Planting a seed of hope with mangroves

Visiting the mangrove rehabilitation project at Road to the Sea beach, Mr. Guterres saw the devastating effects of climate change-fueled coastal erosion, flooding and sea level rise.

Weg Naar Zee, an easily accessible coastal area of about 10,000 hectares located northwest of Paramaribo and part of Suriname's 386 kms of mostly muddy coastal zone, has suffered from extreme erosion that has resulted in an absence of soft silt, a favorite foraging habitat for shorebirds.

Since 2016, the UN has been supporting the country's efforts, led by academics and students, to increase the conservation, natural recovery, and restoration of mangroves. One such project, led by Professor Sieuwnat Naipal from the Anton de Kom University of Suriname, is installing sediment-capturing structures along the coast on locations where the erosion has already claimed large pieces of mangrove habitat. These sediment traps allow the sediment to settle along the coast and causes land deposition. After enough land has been deposited Professor Naipal proceeds to plant young Mangrove trees with the help of his team of local workers and volunteers. With this work professor Naipal and all who support him have been able to reverse the damage to more than 500000m2 of mangrove habitat.

In July of 2022 the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, visited Suriname for the first time. During his visit he was able to see firsthand the effects of climate change. Visiting the mangrove rehabilitation project at Weg Naar Zee beach, Mr. Guterres saw the devastating effects of coastal erosion, flooding and sea level rise fueled by climate change.

Walking along the muddy coast with Suriname's Minister of Spatial Planning, Silvano Tjong-Ahin, Mr. Guterres planted a young mangrove tree assisted by Professor Naipal, who is one of the driving forces behind mangrove conservation in the country.

The Secretary-General was very impressed by the work being done and said mangroves held special meaning for him because the first book he read as a child was about these hardy, uniquely beneficial trees and shrubs. He also stated that "Nature-based solutions - such as the conservation of mangroves, rainforests and other essential ecosystems - are vital. The world needs more such initiatives."

Mangroves play a vital role in the fight against climate change because they can sequester and store huge amounts of carbon in their roots and even in the soil in which they grow.

They are also extremely important to our coastal environment and the habitats and nurseries that contribute to a wide variety of plant and animal species. They are also called the "kidneys of the coast" because they play an important role in the cycling of nutrients in the coastal environment.

The work being done by professor Naipal and his team is essential for Suriname’s fight against climate change as it helps the population living close to a low-lying coast to build resilience to the effects of climate change.