HYPREP Conducts Study On Sustainable Mangrove Management
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has organized a validation workshop as part of a study on Rapid Assessment of Policy Gaps for Sustainable Mangrove Management.
The study was conducted in partnership with institutions, civil society organizations (CSOs), and communities in Ogoni, and was funded by the Commonwealth Blue Charter.
The workshop brought together stakeholders from various backgrounds, including the Rivers State University, University of Portsmouth, University of Colorado, Mangrove Action Project, and National Council on Climate Change.
Other participants included the Rivers State Ministry of Environment, Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN), Centre for Environment, Human Right and Development (CERHD), and Society for Women and Youth Affairs (SWAYA).
The study, which covered 10 communities in Gokana and Tai LGAs, identified policy gaps and suggested inclusive actions, frameworks, and policy directions for sustainable mangrove management.
The communities include Bodo, Bomu, B.Dere, K.Dere, Lewe, Gbe, Goi, Gio, and Kporghor.
According to Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, Project Coordinator of HYPREP, the project’s mangrove restoration programme has recorded significant success, with over 1.3 million mangroves planted.
“We are adopting both restorative and conservative approaches in our mangrove restoration program,” Professor Zabbey said. “We are also in talks with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to commence a carbon quantification project and mobilize communities towards carbon credit.”
The workshop participants validated the findings and recommendations and expressed optimism that the study will influence policy directions, engender citizens’ actions, and promote resilience towards sustainable mangrove management in the Niger Delta.
Meanwhile, the HYPREP mangrove restoration programme has garnered global interest, particularly in relation to Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Considerations and climate change mitigation and adaptation.
The program’s update was recently published in the USA-based Mangrove News Digest, highlighting its impact on ecosystem restoration and community livelihoods.
The study’s findings and recommendations are expected to contribute to the development of policies and strategies for sustainable mangrove management in the Niger Delta.
With the project’s progress and global recognition, HYPREP is poised to make a significant impact on environmental conservation and community development in the region.
HYPREP Conducts Study On Sustainable Mangrove Management is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
