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Haulover Creek Almost Completely Cleared, Revealing Magnificent Mangrove Forest
Tue, February 21, 2017
For the past two weeks, this Channel has been leading the reporting on the state of the Haulover Creek. It's news because the creek is the final stretch for one of the country's most beloved sporting events, the Ruta Maya. When we first visited two weeks ago, it was completely impassable, and the attention we brought to it got the Forestry Department involved and on the ground within days. Today we went back up the creek to see how it's been going:...

Jules Vasquez reporting
Today, the Haulover Creek had all the signs of a healthy waterway. We could see water flowing, and instead of looking dank and funky, it appeared green and vibrant.

Marcello Windsor- Deputy Chief Forest Officer
"What we have noted, through observation only, is that there is some current, or there is some stream flow, and that is very important I think as we complete the task we will have a better stream-flow I should say."

And that's because of this work that's been happening up the creek. A feverish level of chain-sawing and clearing has been going for days. The workers are 12 men spread across three pontoons - one more pontoon is on the other side of this blocked area. The work of cutting and clearing seems to never end, but the men work as a team, with cables and winches and lots of heavy lifting. It's tough, physically demanding labour that's like living in a swamp - except that the forest cover mostly spares them having to work under the direct sunlight, but there's constant activity - overseen by the Forestry Department:

Marcello Windsor- Deputy Chief Forest Officer
"So far we've had lots of success. We have met with some challenges but we are very confident that we will be completing this task very shortly. Basically what we do is we cut the limbs, we cut them into small sections because of the weight of them and we just through them on the sides of the banks itself. It should take us another two days i am hoping, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that that be the case, before we break through to the other end."

Indeed there is a lot left to clear - but over a mile has already been cleared. And what we found surprised us - a clean and clear and quite wide waterway. The mangrove prop roots kept a safe distance on the side, whereas two weeks ago, they were pushing into the boat. This week though, we didn't have to fight off the overgrowth and cruised down the creek past towering red and white mangroves reaching from the depths of the creek to the skies.

Marcello Windsor- Deputy Chief Forest Officer
"This area has very old mangrove stands, very beautiful stands to be honest; very majestic stands. And we find that there is lots of vegetation and mangrove timber across the stream itself."

Indeed, the mangroves span the creek like natural arches and it lends the area a quite magical effect. Water brings life, and even these egrets know the creek is back to its former self after the hurricane in August wrecked it:

Marcello Windsor- Deputy Chief Forest Officer
"Well on Wednesday last we did a drone assessment, meaning that we used a drone to assess the situation because we had very limited access to the areas and from what we gathered the area was seriously impacted by the hurricane that went through last year in August."

And so now, is it Ruta Maya ready? These workers have been paddling up and down with no problem:

Jules Vasquez, 7News
"When we first came out here two weeks ago you said that Ruta Maya would have to go on the sea. Are you surprised the level of clearing these gentlemen have been able to accomplish?"

Phillip Willoughby, City Councilor
"Yes, I am."

Jules Vasquez, 7News
"So are you now prepared to say mission accomplished, green light for the ruta maya? This is the original tasking that the city gave you."

Phillip Willoughby, City Councillor
"Yes it is, and I would like to share with the organizers, they would have to come and do their own assessment."

But, from all appearances today, they should be able to roll downriver easily by March.

Forestry expects to finish clearing the last three quarters of a mile by Friday - and we'll revisit then.

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