The Mangrove Restoration Project by Rotaractors in Rotary District 9212 (Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and South Sudan) is a massive environmental project to restore the mangrove ecosystem in the Kenyan coastline, that is Mombasa, Kwale, Kilifi, and Lamu. This project aims at underlining the necessity of the ecological systems and benefits that mangroves provide such as climate change mitigation, shore protection, and the welfare of human society.
In annual regeneration exercises, Rotaractors and the existing communities, RCCs, and other players engage in planting of mangrove seedlings, while considering success factors of the site. It also incorporates leadership and training development for youths, women, fishers and local communities on knowledge and appreciation of mangrove values and sustainable management. The public plays a critical role in the implementation of the project since it would introduce commitment from everyone. It has also implemented the planting of over 180,000 mangrove seedlings, the restoration of vast areas of coastal forests; and the coordination and partnership with more than 25 Community Based Organizations, reaching out to more than 600 fishermen and women and 2500 pupils from various schools.
Some of the constraints for this project include weather barriers, inadequate funds, and sometimes people’s resistance to the project. Despite these odds, the project has been branching through partnerships, funding, and cooperation. Further development includes: the consideration of additional coastal areas as the focal point of the project, and the elaboration of previously unutilized activities for furthering conservation and improving the standard of living of affected communities such as the eco-tourism business. The Mangrove Restoration Project provides a clear example of how such initiatives can be useful and bring a great advance in the restoration process. This should mean that the project retains its focus, cultivates partnerships and then looks for new solutions so that sustained positive change to the status of coastal ecosystems and to the people who depend on them can be realized.
In the future, we plan to follow the "Best Practice Guidelines for Mangrove Restoration" recently published by the Mangrove Alliance1 and educate local communities using the 4-part animation video series on mangrove restoration prepared by Wetlands International.2
References
1 Best Practice Guidelines for Mangrove Restoration. 2024. The Blue Carbon Initiative. Global Mangrove Alliance. https://www.mangrovealliance.org/best-practice-guidelines-for-mangrove-restoration/.
2 Mangrove Restoration, a 4-part animation video prepared by Wetlands International, a member of the Global Mangrove Alliance.