Mangroves exist to protect the coastline from natural occurrences such as floods and hurricanes, but since they are usually chopped down and thrust aside to give way to expensive seashore development projects nowadays, more than forty volunteers gathered in the Crimson Development community area of Placencia last Friday, May 30 to participate in a mangrove planting activities organized in memory of an environmentalist, Adrian Vernon.

Amandala understands that approximately 400 seedlings were planted by members of the Vernon family, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the Southern Environmental Association (SEA), Oceana, the Placencia Village Council, the Placencia Citizens for Sustainable Development, the Placencia Fishermen’s Cooperative, Friends of the Placencia Lagoon, and the Coco Plum Resort and Residential Development.

The mangroves now line the canal adjacent to the Placencia airstrip, and will serve as a buffer for the residential plots of the Crimson Development community area.

Adrian Vernon is remembered as a staunch advocate for the protection of the Placencia Lagoon, as well as National Mangrove Restoration initiatives. He died in February of this year.