NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A group of US veterans is in Abaco helping replenish mangrove forests destroyed by Hurricane Dorian in a bid to protect the natural resource that has brought them so much relief.
The group is part of a unique non-profit effort called Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, Inc. (PHW). The project is described as a life-saving opportunity for thousands of US Veterans struggling with physical and mental disabilities, who have found hope and healing through the calming, therapeutic practice of fly-fishing.
PHW is partnering in the effort with Bonefish & Tarpon Trust (BTT) which, in response to the devastation of the Northern Bahamas caused by Dorian, launched the largest mangrove restoration project in Bahamas history, a multi-year initiative that seeks to replant 100,000 mangroves in the hardest hit areas; and corporate sponsor Far Bank, a leading fly-fishing gear and tackle manufacturer that is dedicated to preserving and protecting the natural resources upon which their customers depend.
The Bahamas is world renowned among fly fishermen for its unparalleled pristine saltwater flats. For these Veterans, who have gained so much through the healing power of being on the water, it is important to do what they can to heal this resource and the surrounding habitat so that future generations can continue to have this kind of unique curative experience.
Mangroves serve not just as nurseries for many critical marine species – including the prized bonefish so beloved by fly fishermen – but also as a buffer for coastal communities, protecting them from erosion and storm surges.
Blain Tomlinson, Chairman of the PHW Board of Trustees, said: “Our Veteran participants are extremely excited to provide the ground support for ongoing Bonefish & Tarpon Trust projects and initiatives. Time on the water has the power to heal and we now have the ability to help heal our fisheries and coastal communities for future generations, but it’s more about providing comradery, new purpose, and a deeper sense of belonging for our Veterans.”
“The fury we witnessed with Hurricane Dorian illustrates how climate change is creating the conditions for stronger and more damaging storms, which is a trend of significant concern in The Bahamas,” said BTT President and CEO Jim McDuffie. “With proper stewardship, natural systems can play a central role in protecting both human communities and conserving vital natural resources, including the flats fisheries of The Bahamas. We appreciate PHW’s commitment to our mission and to the restoration of this important mangrove system.”
PHW was launched in 2005 to serve wounded military service members returning from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since then, PHW has grown to over 200 highly successful, on-going programs serving Veterans of all generations in Veterans Affairs Medical Centers and Department of Defense hospitals around the US. PHW programs are supported by over 4,000 volunteers, in 2021 alone the organization guided over 6,200 Veterans in need on their healing journeys.
Kris Klein, CEO of Far Bank, said: “We are a company built and run by anglers and adventurers, so we understand the importance of partnering with organizations that work tirelessly to protect the fishery habitats that are so dear to our community. Working alongside our long-established partnerships with Bonefish & Tarpon Trust and Project Healing Waters, we can provide great and restorative fishing opportunities for Veterans while ensuring the health and recovery of threatened areas.”
Fly-fishing is a key economic asset to The Bahamas and crucial to the livelihoods of communities like Abaco that were hardest hit by Dorian.
Local Abaco guide Danny Sawyer said: “Fishing travel to Abaco is very good for the economy and it boosts our bookings. We could use all the help we can get here, planting these mangroves right now. After Hurricane Dorian, we couldn’t get anyone out here. It went almost two years before we came back out here, but with groups like Project Healing Waters and Bonefish & Tarpon Trust coming here, the word gets out—we hope plenty more people do come here and help us out!
“The flats fishery is very important to me; it’s my livelihood. Over the last years, bonefishing has increased here in Abaco, and it keeps everybody busy. But bonefish don’t go up in the dead mangroves since Hurricane Dorian. It’s very important that we get them put back in.”
Mitch Dziduch, a veteran of Desert Shield, Desert Storm, and Bosnia, said: “Well, you got to look at it this way: Abaco, it’s just something different. It’s a beautiful location, it’s peaceful, I love it… For 14 years when I retired from the military, I was just in a dead zone. I was not living from day to day.
“I existed but I was not living. I joined Project Healing Waters, came to a place like this… it just made such a big difference right here in my heart. Project Healing Waters is a fly-fishing program. We enjoy these beautiful waters and I think we should participate in protecting the systems. Planting these mangroves benefits the ecosystem and it also benefits us in return.
A fellow veteran, retired U.S. Navy Captain Jay Woelkers, added: “BTT is trying to heal the environment, and PHW is trying to heal the veteran. It’s perfect as we cross our paths…as we start getting more veterans coming through, everyone is going to benefit: the veterans are going to benefit, the environment is going to benefit, The Bahamas local economy and local culture is going to benefit. Everything is going to benefit from a [healed] environment.”
