Empowering local communities to plant and protect mangrove ecosystems.
This project restores and protects 640 hectares of highly degraded mangrove forest within Kilifi County in Kenya. With the help of project partners COBEC (Community Based Environmental Conservation) and the local community, SeaTrees will support the planting of over 775,000 mangrove trees at our new project site in Kenya.
The project site encompasses the Marereni mangrove forest ecosystems along Kenya’s eastern coast.
600+ Jobs
Community-led Conservation
COBEC works with local villages to strategically replant mangroves in deforested areas. This project creates jobs and generates income for the local villages and community groups that manage the mangrove nurseries. More than 600 people are being employed to restore the mangrove forests at this project site.
These communities are educated on the environmental and economic importance of the ecosystems and are employed to grow seedlings, collect mangrove propagules, plant mangroves, and monitor the growth of the trees.
This project will also continuously support the surrounding local communities by providing training, access to healthcare and food sources, increased revenue from tourism, improved infrastructure, and protection from storm surges and sea level rise.
Project Summary
- 600+ jobs created for the local community
- 40% of jobs are held by women
- Increased access to healthcare and food
- Provides training to the local villagers who will manage mangrove nurseries
- Protection of local communities from storm surges and sea-level rise
- Increase fishing activities and resources
A DIRE NEED FOR REGENERATION
Threatened by deforestation
Over the last several years, the mangrove forests within the Marereni ecosystem have been destroyed by land conversion, poaching, and Illegal logging. This degradation has led to loss of biodiversity, increased coastal erosion, loss of sea grasses and coral reefs, and decreased availability of wood.
The Marereni ecosystem supports many families, and the destruction of these mangrove forests has led to significant ecological and socio-economic impacts on the local people who depend on them for their livelihoods.
The degradation of this critical mangrove ecosystem has led to diminished fish resources and a lack of alternative building materials, energy sources, and ways to sustain their livelihoods.
A Biodiversity Hotspot
The project area is made up of fringing, estuarine, and creek mangrove ecosystems. These habitats are important feeding and breeding grounds for many important fish species, and is home to baboons, monkeys, and turtles, as well as an important passage and feeding area for flamingos.
The regeneration of these mangrove forests will reestablish critical habitats for several species and ensure they thrive for many years to come.
Project partners
COBEC
SeaTrees has partnered with COBEC (Community Based Environmental Conservation), a community-based organization founded in 2005 in Kenya – focused on local "grassroots" ocean conservation efforts.
Their main programs implemented with the support of the local communities and government stakeholders focus on mangrove forest restoration and sea turtle conservation
Stakeholders
The Marereni mangrove forest ecosystem is a government resource; therefore government institution involvement is key from the national and local levels. In addition to the local communities around the Marereni area, COBEC has partnerships with a range of other important local stakeholders to improve the longer-term success of the project and the survival of the trees being planted. These stakeholders include the Kenya Forest Service, Kenya Forest Research Institute, Kenya Marine Fisheries Research Institute, and the County Government of Kilifi.
UN SDGS
Sustainable Development
This project provides long-term employment for the local community. This in turn drives other Sustainable Development benefits.