunday after, we headed over to the Ambassadors of the environments at the Ritz Carlton to do a mangrove kayak tour! This was a great turnout, with adults, babies, and teens all participating. The Ambassadors started off with a very brief but informative introduction to the importance of mangroves in the marine ecosystem. We got to see (and hear) some very cool marine animals. This included crabs, jellyfish, and starfish. Did you know that they eat inside out? When they capture prey, they have tiny suction cups to grab ahold of their food. Then their stomach exits their mouth to digest the food, and reenters the body when they’re done eating. SO COOL.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Waow2mVYMAk
Tasty Red Mangrove Lager from our World Wetlands Day (WWD) Beerfest
Families heading out on our WWD kayak exploration with the Ambassadors of the Environment.
The launch of our Online Learning ! Story by : Cassie MacDowell Earlier this year Louisa and Cassie had the pleasure of presenting to the Girl Guides over zoom in our new remote learning program. Due to Covid-19 restrictions in schools, our inperson presentations have been limited and we are working to take these interactive lessons virtual. Prior to our class with the guides, Louisa and I ventured out into the mangroves to retrieve samples of water, peat, clippings of red, black and white mangroves as well as propagules and other parts of the plant. We used these items to create a mangrove inspection kit complete with everything you’d need to investigate mangroves. The kits contained the water, peat and plant samples, pipets, microscopes, slides, magnifying glasses and works sheets. The student picked up the kits prior to the lesson and were able to study these objects in real time during the class. Once the class started, a PowerPoint was shared on the screen as I explained and described what each girl would find in their kits. We set everything up and the girls began inspecting each mangrove piece and water samples while noting their findings on their work sheets. If anyone had a question they raised their hands or waived at the camera and we discussed their queries. A few girls had difficulties using the microscopes but were still able to participate using the magnifying glasses provided. Considering the virtual nature of the lesson and the complexity of using a microscope and dissecting plants we'd say the class went very well and all the participants gained new knowledge and appreciation of mangroves and their adaptations. At the end of the class we went around the group and showed our work sheets and findings, which each girl was able to complete.
Cayman Girl Guides with remote hands-on live mangroves activities and microscopes with (top center) Cassie MacDowell MAP Education Manager (left), and Louisa Sax, National Trust Education Director.
Cayman Girl Guides in remote pilot with remote hands-on live mangrove activities examining salt water extrusion from black mangrove leaves and roots
The East-West Arterial Extension not looking good for our Central Mangrove Wetland... The Central Mangrove wetland is currently under threat still by the EW arterial extension plan. The plan will be to cut about 10 miles through the wetland and remove many of wetland which is currently untouched, and extend through to woodland drive and then to north side. This stretch of road poses a direct threat to the Central Mangrove Wetlands. "The current proposed route would also result in the fragmentation of the wetlands, compounding the environmental threat to this critical habitat, which is already under threat from encroaching residential development". (quoted from CAYMAN NEWS SERVICE). An EIA (enviormental impact assessment) is to be carried out before any commencement on the arterial.
It is our responsibility to the
environment to urge our leaders to take another approach which will not damage the biological reliability of our island. You all can help to do your part by speaking to someone you know in power, or sharing this crucial information online and to people you're associated with. A full story can be rwead from this Compass article.
https://www.caymancompass.com/2022/03/08/green-impacts-of-east-west-arterialextension-reviewed/ Continued mangrove destruction is described in the following article from Cayman Net News:
https://caymannewsservice.com/2022/02/mangrove-destruction-is-existential-threat-tocayman/
COMING VERY SOON!