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Category: Environment

August 19, 2017 by ideas 0 Comments

އޮއިވާލި ދާ

އޮއިވާލިގެ ގޮތުގައި ރާއްޖޭގެ ކަނޑުތަކުން ކުރިން ފެންނަމުން ދިޔައީ ބޮޑެތި ލަކުޑިބުރިއާއި ބިޔަގަސްގަހުގެ ބުޑެވެ. މިފަދަ އޮއިވާލިތަކަކީ މަސްވެރިންނަށް ވަރަށް ފައިދާހުރި، ބޭނުންހިފޭ އެއްޗެސެވެ. އެގޮތުން މިތަކެތީގެ ނިވަލުގައި ރައްކާތެރިކަން ހޯދާގެން ދަތުރުކުރާ ެބޮޑެތިމަސްއައިންތައް ހޯދުމަށް މަސްވެރިން އޮއިވާލިއަށް ބަލާގެން ދުއްވައެވެ. އަދި އޮއިވާލިތައް ދޮށުން ހައްސަބާނާެެއެެެެެެވ.

ނަމަވެސް މިއަދު އޮއިވާލީގެ ގޮތުގައި ކަނޑުމަތިން ފެންނަމުންދަނީ ބޮޑެތި ޕުލާސްޓިކް ދާގަނޑު ގަނޑެވެ. އަދި އެތަކެއް ހާސް މަސްމަހާމެހި މީގެ ޝިކާރައަކަށް ވެގެންދާ މަންޒަރެވެ. ރާއްޖޭގެ ސަރަހައްދުން ފެންނަ ދާގަނޑުތަކުން މަރުވެ، ކުނިވެފައިވާ މިޔާރާއި ވެލާކަހަނބުތައް ފެނުމަކީ މިއަދު ވަރަށް އާންމުކެމެވެ. މިދާގަނޑުތަކީ އިންޑިއާ، ސިރީލަންކާ އަދި ބަންގާޅު ހިސާބުގެ މަސްވެރިން މަސްހިފުމަށް ބޭނުންކުރާ ދަލުގެ ތެރެއިން، ހަލާކުވުމުން ކަނޑަށް ދޫކޮށްލާ ތަކެއްޗެވެ. އޮޔާ ވަޔާއެކު މިތަކެތި ކަނޑުގައި އެތަކެއްދުވަސް ވަންދެން ދެމެމުން .އައިސް ރާއްޖޭގެ ފަރުތަކުގައި ހައްޔަރުވެއެވެެ. އަދި އޭގައި އޮޔައެޅުމުގެ ސަބަބުން ފަރުތަކުގެ މުރަކަތައް ހަލާކުވެ، ވެލާ ކަހަނބު މީގެ ޝިކާރައަކަށް ވެގެންދެއެވެ.

އޮއެވާލި ދަލާކީ މިއަދު ރާއްޖޭގެ ކަނޑުގެ ދިރުންތަކަށް ދިމާވެފައިވާ އެންމެ ބޮޑި އެއްބިރެވެ. ހާއްސަކޮށް ވެލާ ކަހަނބާ، އެންމަޑި އަދި މިޔަރުތަކަށް މީގެ ބިރުވެރިކަން ވަރަށް ބޮޑެވެ. މިފަދަ ދާގާނޑެއް ކަނޑުމަތިން ފެނިްޖެނަމަ، އޭގާއި ވޭލާކަހަނބު ހައްޔަރުވެފައިވޭތޯ ބަލާށެވެ. އަދި ވެލާކަހަނބު ހައްޔަރުވެފައިވާނަމަ، ވެލާކަހަނބު ސަލަމާތްކުރުމަށްފަހު ދާގަނޑު ހިކިފަސަތާކަށް އަރުވާށެވެ. ނަމަނަމަ އަލުން އަނބުރާ ކަނޑަށް އެއްލާނުލާށެވެ. ކަނޑަށް އެއްލާލުމުން އަނެއްކާވެސް ކަނޑުގެ އިތުރުދިރުންތައް މީގެ ޝިކާރައަކަށް ވެގެންދާނެއެވެ. މިފަދަ ދާގަނޑެއް ފެނިއްޖެނަމަ އޭގެ މަޢުލޫމާތު ފޮޓޯއާއެކު “އޮލިވްރިޑުލީ ޕުރޮޖެކްޓް” އާ ހިއްސާކޮށްލަދޭށެވެ. ކަނޑުގެ ދިރުންތައް ހިމާޔަތްކުރުމަށް އެމީހަކަށް ވެވުނު މިންވަރަކުން އެހީތެރިވެދޭށެވެ. ދިވެހި ކަނޑުތައް ހިމާޔަތްކުރުމަކީ ކޮންމެ ދިވެއްސެއްގެ ޒިންމާއެކެވެ.

