Volunteers gathered at Hungry Bay recently to help one of the island’s largest mangrove forests to bounce back from the lingering impact of Hurricane Fabian.

Representatives from the Bermuda Zoological Society, the Hungry Bay Planning Committee and Chubb Bermuda took part in replanting work at the site on South Shore, Paget, as part of the society’s Micro Forest Project.

The mangrove forest has struggled since 2003 when a natural breakwater got breached by Hurricane Fabian, exposing the red and black mangroves to wave erosion.

As part of restorations, volunteers spent June 4 building a barrier of rocks and fallen mangrove trunks to create a shield, intended to protect the newly planted mangroves and allow them to gain a foothold.

Nicholas Coelho, BZS micro forest officer, said: “The site poses some significant challenges due to tidal wave action that has caused erosion to the area, so creating this barrier was the first essential step to protecting the site from further erosion.

“The presence of this barrier will help lessen the impact on these developing seedlings.”

Mr Coelho said that the micro forest team put together a planting strategy to cover various areas of Hungry Bay including a rocky debris field referred to as “the graveyard” because of the number of dead mangroves littering the area.

“The beachfront is the easiest to replant because it is relatively shallow and it is in the intertidal zone and is free from a lot of the rocky debris that has been pushed up through the wave action over the years,” he said.

“This is a suitable location for the red mangrove seedlings we’ve been cultivating on Trunk Island in our mangrove nursery through the Micro Forest Project.”

He added that red mangroves were planted first as they are better able to survive the waves found in intertidal zones and would create a barrier to protect black mangroves farther inland.

Colin Jones, an area resident and a member of the Hungry Bay Planning Committee, assisted in ferrying the necessary tools and supplies, as well as the mangrove seedlings, across the bay as the site is accessible only by water.

He said he was happy to support the initiative, adding: “I grew up in and around mangroves both in Hungry Bay and Mill Creek, so I have seen first-hand how much of an impact they have on the ecosystem.

“I was saddened to see the regression in the Hungry Bay Reserve and was happy to have found like-minded individuals that were willing to commit to restore the reserve. I am looking forward to seeing the fruits of our labour in the years to come.”

Colin Brown, vice-president of admin and facilities for Chubb Bermuda, said: “Chubb’s commitment to making a profound impact in the Bermuda community is exemplified by helping to restore the once-flourishing protected nature reserve at Hungry Bay.

“Personally, seeing the passion these volunteers displayed rebuilding this critical reserve has only strengthened our desire to see this project thrive and benefit the ecosystem for years to come.”