Volunteers from Abu Dhabi’s media hub, twofour54, planted 350 seedlings yesterday to maintain and strengthen the mangroves at Saadiyat Lagoons District.
The trip was arranged as part of twofour54’s Year of Giving activities and was facilitated by Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC) and Europcar.
Mangroves are an important part of the world’s ecology, helping to support a complex aquatic food web and habitat for variety of birds, fish and marine fauna. Mangroves can store 3,754 tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare, helping to lessen the effects of global warming and climate change. At Saadiyat, the mangroves act as stabilization force to protect the coastline from erosion. To support this important wetlands, a dedicated inter-tidal nursery has been established on the island, which has produced over 700,000 seedlings to date. The success of the nursery has allowed a significant number of mangrove seedlings to be donated to other projects in Abu Dhabi.
Acting CEO of Abu Dhabi’s media zone, twofour54, Maryam AlMheiri, joined the team of more than 50 volunteers who were treated to a lecture on the importance of wetlands to the protection of the environment as part of the planting session. Among the volunteers were twofour54 staff as well as members of its youth talent initiative, creative lab. Employees from media companies based at twofour54, including HB Experience, M&C Saatchi, and Pro Per Events, also took part, while community member Hector D’Silva volunteered to shoot a video of the event.
AlMheiri commented: “The Year of Giving aims to promote a culture of selfless contribution to make our nation even stronger. Today, the twofour54 team has been able to help strengthen the natural habitat of Abu Dhabi and give back to the lands that enable us to prosper and grow.”