އޮލިވްރިޑްލީ ޕުރޮޖެކްޓަކީ މިފަދަ ދާތަކުން ވެލާކަހަނބަށް ލިބޭ ގެއްލުންތަކާ ބެހޭގޮތުން މަސްވެރިން ހޭލުންތެރިކޮށް، ކަނޑަށް އުކާލާ ދާގަނޑުތަކުގެ މިންވަރު މަދުކުރުމަށް ހިލޭސާބަހަށް މަސައްކަތްކުރާ ޖަމިއްޔާއެކެވެ. އެގޮތުން ރާއްޖެ އާއި ޕާސްކިތާނުގެ މަސްވެރިންއުޅޭ ސަރަހައްދުތަކުގައި ހޭލުންތެރިކަން އިތުރުކުރުމަށް އެތަކެއް މަސައްކަތްތަކެއް ކުރުމުގެ އިތުރުން، ރާއްޖޭގެ ސަރަހައްދުން ފެންނަ،އަނިޔާލިބިފައިވާ ވެލާކަހަންބަށް ފަރުވާދޭ މަރުކަޒެއް ބ.ދުނިކޮޅު ރިޒޯޓްގައިވަނީ ގާއިމުކުރެވިފައެވެ. އަދި އެތަކެއް ވެލާކަހަނބަށް ފަރުވާދިނުމަށްފަހު ވަނީ އަލުން އަނބުރާ ކަނޑަށް ދޫކޮށްލެވިފައެވެ.

June 10, 2017 by ideas 0 Comments

The Wonders of Gaa Muli

Kelaa is an inhabited island found in the northern most atoll in the Maldives, Haa Alif. It is home to a unique reef formation, boasts a magnificent beach area, and is ripe with the telltale signs of tropical paradise: palms on palms on palms. In addition to this, the local population of Kelaa still maintains local traditions and customs, and their traditional celebrations are hard to rival.

Currently, there are efforts underway to build an integrated resort in the Thundi area of Kelaa, which also has a natural bay. This bay has a unique V- shape and is a protected section of calmer waters where a different ecosystem thrives. The area is rich in marine biodiversity, with baby sharks and rays flourishing among a significant number of juvenile fish. The proposed project will be constructed in this area of island.

Locals know the area by the name gaa muli, a name given to the site because of the coral gravel and small rocks (gaa) that cover an area which bends into the land (muli). The turquoise area is called fungandu which means deep area. In the past fungandu was much deeper with a vertical drop from the sandy area to the sea bed, hence the origin of the name. However, today with the construction of the harbor at the other end of the island, the changes in the current and wave patterns have now accumulated sand to the area and is much shallower.

Feel Sparse And Stark

The rich biodiversity that can be found at gaa muli is apparent even in the different species of fish that exist there. Besides baby sharks and sting rays, there are significant populations of samoan silverside (thaavalha), Redtailed Pipefish (venu bandeyri), Bluespotted cornet fish (onugandu tholhi) and many others. (For a more comprehensive list of fish species, please scroll to the end of the article).

