Rotary Club of East Nassau
- About the club
- Why are mangroves so important?
- The club's efforts
- How to help
About the club
The Rotary Club of East Nassau is one of the oldest clubs in the Bahamas, chartered in 1960. They are a group of 140 dedicated members in Nassau, Bahamas who share a passion for both community service and friendship. Becoming a Rotarian connects you with a diverse group of professionals who share your drive to give back and take meaningful action.
The club has a big focus on the environment and undertakes community service as well. The club held a joint mangrove clean up project to remove rocks, sediments, and sometimes trash to improve the flow of water through mangroves in New Providence, Bahamas. This flow of water is important for the mangrove ecosystem.
Why are mangroves so important?
Mangrove systems are an important part of The Bahamas’s natural ecosystem. They provide a habitat for birds and fish and importantly, help to prevent coastal erosion. This is a very important feature with the increasingly intense hurricanes as a result of climate change. In 2019, hurricane Dorian, a category 5 storm and the second strongest in the Atlantic, affected the Bahamas. Mangroves protect the Bahamas’ limestone foundation by preventing erosion.
In addition to the direct benefits to animals, the mangroves are a natural filtration system for groundwater. The Bahamas has freshwater tables throughout the country. Mangroves play a big role in maintaining filtration of groundwater.
The club’s efforts
Mangroves thrive in environments where there is equal flow between large bodies of water and shallow bodies where they reside. The club held a joint mangrove clean-up project with other Rotary Clubs to clear waterways of rocks, sediments, and build-up that gathers specially after hurricanes. This improves the flow of water through mangroves in New Providence, Bahamas. Water can reach shallow areas and enable mangrove plants to thrive.
Some mangrove forests live in protected areas. The Rotary Club of East Nassau protects mangrove systems by working closely with partners such as the Bahamas National Trust. It is a non-governmental organisation that oversees the natural resources of the Bahamas.
It is crucial to protect mangroves in low-lying countries like the Bahamas. The World Bank has produced research that shows that in other coastal countries like Bangladesh, mangroves can help preserve millions of lives and prevent billions of dollars of losses as a result of flooding.
How to help
Royann Dean is is the first director of the club’s first Environmental Protection, Responsibility and Sustainability committee. She has been a Rotarian for approximately one decade and has also served as the public relations director and on the vocational committee. Â
She leaves us with an empowering message: “Let your voices be heard and see how you can take small steps to make big change to help mitigate the impact of climate change, not only where you live, but also around the world!”
The Rotary Club of East Nassau is committed to educating our community to become more aware of the impact of climate change and simple actions that they can take to mitigate its impact. As people of action, the Rotary Club of East Nassau is in early conversations with the Bahamas National Trust to participate in its national mangrove clean-up and restoration efforts. Their goal is to engage Rotary clubs throughout The Bahamas and get more hands involved in these types of projects. You can learn more about them by visiting their website or via social media on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.
