I have been involved with the Mangrove Action Project (MAP) since it was founded over two decades ago. Although MAP is a small organization with limited funding, MAP has certainly had a considerable impact on the issues that it has engaged with. If it had more funding, it would have been able to do much more. It never wastes money, and its director has proven to be very ethical. He pays himself very little, and he never puts himself first. MAP has had much more influence than its funding would indicate. Money donated to MAP is certainly money well spent. Nothing is wasted. In addition, MAP has concentrated on pushing the right causes. It has not only been on the side of environmental protection. It has also been on the side of local people living in mangrove areas, and this is crucial. It is on the side of the disadvantaged small-scale fishers. It is a friend of small organizations on the ground around the world. It has always fought for equality and fairness. The only problem has been its limited financial resources. It hasn't sold out, and MAP definitely deserves out support.
MAP is a unique non-profit in its focus on human-environment interactions, a very geographical concept that embodies social justice issues in its environmental agenda. It has a global reach and is well-respected by the grassroots organizations with which it interacts. In addition to maintaining a world-wide network of mangrove non-profits through its newsletter, MAP produces a charming and lovely calendar every year of children's art related to mangroves. While it is engaged with climate change, MAP does not compromise its belief in ecological restoration rather than photogenic 'quick fixes' unfortunately too common. As such, it has been influential in promoting working with nature, not against it, in the international policy arena. It is still far too small an organization for the gargantuan task of keeping mangroves functional world-wide, but engages others, especially K-12, in the task through its enormously sought-after Education Curriculum.
Sharing ourexperiences on mangroves forest destruction with Mr. Afredo Quato in Trang province Thailand for over two decades. Later Mangrove Action Project was formed and growing recognized globally.
Map plays active roles in protecting mangrove forest, fighting against coastal fishers discrimination, as well as information dissemination to awake people to cooperate in saving mangroves and protect the rights of poor coastal fishers.
