November 2006 Reef Ball/DOE/Cayman Sailing Club/Local Volunteer Red Mangrove Nursery Creation Project

The DOE obtained a grant for creating a Red Mangrove Nursery to replant Red Mangroves in areas lost to hurricane damage. Because some areas where stripped of natural "mangrove muck" and were exposed to waves, the mangroves could not restart themselves naturally. DOE joined forces with the Reef Ball Foundation to use small reef ball "mangrove planters" and a combination of international and local volunteers to complete the project. The project sucessfully planted over 850 red mangrove trees in just two weeks. After the trees reach the appropriate height for their intended final locations they will be moved from the nursery and planted. Find photos and documentation of the building of the red mangrove nursery, potting over 850 mangroves and planting them in a plastic lined nursery. Space donated by Cayman Island Sailing Club, grant funding and project management by Cayman Department of Environment, and training and volunteers provided by Reef Ball Foundation. Additional funding from the Spurlino Foundation.