For obvious reasons, this area is very popular for Stilt/Pole fishermen. They sit on their stilts for several hours, often with packed snacks to keep them occupied, while they fish for uniya and kalhu oh in Hulhangu moosun (southwest monsoon) when the sea is too rough for tuna fisheries. The age old custom of fishing in shallow water from vertical poles secured in the lagoon is unique and gradually dying out.

How To Make Your Kitchen Feel Like It's In The French Countryside

Kelaa’s gaa muli area is therefore not only important on biological levels, but also as a place that is deeply intertwined with local customs, traditions and history. As the integrated resort project continues to take shape, so do some concerns regarding the protection of the area.

The Maldives unfortunately has a bad track record of developmental efforts that directly pits economic activities against natural ecosystems and cultural heritage sites. Harbor dredging, large scale land reclamation, channel blasting with dynamite are modifying our coastal landscapes and island topography on scales we have never witnessed before. These coastal modification projects must take place with proper environmental impact assessments, which unfortunately is not the case with all the projects. Often, we are blind to the ecosystem impacts that these projects have, instead focusing on anthropogenic needs.

On the other hand, the Maldives also has some protected marine areas and few terrestrial sites. However, protection does not necessarily ensure conservation and appreciation. When poorly managed and monitored, these areas can suffer more damage than good.

These issues are a result of poor policy management that does not hold sustainability (of our people and culture as well as environment) as a key value. In contrast, if we moved past the idea that sustainability and development are at odds with each other, there are many opportunities to grow while ensuring future environmental, economic and social stability.

One of the ways in which we can do so is by exploring ecotourism on a strategic national level. The Nature Conservancy defines ecotourism as “environmentally responsible travel to natural areas, in order to enjoy and appreciate nature (and accompanying cultural features, both past and present) that promote conservation, have a low visitor impact and provide for beneficially active socio-economic involvement of local peoples.”

What this means on the ground is identifying ways in which our rich biodiversity and cultural heritage can be celebrated and preserved while reaping the benefits of tourism income. To do this, we must support local conservation efforts and incorporate locals in decision making. Often, they are the best identifiers of places that hold environmental and cultural importance.

We believe that the Thundi area in Kelaa is a prime example of such a place. For reasons outlined above, the protection of the area stands to have multiple benefits, not just on the environment but also on local income.

Kitchens That’ll Make You Want To Redo Yours

In addition to this, ecotourism poses educational benefits for both visitors and local communities – by teaching both to appreciate and conserve nature and heritage for future generations. To do this, we must encourage low-impact visitor behavior and a sensitivity towards local culture and biodiversity.

Furthermore, we must take a different approach to design with the idea of showcasing our local strengths without exploiting them. What are ways we can build for tourist accommodation without destroying natural habitat? What are ways in which we can design that celebrates local art and history?

As the integrated resort project efforts continue, we at IDEAS emphasize the importance of incorporating these biological and cultural aspects of the area into the project. The area must be left intact from human encroachment and preserved as a natural heritage site that benefits present and future generations. We hope that the bay area will be left intact in the form of a natural park to attract tourists.

With the right approach, the HA. Kelaa Thundi area is a prime location that can be used to promote ecotourism and showcase the diversity of marine life in the Maldives. We hope that these issues are taken into account, and conversations are held with local stakeholders and policymakers. Ecotourism when adapted on a policy level will promote economic and social development as well as environmental protection.

Fish species found in the area:

Baby sharks
Sting rays
Samoan silverside ( Local name : Thaavalha)- A seasonal fish used as bait.
Redtailed pipefish ( Local name : Venu bandeyri)
Bluespotted cornet fish ( Onugandu tholhi)
Half beak ( baipen tholhi)
Trevally ( handhi)
Double Spotted gueenfish ( Kashi vaali)
Small spotted dart ( Goru vaali)
Snubnose pompano ( rindha Vaali)
Big eye scad ( mushimas) – A seasonal fish
Bengal snapper ( Reendhoomas)
Common silver biddy ( Uniya)
Fringelip mullet ( Mekunu)
Baby trevally ( Korakali / handhala)
Humpback red snapper ( Ginimas)
One spot snapper ( Filolhu)
Painted sweetlips ( Kilanbu Guruva)
Thumbprint emperor ( Lah filohlhu / Vilu filolhu)
Six-fingered threadfin ( Keyla)
Dash-dot goatfish ( Maa kalhuoh’)
Side-spot goatfish ( lah kalhuoh’)
Barred flagtail ( Kattafulhi)
Seven –banded sergeant- major ( Gui burandha/ Gobbooru)
Convict surgeonfish (raabulha)
Spotted Unicornfish ( Thunbi/ a’mas)

