Everything in our lives depends on the mangroves
ANNADEL SALVIO CABANBAN PROGRAMME MANAGER ‘PARTNERS FOR RESILENCE’ - PHILIPPINES HEAD OF OFFICE PHILIPPINES
Who is Annadel Cabanban? I’m the eldest of six kids, and so I have five younger broth- ers and sisters. I’m happy that I am back in the Philippines and I can now celebrate birthdays with them. I worked in academia until 2016. Afterwards, I started working for non-governmental organisations in both Malaysia and the Philippines. I have also worked for the United Nations En- vironment Programme in Thailand and the United Nations Office for Project Services in the Philippines. As a marine biologist, I feel honoured to be working in the Philippines on coastal and marine conservation, especially as I am a recipient of scholarships from the Philippines and Australia. Working for Wetlands International fits well with my philosophy, as it is an organisation that builds links between science and policy, and that has a mission to con- serve wetlands for people and nature. On a personal note, I enjoy reading autobiographies and watching courtroom dramas like Suits. This is my evening reward. I also like jazz. My favourite artists are Wynton Mar- salis, Ella Fitzerald, and Serafia. They are all great to me.
the draft Manila Bay Sustainable Development Masterplan. There is a wide expanse of wetlands there, like mudflats and mangrove forests. Unfortunately, they are heavily disturbed. Building with Nature, will protect parts of the coastline, prevent flooding, restore habitats of water birds and migratory birds, and rehabilitate habitats of fish, shrimps, shellfish, and crabs that are important for food. Because of our success with this, we are hopeful that the northern part of Manila Bay, which has a breathtaking amount of biodiversity, especially of migratory birds, will be invested in by the public and private sectors. What are your goals for 2020? In 2020, I would like us to strengthen some of the river ba- sin management councils in the Philippines. We can do this by providing them with the necessary business-planning skills so that they can raise funds for their respective inte- grated management plans. The goals of management plans is to rehabilitate the watershed so that it will continue to store water, reduce risks to flooding and landslides, and provide clean water to drink and to grow food. What is your favourite species? I have several favourite species, depending on the wetland. But if I had to pick one, it would be the angelfish. They’re colourful and beautiful.
delta during 2019 through our promotion of theatre, en- vironment clubs in schools and community radio to raise awareness about the value of mangroves, and instil pride in this natural heritage. More than 50 radio programmes were broadcast on 12 stations. The ultimate aim of Mangrove Capital Africa is to increase the ecological, social and economic value of more than a million hectares of African mangroves. We have global ambitions too. In 2019, with partners including NASA and geographers at Aberystwyth University in Wales, we pub- lished a series of maps of the world’s mangroves and their health. The maps have already been used to devise more restoration plans and to help countries report progress to- wards achieving several Sustainable Development Goals. For too long, mangroves have been ecological backwaters, ignored by forest and marine conservation communities alike. We are changing that.
Partners Aberystwyth University The Nature Conservancy (TNC) soloEO NASA JAXA The CSO platform University of Dakar The Tanzania Forest Service
Donors Turing Foundation Waterloo Foundation Otter fonds Oak foundation DOB Ecology
What was the most significant success you had in 2019 in the project?
Our most significant success was incorporating the ‘Build- ing with Nature’ approach as part of the integrated coastal management for the northern part of Manila Bay. This intervention in the northern part of Manila Bay is part of
For the entire list see Annex
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Wetlands Annual Review 2019
Wetlands Annual Review 2019
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