200,000 mangrove seedlings to be planted this year

Some 200,000 mangrove seedlings are to be planted this year to bolster sea defences in the Coastal Zone. In areas such as La Belle Alliance and Lima on the Essequibo Coast; Victoria and Happy Acres, East Coast Demerara; and Numbers Four, Five, Six and Seven villages, West Coast Berbice, and at Cromarty and Wellington Park on the Corentyne Coast in East Berbice, these mangrove seedlings would be planted.

These areas are part of the Mangrove Protection and Regeneration project, which aims to provide immediate first line defence against flooding and overtopping due to high tides.

The Guyana administration believes that the advancement of the shore zone management system would continue to contribute to the achievement of a comprehensive maintenance strategy.

This year, the state has budgeted Gy$3 billion for continued construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, restoration and maintenance of sea and river defence structures throughout the country. This is to ensure protection of the country’s socio-economic livelihood, and improve environmental conditions on the coast.

This planned investment follows an expenditure of Gy$2.6 billion last year when further reinforcement, upgrading and maintenance works were carried out to sea and river defence infrastructure in all regions from Two to Seven.

‘Rip-rap’ and concrete sea defence works were completed in areas such as Wakenaam, Clonbrook, Kitty, Springlands, and East Canje.

The Mangrove Management project for sustainable coastal zone protection commenced, also in 2010, with some Gy$100 million being utilised on constructing a mangrove nursery at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara and the cultivating over 60,000 mangrove seedlings at Hope Beach, Triumph, Beterverwagting and Chateau Margot.

Meanwhile, with regard to drainage and irrigation (D&I), about Gy$6.6 billion is earmarked for investing in purchasing equipment and constructing, rehabilitating and operating works of the National Drainage and Irrigation system.

With an increasing number of pumps being operated and key drainage and irrigation structures being rehabilitated along with access roads, an improved performance is expected in regard to discharge of flood waters and control of flooding.

Infrastructural works such as constructing drainage sluices at Cottage and at Abary, West Coast Berbice; rehabilitating a sluice at Lonsdale, East Bank Berbice; and installing pumps at Greenfield, East Coast Demerara are also slated for completion this year.

Last year, the state spent Gy$5.1 billion on D&I enhancement works countrywide, and conducted major capital projects such as rehabilitation of control structures, and construction and rehabilitation of sluices and revetments. Areas improved included De Willem, West Coast Demerara; Amersfoorte; Buxton, East Coast, Demerara; Waterloo, Alness and Moleson Creek on the Corentyne Coast in East Berbice.

Further, earthworks’ rehabilitation was done at Black Bush Polder, Corentyne, while similar works have commenced at the Hope outfall, East Coast Demerara. The outfall project entails construction of a new outlet channel for the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC), and it is expected to commence in 2011.

Still in terms of weather and climate-related activities, the government plans to spend Gy$24 million to purchase equipment, construct and maintain hydrological stations, conduct training, and launch a National Water Information System.

The administration recognises that, in light of climate change, the services of the Hydrometeorological Department of the Ministry of Agriculture have become pivotal to important decision-making. As such, the government is moving to undertake massive expansion and modernisation of the hydrological networking system along the country’s coastal and inland locations this year.