Aerial Photography: Island Beauty of Kelaa
Landscape Photography: Adam Saaneez

May 31, 2017 by ideas 0 Comments

All About Mangroves

Mangroves are specially adapted plants usually found where freshwater bodies meet ocean water. Most of the world’s mangroves are found in areas where the river meets the ocean.

The mangrove ecosystems in the Maldives are mostly situated around enclosed or semi-enclosed freshwater lakes on our islands. Maldives has the most diversity in mangrove species for tropical archipelagos in the region. Worldwide, there are 20 families and 69 species of mangroves, of which 8 families and 13 species are found locally.

Most mangrove areas are found in northern and southern atolls without any significant populations centrally. And of these atolls, most mangroves are found in the northern atolls. 150 out of our 1190 islands have mangrove systems, which is roughly 12% of the Maldives and amounts to an area of 1.4 km2.

What makes mangroves extra special is the fact that they can flourish in salty waters and muddy areas with little oxygen. This amazing adaptation is a great source of security for Maldivian islands that are surrounded by the ocean!

One of the main ways in which mangroves adapt to these unlikely habitats is through its root systems. The roots of mangroves are lifted above water into the air to get oxygen from air. Some mangrove species like Randoo (Rhizophora Mucronata or Red Mangrove) have roots like anchors and arcs, coming down from higher up the trunk. Kuhlhava (Sonneratia Caseolaris or Mangrove Apple) species have roots like pencils that rise up from the water, and Bodavaki (Bruguiera Gymnorrhiza or Scarlet Mangrove) have roots like bent knees. These special root formations are an easy way to identify some mangrove species!

When it comes to getting access to water and withstanding the salt, mangroves are again specially adapted. Randoo filters out the salt right at the roots and only take up fresh water, while Kuhlhava uses their leaves to filter out the salt. It is possible to find traces of salt which have been filtered out on the back of the leaves. Moreover, some of the salt is also gathered to older leaves and branches so when they fall off the tree, the salt leaves too!

Mangroves provide a lot of ecosystem benefits, the first of which is providing stability. This comes in the form of their extensive root systems holding the soil in place, stabilizing shorelines and also acting as a barrier to wind and waves.

In addition to this, juvenile fish find sanctuary within the root systems and spend most of their young days in mangroves before heading out to the coral reefs! Mangroves are a detritus-based ecosystem, which means that their leaf litter provides the nutrients needed for related aquatic and terrestrial food webs.

Mangroves are also famous for their crabs. Kandoo Kakuni is in fact the largest land crab in the Maldives. Moreover, mangroves systems are home to diverse bird populations, which receive safety, food, water, and nesting areas there. Mangrove flowers act as an attractor for butterflies and bees – making mangroves extremely ecologically diverse and a beauty to behold!

Check out our facebook page every Monday to learn more about Mangroves through fun facts in our #MangroveMonday series!

Written by Hulwa Khaleel
Photos by Adam Saaneez

References

MEE. (2017). State of the Environment 2016. Male’, Maldives: Ministry of Environment and Energy

MHHE. (2003). Faathah. Male’, Maldives: Ministry of Homeaffairs, Housing, and Environment.

April 28, 2017 by ideas 0 Comments

Bringing the ‘Out of Sight’ into Focus

This year’s MoodhuMaakandu Festival was held at AA. Rasdhoo on 8th April 2017.

The IDEAS stall at MoodhuMaakandu Festival mainly focused on the issue of plastic pollution. Through an interactive game, the participants got to engage in dialogue about the threats faced to ecosystems and marine life due to plastic pollution. (Read our article about ocean pollution here).

