The benefits of mangroves

Together with our partners on site, we are reforesting over 14 million mangroves in the Kenyan city of Mombasa. The Tudor Creek coastal region in the north of this East African port city is a swamp area with watercourses and natural habitat featuring many different species of mangrove, a salt-tolerant woody plant. 

Under the leadership of local youngsters working in collaboration with community members, over 500,000 trees have already been planted in an area measuring 102 hectares. (That corresponds to around 142 football pitches.) Conserving the ecosystem in the long term requires the support of the local population. Regular training and planting sessions along with beach clean-ups serve to inform and demonstrate how the communities can manage and restore their mangrove forests.

Why are we doing this?

• The thick roots of the mangroves provide natural protection against erosion, flooding and storms in coastal regions. 
• They absorb more greenhouse gases from the atmosphere than other forests and store them both in the trees themselves and in the ground. 
• They offer a habitat for countless animal species. From mammals, insects and birds to various types of crab, fish, oysters and snails, many different creatures find protection and nourishment in the mangrove forests. They serve as nurseries for many species of fish and thus form an important part of healthy oceans.
• In addition, the mangrove forests supply honey, fruit, seaweed, salt, leaves and the sea creatures that live there. When managed sustainably, they provide an important livelihood for many coastal inhabitants.

Help us to restore and preserve these habitats in the long term. You can make a valuable contribution to local development with us to regenerate regions affected by deforestation.

Write to us and we will inform you how you can actively participate.