Jamaica Awareness of Mangroves in Nature (J.A.M.I.N.)

Traditionally, mangroves have been harvested in Jamaica for charcoal production and to make fishing gear. Large areas have been cleared for development of houses, hotels, and agriculture. According to a study conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (2005), 30% of Jamaica’s mangroves have been lost.

Jamaican-high-school-student-fills-in-answer-sheet-on-mangrove-field-trip — A student answers questions on her activity worksheet while on a field trip to a mangrove forest.

In order to restore and educate Jamaicans about this important ecosystem, we partnered with the University of the West Indies Discovery Bay Marine Laboratory to develop and implement the Jamaican Awareness of Mangroves in Nature (J.A.M.I.N.). The J.A.M.I.N. program is a hands-on outdoor education program that teaches students about the mangrove ecosystem through project-based learning.

William Knibb student stands next to the mangrove propagules to show the scale.

In October 2014, we launched the J.A.M.I.N. pilot project near Falmouth, Jamaica in two high schools. Two years later, we expanded the program to include a year 2 program, bringing the same students back to the mangrove forest to monitor and manage the mangrove ecosystem. During the same year, we teamed up with Seville Heritage Park in St. Ann’s Bay. As part of this partnership, we bring students from area schools to this cultural heritage site to learn, restore, and monitor mangroves. The program is currently being implemented in Falmouth at William Knibb High School.

Alligator Head Foundation partnered with us in 2018 to expand the J.A.M.I.N. program to the greater Portland area in eastern Jamaica. Two schools in the region are participating in the program – Happy Grove High School and Port Antonio High School. This partnership enables us to interact with a larger portion of the Jamaican population, with an organization that shares similar goals regarding education of the nations youth.

We hope to inspire students to learn about, protect, and conserve their mangroves. Other classrooms and schools have expressed interest in J.A.M.I.N. and we hope to be able to expand to include them soon.

For more information, check out this blog, written during the first session of J.A.M.I.N.

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$Students taste a mangrove leaf -they\'re salty!$

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Every so often, we get the rare chance to experience genuine awe and inspiration. This was the case when Amy Heemsoth extended the invitation to join her this past April at William Knibb High School as she concluded her Jamaica Awareness of Mangroves in Nature (J.A.M.I.N.) program. I was in Jamaica conducting conservation research and fieldwork on another part of the island. Still, after months of phone calls, I could not resist the opportunity to meet Amy in person and learn more about the incredible work she does in the region, teaching students about marine ecosystems.

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Often, we share comments about our B.A.M. and J.A.M.I.N. programs from the students’ perspectives. This year I would like to highlight our remarkable teachers. Teachers are the backbone of our mangrove education and restoration programs, and their crucial role cannot be overstated. Over the years, we have come to realize that the success of these programs hinges on the teachers’ willingness to embrace and seamlessly integrate them into their classrooms. Their dedication and passion for teaching have enabled us to achieve our goals of educating students about the significance of mangroves and instilling a sense of conservation in them.

We extend our heartfelt appreciation to all the teachers who have been part of our programs, both the veterans who have been with us since the beginning and the new members who have recently joined our educational family. It is their incredible commitment that empowers us to make a lasting impact on the lives of students and cultivate a future generation that will protect and preserve our precious mangroves. It’s time to meet and celebrate our dedicated B.A.M. and J.A.M.I.N. teachers who make a significant difference every day!

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