International Day of the Mangrove

This July 26^th in Huaquillas, El Oro, Ecuador, the Federation of Artisan Fishermen “Frontera Sur” and Arcoiris Ecologic Foundation organized various activities to bring attention to the important mangrove forest ecosystem and celebrate the International Day of the Mangrove. Educational talks, puppet shows, mangrove tours, parades, ecologic murals, drawing competitions, and open discussions were all part of the actions to create awareness about conserving the nearby mangrove forests.

The municipal government of Huaquillas, including mayor Manuel Aguirre and the city councilors, helped out as well by holding a public town hall meeting in the park “El Agarrobo”. Here the Community Forest Protection project was announced, an initiative that will include the entire coast of Huaquillas County. The ground breaking ceremony was also held for for the construction of “La Casa del Pescador”, or The Fishermen's House, which will be built with the help of the local government. Both of these events represent a huge success for the traditional fishermen working for the conservation of this ecosystem. 

The participation of government officials, schools, fishermen, and the general public in each one of the events all contributed to the day's success. The initiative and dedication shown by the fishermen in the development of the activities was also crucial in Arcoiris's organization of the Day of the Mangrove. From here, Arcoiris faces new challenges in supporting the local government of Huaquillas as they organize the fourth Binational Congress of Tourism, which will take place in September. Arcoiris will also be working in Huaquillas on two new projects financed by the Belgian Embassy; one on environmental education and the other on properly managing shellfish in the area. All of the combined efforts of local fishermen, the government of Huaquillas, international cooperation, and Arcoiris Ecologic Foundation will continue to work to achieve proper conservation of mangrove forests in the province of El Oro.

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