From famous boxer to mangrove conservationist, Dominggus Sinanu
Together with Pattimura University we started restoring mangroves forests on three locations. We first visited a mangrove nursery in Passo, where a remarkable story struck us. The famous boxer Dominggus Sinanu moved to Ambon and noticed the decline in the number of fish he caught while fishing. He noticed there were more fish among healthy mangroves and started protecting and planting mangroves. He did this without any financial aid from outside. Late in life the government recognized his important work and he got a medal and a special trofee from president Suharto. Unfortunately, Dominggus is no longer alive, but his daughter, Diana Sinanu and her family is continuing his legacy.
We choose this mangrove nursery location as our first place to plant some mangroves with BESE-elements to expand this vital conserved area of mangroves. BESE-elements reduce wave action, reduce predation and increase sedimentation for the mangrove seedlings and propagules planted within the BESE-elements. This increases the success rate of mangrove restoration.
We also like to re-energize this mangrove nursery of Diana and start the first BESE-elements mangrove nursery. We will help Diana grow mangrove seeds and propagules in the BESE-elements, so after a year these grown mangroves in BESE-elements can be relocated easily to a degraded mangrove forest.
A quiet fisheries office, Waai
We also visited a quiet office of the ministry of fishery. Beautiful old mangroves are growing here, however there are no younger mangroves growing. This is partly due to the plastic pollution which bouncing against the seedlings and enveloping their leaves.
At this location we planted different species of mangroves in BESE-elements, Rhizophora apiculate, Sonneratia alba and Ceriops tagal. We also cleaned-up the beach and set-up a net around the area to protect the planted mangroves from new plastic washing up. The people from the fisheries department office were very happy with their cleaned beach and new mangroves growing.
Pattimura research center, Ambon
After showing the students from Pattimura how to use the BESE-elements to plant mangroves we let them take the lead. Within a morning they had set-up another pilot of mangrove restoration with BESE-elements, they also placed additional controls per plot of BESE-element.We also taught them how to do scientific measurements and make a map. After which they practiced doing the measurements on their own.
In the meantime, a team of handyman from Pattimura university was setting up a net to protect this pilot project from floating debris.
MOU with Centre of Collaborative Research on Aquatic Ecosystems
An MOU has been signed between Waardenburg Ecology and Centre of Collaborative Research on Aquatic Ecosystems.
Presentation for the Marine Biology faculty of Pattimura
To exchange knowledge and expertise we gave a presentation to the faculty of Marine Biology of Pattimura University.
Coral reef restoration experiment
So far, we have not yet done a lot of coral reef restoration with our biodegradable projects. Therefore, Peter used his coral reef restoration background to set-up some experiments.
The first one is to see how the BESE-elements can improve coral reefs and if corals will settle on them. The second is using the BESE-mesh to create a breakwater of coral rubble, which should also function as an artificial reef and a place for coral recruits to settle upon.
Seagrass and oyster experiments
We know the BESE-elements work very well for seagrass meadow and oyster reef restoration. We expect the same in Ambon we but like to see this confirmed. So, we also set-up an experiment for seagrass and oysters.
With special thanks to Dr. Gino Limmon from Pattimura University who made all the arrangements, so our 10-day trip was of maximum efficiency.
