The brilliant marine biologist and ecologist Professor Mona Webber, OD, Head of the Department of Life Sciences at the University of the West Indies, seems to be applauding in this photograph. (Photo: GraceKennedy Foundation)

The once beautiful mangroves fringing Kingston Harbour – which could still be beautiful, if given the chance – are to get a new chance to survive, and thrive. Don’t they deserve it? After all, the Palisadoes – Port Royal (comprising 7,523 hectares) was designated the island’s second Ramsar Wetland of International Importance on Earth Day – April 22, 2005. It is a Protected Area. According to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands website, the area “features cays, shoals, mangrove lagoons, mangrove islands, coral reefs, seagrass beds and shallow water, thus hosting a variety of underrepresented wetland types.” I would say that’s worth protecting.

There were two events on Monday (Earth Day) in Jamaica that started at exactly the same time. In downtown Kingston, the great partnership that constitutes the Kingston Harbour Cleanup Project launched its latest major initiative, the Great Mangrove Cleanup. The aim of the project is to remove the coastal waste from Kingston Harbour’s mangrove forests and their surrounding beaches. Simple?…

Source: On Earth Day, Jamaica’s Great Mangrove Cleanup launched. So – why don’t YOU volunteer for the environment? – Petchary’s Blog