A far-flung chapter of the Surfrider Foundation is encouraging the community-led replanting of mangroves – trees that have the power to stem the destructive force of hurricanes – not by hand but with paragliders.
The foundation, a nonprofit organization based in San Clemente, strives to protect oceans and beaches around the world based on the work of over 80 U.S. and international chapters, and more than 100 school clubs.
The goal of their efforts is to give “nature a boost to be able to heal itself and be more resilient to the impacts of climate change,” Carla Avila-Martinez, Surfrider’s climate action program manager, told Times of San Diego.
Mangroves grow in tropical areas where they have adapted to survive in saltwater and low-oxygen soil. After Hurricane Maria in 2017 in Puerto Rico, 95% of the mangroves died, according to Hector Varela-Velez of Surfrider Puerto Rico.
Varela-Velez has been leading the paragliding initiative to plant mangrove seeds in areas people can’t reach or are difficult to get to. The restoration of these trees have the power to block strong waves and save communities from being flooded, Varela-Velez told Times of San Diego.
Drones are expensive, which is a part of the reason they chose to work with paragliders, Avila-Martinez said. They also don’t hold as many seeds as paragliders can.
About two years ago, Varela-Velez began working with Surfrider Puerto Rico to restore the island’s sand dunes and mangrove areas. With a couple friends who were experienced in paragliding, they worked together to create a map using Google Earth so they would know where to drop the seeds.
This is the first time they’ve used paragliders, he said. And he sees it becoming a system Puerto Rico can use in the future.
Avila-Martinez said the activity has increased the Puerto Rico chapter’s capacity for more of this kind of work since a lot of areas on the island are inaccessible due to water mass.
Mangroves are an important plan for the island, as they have the power to stop hurricane destruction and protect coastal communities, Avila-Martinez said.
“Mangroves are incredibly magical,” she said. “[They are] like natural buffers that help protect the habitat for fish and other wildlife in the area.”
Mangroves also have the capacity to stop carbon at a rate up to five times higher than a tropical rainforest, she said.
Varela-Velez said it’s important for the community to understand how essential these trees are in preventing flooding, as they can absorb great amounts of water.
“We need more mangroves, more resistance, for help to the community,” he said. “They [absorb] all water, and they save communities from being flooded.”
The first step for the community to get involved is to learn about the different types of mangroves and how to plant them.
“Our work, it’s not industrial restoration,” Varela-Velez said, “It’s more teaching or learning restoration. We’re learning for the community, and we’re teaching about the mangrove.”
Once the community recognizes the importance of the area, they can see the natural effect that unravels within the ecosystem, he said. If the mangrove is planted, the sand dunes and reefs are protected – everything works together to protect the community.
The goal of the Puerto Rican chapter’s work is to inspire the next generation of young leaders to study ecosystem-related concepts while in college, Varela-Velez said.
“This has just been a really great innovative way to involve the community and do this work,” Avila-Martinez said.
