The Ministry of Agriculture, in partnership with Dasley, Hillblom and Lynn and DHL Courier Express, have embarked on a plan to protect coastal areas near the capital city.

The first project undertaken by the partnership is the planting of 400 mangrove seedlings at Nasese yesterday.

DHL Courier Express country manager Mark Komene said: “It’s World Environment Day so we have chosen to do something for environment so this year we are planting mangroves to protect our seawalls and look after the environment.

“We are doing this with the Ministry of Fisheries and Forests to protect our shoreline and protect the ocean from coming to the land and protect the coastline.

“Our staff in Nadi will do the same at Wailoaloa Beach.”

Principal forestry officer Pita Rokobiau said; “Our mainstream is freshers and forest so we want to protect the coastal areas in terms of social, economic and environment development with people in Fiji.

“We are trying to protect our coastal areas for our locals and to attract the tourist.

“We want the Government bodies, civil society groups and companies like banks to work with us so that we can recover our coastal areas.

“We are trying to recover those areas so that there are more mangroves and we get enough fish.

“We have planned to plant mangrove seedlings in Ra and Rewa delta and Government is leading with this.”

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