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Key Conservation Organizations Commit to Scaling-Up Mangrove Restoration on World Mangrove Day

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#TheBahamas, August 2, 2023 – In recognition of World Mangrove Day, a diverse group consisting of conservation entities and academic institutions committed to collaborating through an unprecedented agreement to scale up efforts to restore mangrove ecosystem function in areas hard-hit by Hurricane Dorian in 2019 that are showing little to no signs of recovery almost four years later.

This agreement was memorialized Wednesday, July 26, with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by founding members of the Bahamas Mangrove Alliance (Bonefish and Tarpon Trust, Perry Institute for Marine Science, and Waterkeepers Bahamas), Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute, Bahamas National Trust, Blue Action Lab, Friends of the Environment, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources – Forestry Unit, and The Nature Conservancy. The signing was held at the Harry C. Moore Library – University of The Bahamas. The group will also support developing and implementing a national mangrove restoration and monitoring plan and identify sustainable financing options to support long-term mangrove restoration needs.

“The signing of this MOU on World Mangrove Day is a momentous occasion for The Bahamas and its precious mangrove ecosystems,” stated Rashema Ingraham, Executive Director of Waterkeepers Bahamas, and member of the Bahamas Mangrove Alliance.” Through this collaborative effort, we will increase our capacity to execute restoration projects and pave the way for an ambitious scaling up of scientific research and community involvement in the preservation of these invaluable habitats.”

Mangroves are a critically important habitat for fish and wildlife, and they support Bahamian livelihoods through fishing and tourism. The natural infrastructure provided by mangroves aids in preventing erosion and absorbing storm surges during severe weather such as hurricanes or floods. Mangroves are among the most productive ecosystems on the planet and store up to five times more carbon than upland tropical forests, thus playing an important role in the global effort to reduce greenhouse gasses.

“All my life I’ve spent fishing, and today I’m excited to be a part of the mangrove restoration. This means so much to not only me but to all the folks who live here. When you think about the bonefish, they need the crabs, they need the shrimp, they need the mangroves. I’m filled with joy. To me, this is a dream come true. I remember in 2019 when I came out here after the storm and saw all the dead mangroves. I said, God, You’ve got to help us, and today, I see all of this wonderful work helping to bring it back,” said Sherman Tate, a fishing guide at East End Lodge on East Grand Bahama.

In 2019, Hurricane Dorian struck The Bahamas, devastating about 21,000 hectares of mangrove forests on Abaco Island and 22,000 hectares on Grand Bahama – equivalent to over 80,000 football fields. Some of the impacted areas are slowly regenerating, but due to the loss of mature plants that produce seeds, most of them will not recover without help.

This diverse group of agencies and leading non-profit organizations based in The Bahamas are coming together to increase coordination and ensure long-term support to take on mangrove restoration at scales needed to accelerate natural recovery and prevent further loss of the benefits that mangroves provide, bringing immense value to The Bahamas.

One of the group’s key priorities is to engage with community partners to build local capacity to conduct education and restoration activities such as seed collection, planting, and monitoring.

To learn more or get involved with restoration efforts, contact Rashema Ingraham, at 1-242-373-7558 or rashema@waterkeepersbahamas.com.

Initial funding for this historic effort is generously provided by: Builders Initiative, COmON Foundation, Global Environmental Facility Small Grants Programme – The Bahamas, Global Fund for Coral Reefs, Moore Bahamas Foundation and The Nature Conservancy.

 

Photo Captions

Header: Strengthening Alliances for Mangrove Restoration:  Historic MOU signed on World Mangrove Day (July 26th) Front L-R Jim McDuffie, Bonefish & Tarpon Trust; Rashema Ingraham, Waterkeepers Bahamas; Dr Craig Dahlgren, Perry Institute for Marine Science

Back L-R  Dr Carlton Watson, University of The Bahamas; Marcia Musgrove, The Nature Conservancy; Dr Brandon Bethel, University of The Bahamas; Geoffrey Andrews, Bahamas National Trust

1st insert: Representatives from key conservation organizations attend MOU signing at the Harry C. Moore Library, University of The Bahamas on World Mangrove Day (July 26th)

2nd insert: Red Mangroves ready for Outplanting

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Twist To Win Ends in a Grand Style with Four $5,000 Mall at Marathon Shopping Sprees  

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Twist To Win grand finale winners (l-r) Brian Bethel, Taraceta Neely, Ashia Demeritte and Merlin Adams posing along with their winnings from the shopping spree.

NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers and distributors of Coca-Cola and Dasani products concluded their 10 weeklong Twist To Win campaign with four $5,000 Mall at Marathon shopping sprees.

The campaign which was available throughout the entire Bahamas allowed consumers to enter by purchasing a 20oz bottle with a yellow cap from the following brands: Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola No Sugar, Sprite, Fanta Orange, or Fanta Grape. Each yellow-cap had a unique alpha numeric code underneath which they submitted to the Twist To Win WhatsApp number.

With each qualifying purchase, participants residing in The Bahamas were entered to win instant prizes and into a grand prize draw to win one of four $5,000 shopping sprees at the Mall at Marathon.

Participants also enjoyed exciting instant prizes such as: Airpods, JBL Speakers, premium Coca-Cola merchandise, $500 Visa gift cards and Amazon, Spotify and Apple Music digital gift cards.

Out of 76,000 plus submissions, Brian Bethel, Ashia Demeritte, Merlin Adams, and Taraceta Neely won the coveted Mall at Marathon shopping sprees at the following select stores, Kelly’s House & Home, The Sports Center, John Bull, Brass & Leather, and BTC.

