That’s a Wrap! - Living Oceans Foundation

That’s a Wrap!

July 19, 2018

Written by Amy Heemsoth

Another Successful Year of Mangrove Education & Restoration Programs

We are midway through summer now in Jamaica and The Bahamas, and of course, it’s blazing hot in the Caribbean. I can’t help but wonder – how are the mangrove propagules (seedlings) doing that the students in our Mangrove Education and Restoration Program planted just a little over 2 months ago? Are they adapting well to the high heat and salinity levels? Will they survive the harsh summer months?

To wrap up the final phase of this year’s B.A.M. and J.A.M.I.N. programs, students in our year 1 program had a wonderful time going back to the mangroves to plant the propagules that they have been caring for over the past eight months. There was a sense of sadness among some of the students who found it difficult to let their “babies” go. Others, however, were overjoyed to plant their propagules, in hopes of contributing to the preservation and restoration of the mangrove ecosystem. Next year, these students will participate in our year 2 programs.

Students in our first year J.A.M.I.N. and B.A.M. programs planting their mangrove propagules.

Our second-year students returned to the mangroves to survey their quadrats for the last time. The students will analyze this data and look for trends that might explain what happened in their quadrats over a period of eight months. For instance, did the mangrove trees grow from September to May? If so, by how much and why? Did the dissolved oxygen change and why? Students will answer questions such as these and then they write up a short lab report explaining their results.

Our year 2 J.A.M.I.N. and B.A.M. students investigating the living and non-living factors in their mangrove quadrats.

Only time will tell as to whether the students’ propagules will survive, but one thing is for certain, the students in next year’s B.A.M. and J.A.M.I.N. programs will monitor the progress of these mangroves throughout our year 2 programs. And so, the cycle of growing, planting, and monitoring mangroves continues.

In our following blogs, find out what the students have to say about our B.A.M. and J.A.M.I.N. programs.

From Mangrove Mud to Meaningful Work: Desta’s J.A.M.I.N. Journey

Some students I remember for their grades, their quick answers, or a moment that made the whole class laugh. Others I remember for the way they stepped into the mangroves.

Desta was the kind of student who thrived outdoors. While some students hesitated at the edge of the mud, he walked right in. And when he inevitably got stuck — because everyone does — he didn’t get frustrated. He laughed. Covered in mud, holding mangrove propagules in his hands, he embraced the experience fully.

Even then, it was clear that he was connecting with the environment in a way that went beyond the lesson plan…

From Students to Stewards: A Full-Circle Moment for J.A.M.I.N.

There are certain faces you never forget.

Over the years, hundreds of students have stepped into mangrove forests with us through the Jamaica Awareness of Mangroves in Nature (J.A.M.I.N.) program. I may not always remember every name, but I remember the expressions — the hesitation before stepping into thick mud, the laughter when someone loses a shoe, the look of surprise when they catch that unmistakable sulfur smell rising from the mangrove soil…

Another Successful Year of Mangrove Education & Restoration Programs

Related Posts

From Mangrove Mud to Meaningful Work: Desta’s J.A.M.I.N. Journey

From Students to Stewards: A Full-Circle Moment for J.A.M.I.N.