By Elijah M. and Allen A.
On our fourth day in Panama, we went to the Punta Chame peninsula, where we were able to learn about the importance of mangroves with hands-on activities that included picking and planting mangroves. We learned about why mangroves are essential to the ecosystem in Panama and what we could do to help.
Historically, mangrove wood has been burned to produce charcoal, which can be used as a fuel source. Additionally, mangrove wood, especially the strong, dense wood of species like the red mangrove, has been used for smaller, local construction. Red mangrove bark is rich in tannins and is used to make a red dye for things like leather and fabric. These industries still continue in Panama on a limited basis, but because of increasing awareness about the imporance of mangrove forests in maintaining the ecological balance, there are laws that protect them, and people can face fines if they cut down the trees.
Mangroves serve as natural barriers that protect coastlines from erosion, while also supporting wildlife, making them essential for maintaining biodiversity. On top of that, these mangroves are also important in the local communities in Panama because they serve as resources for fishing and protection within the coastal area. There are many different types of mangroves, including white, red, tea, black, and buttonwood.
A group of scientists took us to a swampy, jungle-like beach to teach us a conservation technique used to help restore the mangrove forest. We learned about the techniques used to find and pick up the correct mangrove propagules (a seedling) so we wouldn’t gather any that weren’t going to be useful to our activity. We learned to only look for ones that were close to fresh with a green stem so we could replant them.
After we picked them, the scientists took us on a 15-30 minute boat ride where we walked through a bunch of rocks, what felt like quicksand, and mud – it was a very active workshop! During our workshop on the island, we also identified mangrove tree types in groups to test out our knowledge skills using the traits of the trees.
This workshop taught us why biodiversity is important all over Panama. These mangroves were an example of why humans have to reflect on their impact on the environment as a whole.