Abstract

Jamaica has several towns and communities established within or in close proximity to coastal mangrove forests. Portland Cottage is located in the largest protected area in the island, the Portland Bight Protected Area, and is one such community with a population showing varying levels of dependence on the adjacent mangrove forests. The general area was severely affected by Hurricane Ivan (2004), which caused loss of human life, destruction of houses and the toppling of hundreds of acres of mangrove trees. Extensive blocking of tidal channels occurred resulting in mangrove die-off, due to anoxic and hyper-saline conditions. In April 2012, the National Environment and Planning Agency with assistance from the European Union (EU) embarked on the ecological restoration of approximately 5 hectares of mangrove forest in Portland Cottage. This project sought to rehabilitate the ecological character and functional capacity of the forest. Activities included the construction of tidal canals, planting of nursery grown seedlings and propagules from the surrounding forest, fencing to exclude grazing by goats and capacity building of stakeholders. The mangrove forest pilot project in Portland Cottage has responded positively to the ecological restoration approach. The results showed a 40% survival of planted mangrove saplings with development of prop roots and/or pneumatophores. Transplanted and naturally recruited seedlings accounted for an impressive increase in overall seedling density and mean height of 127% and over 100% respectively relative to Time Zero (September 2012) as well as a 1:2 ratio of transplanted versus naturally recruited seedlings.

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