Olhagiri Management Plan gazetted
Management Plan for the core area of Baa Atoll Olhugiri has been completed and has been gazetted by the Ministry of Environment and Energy effective 14 March 2018. The Olhuguri Intergrated Management Plan (OMP) was developed after consultations with Baa Atoll Council, Hithaadhoo and Thulhaadhoo Island Councils, resource users from Hithaadhoo and Thulhaadhoo community, Finolhu Maldives, Cocopalm Resort, Baa Atoll Biosphere Reserve Office, Ministry of Environment and Energy and Environmental Protection Agency.
Under the plan developed for Olhugiri, Baa Atoll Biosphere Reserve Office together with Baa Atoll Council will be working together with Hithaadhoo and Thulhaadhoo Island Councils in managing the protected area of Olhugiri.
Located at the southern end of Baa Atoll, Olhugiri island is one of the two islands in the Maldives with regular roosting of Frigate Birds (mainly Lesser Frigate bird , fregata ariel). The island is also known for breeding red-billed tropicbird and nesting turtles and the island and its house reef was declared protected on 4 June 2006.
Gnaviyani Fuvahmulah Grade 12 students visits Baa BR
Students studying Grade 12 from Gnaviyani Atoll Educations has visited Baa Atoll Biosphere Reserve on a study tour. During this tour the students visited the protected area of Hanifaru where they were given first hand information on Hanifaru MPA, how the area is managed, information on Baa Atoll Biosphere Reserve, and what the challenges are in managing protected areas.
The students were accomapnied by their teachers and parents as well.
Info sessions for Girl Guides
An outreach session was held for the Girl Guides from Baa Atoll Education Center yesterday evening. A total of 102 girl guides were present at this session where information was provided to them by Baa Atoll Biosphere Reserve Office. Sessions similar to this are to planned be held at all the schools in Baa Atoll throughout the year.
Short Course on National Coral Reef Monitoring Protocols
A short trainng course on baseline data collection on the national coral reef monitoring framework protocols was conducted on Baa Atoll Maalhos with Maldivers Diving Center and Baa Atoll Biosphere Reserve Office from 20 March to 23 March 2018.
During the training participants were taught to conduct beach profiling, benthic substrate surveys, fish surveys and invertebrate surveys on the reef.
The trained members will continue monitoring their reefs and beaches to understand the changes to their environment over the long term.
The training course was conducted under the guidance of renowned Maldivian Marine Biologist Mr.Husen Zahir (Husenbe).