The idea is simple. While throwing out pieces of plastic and other trash may not seem like a big deal (out of sight out of mind), more often than not they end up in the ocean. We wanted to talk about the ‘out of sight’ bit. What actually happens out of sight?

We set up a bin surrounded by drawings of ocean life to represent what is at stake when plastic lands in the ocean instead. Nearby, we set up a slingshot and a catapult and asked the participants to try and land the trash in the bin. This was our idea of a metaphor for the difficulties faced in the Maldives to properly deal with our plastic waste without getting in the ocean.

Most of the tries landed outside the bin and this gave us ample opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue about what it means to have plastic land in the ocean!

At IDEAS we value these interactions as we believe that the root of change lies in education. Thank you IUCN for the opportunity to engage with students.

Water and air, the two essential fluids on which all life depends, have become global garbage cans.

Jacques Cousteau
March 25, 2017 by ideas 0 Comments

Use Waste Bins, Not the Ocean

Meet our green bins that are ready to take up the fight against littering and plastic pollution!

IDEAS donated eight bins to the Kelaa island council who will take charge of managing them. Some of the bins have already been installed at the football grounds and volley courts, while the others will be set up near the beach area. Our goal is to keep our beautiful island of Kelaa and its beach clean and pristine and to create awareness about plastic pollution.

Today, it is all too common to see energy drink cans and water bottles littering our roads and public areas such as the volleyball courts, football grounds and beach areas especially after a big event. From their positions on our streets, it is not a far cry to end up in the ocean. In fact, the ocean may seem so vast, you may think that throwing that XL energy drink or that water bottle into the sea may not make a difference.

So Why is This an Issue?

Plastic is the number one source of pollution in our oceans.
Plastic and aluminum cans take longer than many other materials to break down.
Plastic never biodegrades. Over many hundreds of years they may break down to tiny particles that will still exist in the oceans, getting ingested by small fish, which are eaten by the big fish, which are ultimately eaten by us. In this way (and in many more ways than this), polluting makes us the agents of our own demise!
Sea animals mistake plastic for food and when ‘eaten’ can cause suffocation and other fatal problems. This will harm the health of our marine life in general.
A piece of plastic you throw in the ocean near Kelaa can end up killing more than one marine animal in places close to and far from Kelaa!

Ok, so what? How does it affect us in Kelaa?

The main thing going for us as Maldivians is tourism – especially for a small island community like us with a beautiful beach and amazing reef, a future of thriving guesthouse tourism is not a far off dream. What we don’t realize is how blessed we are to have access to beaches as pristine, lagoons as clear, and reefs as bursting with life. Maintaining it requires us to live in harmony with it and protecting it from harm.

Ok I see your point. What can I do? 

Use our bins and keep plastic trash away from our beach and oceans!
Reduce one-time use plastics like disposable cups, plates, plastic wrap, etc.
Stop buying water! Harvest rainwater and use filters where possible.
Buy in bulk! If you MUST buy bottled water, always buy the biggest size you can find so you get more water for less plastic. The same goes for other food and daily use items – even things like shampoo!
Use reusable bags. IDEAS recently facilitated the donation of 2000 reusable bags from Dhiraagu for the people of Kelaa.
Buy secondhand items! Buying used items in good condition will ensure that the packaging associated with new items is eliminated, and items in perfectly good condition do not end up at the garbage yard (or the ocean).
Tell your friends and family (and even strangers) about the dangers of littering and plastic pollution.
Put pressure on big corporations by using social media. Document the trash that washes up on your beaches. What labels do they have? Are they from safaris? From nearby resorts? Hold them accountable, use social media to pressure them to follow more sustainable practices.

This effort by us as a local NGO and the local island council will only be successful if we all do our part. Every citizen alike has a responsibility to keep our island and surrounding area beautiful, healthy and free of trash. IDEAS is moving forward in harmony with the environment with these bins and the reusable bags. Join us, do your part!