Leading up to the grand finale shopping spree, Coca-Cola hosted a Trivia Showdown with the eight finalists to determine the four winners. Finalists were tested on their knowledge of World History, Pop Culture, Caribbean Bottling Company and Coca-Cola Facts!

After a few rousing rounds of trivia, the four winners were declared after each winning their spot in the shopping spree by answering their questions correctly and choosing the “Grand Prize” Coca-Cola labeled bottles at random.

The morning of the shopping spree Coca-Cola gave the winners exclusive access to the Mall at Marathon and its participating stores before their usual operating hours. Grand prize winners were greeted with wide smiles from Coca-Cola brand representatives and morning bites before the big event.

At the start of the thirty-minute clock the grand prize winners along with each of their Coca-Cola shopping assistants ran to the various stores collecting items in their arms and carts.

Merlin Adams, a husband and father of four was proud to have executed his game-plan at the end of the shopping spree. With toys, a new phone and materials for his home from Kelly’s, Adams felt accomplished in what he gathered.

Taraceta Neely, a winner from Eleuthera collected beautiful bags for herself and relatives from Brass and Leather and Brian Bethel bought matching athletic and outdoor wear from The Sports Center for his family.

The final winner Ashia Demeritte bought linens and household items in addition to a new phone from BTC right in time for Christmas.

Caribbean Bottling Company is proud to share the real magic of Coca-Cola with the grand prize winners and the may instant prize winners across the Twist To Win campaign. For more updates on new products, promotions, and events follow www.cbcbahamas.com.

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 The Coca-Cola Art Project Astonishes Art Lovers at The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival  

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NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers and distributors of Coca-Cola and Dasani products displayed their astonishing Coca-Cola Art Project (CCAP), during Baha Mar’s five-day Culinary & Arts Festival.                                                                                                                                                                              Earlier this year, Coca-Cola partnered with The University of The Bahamas’ Visual Art and Design Department for a culturally rich art competition. UB’s art students were challenged to create pieces surrounding the theme, Bahamian music.

As a result, 20 student works of art were made, with four students declared as winners at the CCAP exhibit opening in Baha Mar’s ECCHO: Art Gallery in August. To recreate the culturally stimulating magic felt at the exhibit’s premiere, the CCAP was featured at the FUZE Art Tent during The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival.

Nine incredible pieces of art lined the walls of the Coca-Cola Art Project, four of which included the winning pieces from Jhanaisia Cole, with ‘Gaulin Bride’; Alyssa Pinder, with ‘Shotgun Wedding’; Nelson Gray, with ‘Untitled’; and Jaela Bowe, with the piece ‘Whims of Obeah, a Folktail’.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Additionally, an intimate listening room was built. It displayed students’ artistic processes, UB Visual Art and Design representatives, and a recap of the exhibit opening for audiences.

Art enthusiasts also enjoyed premium limited-edition CCAP keepsakes at the booth. Journals which featured a collage of all 20 student submissions on the front and back cover, postcards with an art piece on the cover along with the student’s name, title, dimension and materials on the back and pens designed with the CCAP’s dynamic logo.

Throughout the art festival diverse groups of people visited the art tent taking in the displays while enjoying the artistic insights from the listening booth.

Community and culture are always at the forefront of Caribbean Bottling Community, and it was boldly showcased during The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival for the third consecutive year.

For more details on the Coca-Cola Art Project, events and new products visit www.cbcbahamas.com today!

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CWS Brings a Galore of Bubbles at Annual Jollification Festival  

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Caribbean Wines & Spirits team members smiling behind one of the company’s two bars at Jollification

NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Wines & Spirits (CWS), The Bahamas’ premier wines and spirits distributor delighted Jollification attendees with bubbles from their Bottega and Bouvet Ladubay sparkling wines and Besserat de Bellefon champagne lines.

Located in the Monument Circle on The Retreat grounds, CWS transformed The Retreat Garden into a lush lounge with Besserat, Bouvet and their latest product addition, Bottega, during the two-day affair.

The festivities kicked off Friday during BNT Member’s Night. Guests enjoyed exclusive offerings from CWS’s catalogue, offered exclusively to members.  Complimentary mixes or glasses on the rocks included El Tequileno tequila, Hard Truth whiskey, House of Angostura rum, Cross Keys gin, Nemiroff vodka and a slew of wines such as Fonesca Bin, Bottega and Besserat.

Guests also savored the ‘Jolly Paloma’ cocktail, an instant favorite made with El Tequileno tequila, Schweppes Grapefruit and Domaine de Paris rose wine.  To end the night, guests were treated to branded limited-edition wine tumblers as keepsakes.

On Saturday and Sunday, Jollification attendees delighted in glasses or bottles of champagne and sparkling brut or rosé wines while taking in the comfort of the chic lounge.  In addition to purchasing bottles for onsite consumption, consumers were also able to purchase bottles as gifts whether for themselves or someone special.

The sophisticated “bubble lounge” lounge was decked with velvet couches, gold rimmed cocktail tables, blue and pink pillows, and a white floral branded backdrop created for capturing the perfect picture.

Caribbean Wines & Spirits, a historic partner of the Bahamas National Trust was pleased to support Jollification 2025 to kick off the festive season and share their expansive range of spirits.

To keep up to date with all CWS products and events, visit their website at www.cwsbahamas.com today.

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