MÉRIDA, Yucatan.- Due to the diverse environmental services that mangroves provide for the stability of marine ecosystems worldwide, their protection is already a priority to avoid climate change.
Because of this, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the Bezos Earth Fund, founded by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, announced on Monday a project to restore Mexican mangroves.
The action areas to be protected in Yucatán will be the Río Lagartos Biosphere Reserve and the Dzilam State Reserve.
Also, the Yum Balam Flora and Fauna Protection Area, in Quintana Roo, and the Marismas Nacionales region, in Nayarit.
Satellites serve environmental specialists
”The World Wide Fund for Nature will work closely with communities and experts in each country to integrate their information to that sent by space satellites. This collection of knowledge will help us apply restoration and protection strategies, ”said Karen Douthwaite, Lead Specialist for Oceans at the United States Fund.
The organization recalled that these ecosystems are natural flood control systems and hurricane barriers, thus protecting coastal communities. Also, he pointed out that they are feeding, shelter, and growth areas for fish and crustaceans.
Without specifying the amount, WWF Mexico reported that the Bezos Earth Fund will grant a donation that will “finance the projection and restoration” of mangroves in the aforementioned areas of the country.
“WWF is deeply grateful for this transformative investment and for the impact this commitment will have on millions of people around the world,” said Jorge Rickards, CEO of WWF Mexico, in a statement.
Mexico concentrates 6 percent of the world’s total mangroves and is the fourth country with the largest presence of this ecosystem, just below Indonesia, Australia and Brazil, according to the Conabio Mangrove Monitoring System of Mexico.
Ecocides in natural areas
Civil associations have denounced “ecocides” in recent years for the construction of tourist complexes and real estate in areas that should be protected.
With the gift of the Bezos Earth Fund, the World Wildlife Fund promises to work with local communities within the next five years to “reduce vulnerabilities to climate change” and directly benefit thousands of people.
Shaken by the fragility of the Earth
On Tuesday, Bezos said upon returning from his trip to space that the strongest part of it was recognizing how fragile Earth’s atmosphere is.
“The atmosphere is so gigantic, but when you are above it, what you see is that it really is very thin. It is a small and fragile thing and as we move around the planet, we are damaging it ”, he warned.
