>> OVER THE YEARS, COASTAL
DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTH FLORIDA
HAS DECIMATED MAN GROVE
FORESTS THAT HAVE GROWN HERE
FOR CENTURIES.
IT’S ONLY NOW WE’RE REALIZING JUST HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO
JUST HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO
RESTORE THOSE MAN GROVES AS WE
BATTLE THINGS LIKE SEA LEVEL
RISE, POLLUTION AND COASTAL
EROSION.
>> LOUIS INTRODUCES YOU TO A VERY DETERMINED YOUNG MAN FROM
VERY DETERMINED YOUNG MAN FROM
FORT LAUDERDALE ON A PERSONAL
CRUSADE TO PLANT AS MANY MAN
GROVES AS HE CAN.
>> I WANT TO SEE HUGE GREEN
MANGROVES ALL ALONG THE SEA WALLS.
THAT I KNOW ARE KRIBLT --
CONTRIBUTING TO THAT CLEANER
WATER. >> JONAH MAY BE 16 YEARS OLD
>> JONAH MAY BE 16 YEARS OLD
AND A JUNIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL,
BUT HE’S GOT A BIG VISION FOR
WHAT HE WANTS SOUTH FLORIDA TO
LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE.
>> A BLUE WATERWAY THAT’S
REFLECTING THE SKY AND NOT REFLECTING THE TOXINS AND
REFLECTING THE TOXINS AND
EVERYTHING THAT’S IN IT.
AND A WATER WAY THAT’S NOT
FILLED WITH TRASH. >> AND HE’S NOT WAITING FOR
>> AND HE’S NOT WAITING FOR
ANYONE ELSE TO DO IT.
JONAH’S GETTING HIS HANDS
DIRTY, BEING THE CHANGE HE WANTS TO SEE IN THE WORLD.
WANTS TO SEE IN THE WORLD.
>> THIS IS ALL I TALK ABOUT.
>> HEARTBROKEN TO SEE THE
CONSTANT GARBAGE AND POLLUTION
CLOGGING THE WATERWAY BEHIND
HIS FAMILY’S NEW HOME.
HE DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
ABOUT IT.
NOT JUST COLLECTING TRASH, BUT
SEEDS OF LIFE.
THE SEEDS PRODUCED BY RED MAN MANGROVES.
SINCE LAST FALL, JONAH’S BEEN
PLANTING THEM.
FIRST ALONG THE SEA WALL BEHIND HIS HOME, THEN GROWING
BEHIND HIS HOME, THEN GROWING
THEM IN TANKS AND RE-PLANTING
THE SEEDLINGS OUTSIDE HIS HOME.
BABY MANGROVES NURTURED BY
JONAH IN HIS BACKYARD UNTIL
THEY’RE STRONG ENOUGH TO BE
RE-PLANTED NEAR AILING WATERS
DESPERATE FOR THE GOOD THEY BRING.
>> THEY’RE PROBABLY OUR MOST
IMPORTANT PLANT.
MANGROVES DO SO MANY THINGS.
>> A NURSERY AND HABITAT FOR
MARINE LIFE AND BIRDS, A
NATURAL FILTER ABSORBING POLLUTANTS AND NEWS PARTNER
POLLUTANTS AND NEWS PARTNER
RUN OFFS FROM FERTILIZERS AND
SEWAGE SPILLS THAT CAUSE AL
YEE -- ALGAE THAT GROW IN THE
-- ALGAE THAT GROW IN THE
WATER.
THEY ALSO MITIGATE SEA LEVEL
RISE AND PROTECT OUR COASTS
FROM DESTRUCTIVE STORM SURGE.
>> STORM SURGE IS A BIG ONE. WHEN YOU HAVE TONS OF THEM ON
WHEN YOU HAVE TONS OF THEM ON
A SEA WALL, THEIR ROOTS CAN
STOP A HURRICANE FORCE WAVE
FROM DOING ANY REAL DAMAGE.
>> SO JONAH MADE SOME WAVES OF
HIS OWN, CONTACTING CITY LEADERS, OFFERING HIS HOME
LEADERS, OFFERING HIS HOME
GROWN SAPLINGS TO RESTORE LOST
MANGROVES IN HIS COMMUNITY.
FOR EARTH DAY, HE AND HIS FRIENDS PLANTED THE FIRST 21
FRIENDS PLANTED THE FIRST 21
AT RICHARDSON PARK IN WILTON
MANORS.
THIS IS HIS SECOND BATCH, 28
YOUNG MANGROVES WHO, THANKS TO JONAH AND HIS FRIENDS, NOW
JONAH AND HIS FRIENDS, NOW
HAVE A NEW HOME IN FORT
LAUDERDALE WHERE JONAH HOPES
THEY WILL THRIVE.
>> THEY’RE GONNA HAVE CONSTANT
SUNLIGHT. WHEN THEY GET BIG ENOUGH, THIS
WHEN THEY GET BIG ENOUGH, THIS
IS GONNA BE A REALLY GREAT
SPOT.
THEIR SAPLINGS WILL FALL OFF
ALONG THESE ROCKS WHERE
THEY’RE ALREADY NATURALLY
GROWING THERE.
>> IT’S ONE THING TO CARE
ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT.
IT’S QUITE ANOTHER TO ACTUALLY
DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
>> THIS IS NOT WORK FOR JONAH. IT IS, IN HIS WORDS, HIS LIFE
IT IS, IN HIS WORDS, HIS LIFE
MISSION.
>> MAKES ME REALLY PROUD AND
HAPPY.
IT’S A NICE FEELING.
IT’S KIND OF ALSO CLOSE TO FATHERHOOD, MAYBE.
FATHERHOOD, MAYBE.
SOMETHING YOU GREW IS GONNA DO
SOMETHING GREAT.
>> AND YOU KNOW, JONAH’S MOM
AND DAD FEEL EXACTLY THE SAME
WAY. AND IN ADDITION TO THE 49
AND IN ADDITION TO THE 49
MANGROVES HE’S PLANTED, JONAH
AND HIS FRIENDS HAVE REMOVED
ALMOST 1,000 POUNDS OF TRASH
FROM FORT LAUDERDALE
WATERWAYS.
HE’S ALSO CONTACTED CITY AND COUNTY LEADERS IN MIAMI-DADE
COUNTY LEADERS IN MIAMI-DADE
OFFERING THEM HIS SAPLINGS.
BUT SO FAR, NO ONE HAS TAKEN
HIM UP ON HIS OFFER.
WE HOPE THEY DO. FOR MORE INFO OR OTHER WAYS