Preserving nature is AnnMary Raduva’s passion and the 15-year-old makes use of every opportunity to do right by the environment.

Yesterday, she led children and adults on an initiative to plant 2000 mangrove seedlings at the Nasese foreshore followed by a beach clean-up. The Adi Cakobau School student said she was happy that more than 100 people showed up to support the cause.

“Apart from my school mates and friends, those who attended include Member of ParliamentLenora Qereqeretabua, and participants from Wows Kids and the World Wild Fund for Nature” AnnMary said.

Members of the Fiji Under-12 and U-15 Baseball teams also came to support AnnMary’s initiative.

“Our target was to have fun while doing something worthwhile for the environment and that is the example I want to set for others,” AnnMary said. She said man- groves were natural carbon sinks and provided shoreline protection which made them vitally important for the environment.

“They are also a habitat for marine organisms like crabs so we need to make mangrove planting and conservation a priority,” AnnMary said.

She hopes to organise many more campaigns in the future and is now writing a book with her sister to raise awareness on the importance of mangroves, on the negative impacts of balloons and on how to help the environment.

“My message for people is to start with something simple, such as picking up rubbish,” AnnMary said.

“As people become more responsible for the environment, they will start making more efforts to protect it.”

Edited by Percy Kean

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