Reforesting Mangroves in Kenya

Local communities are coming together to plant mangrove trees in order to restore natural forests and eco-systems and to help beat climate change.

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SDGs

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

Protect sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and biodiversity loss.

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

Location

Mombasa, Kenya

We have a designated site near Mombasa, Kenya called Tudor Creek. Kenya is a country famous for its diverse wildlife and wide range of forest types that have long supported its communities. However, due to human activities such as logging, charcoal burning and illegal settling to create farmland, Kenya has seen an increase in severe drought and extreme poverty due to massive deforestation.

As a result, the Kenyan government has committed to its reforestation, specifically looking to achieve a 10% forest cover. To help achieve these goals, our tree-planting partners are continuing to work closely with them.

Accreditor

Eden Reforestation Projects is a nonprofit NGO that works in developing countries to rebuild natural landscapes destroyed by deforestation. Eden works directly with communities experiencing extreme poverty resulting from the deforestation and destruction of the land that sustains them.

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About

Why reforest in Kenya?

Located on the eastern coast of Africa, Kenya is a country famous for its diverse wildlife and wide range of forest types that have long supported its communities. However, in recent decades these forests have experienced extreme environmental degradation. Human activities such as logging, charcoal burning, and illegal settling to create farmland are significant factors of deforestation. This has caused an increase in severe drought and extreme poverty. As a result, Kenya has committed to its reforestation, specifically looking to achieve a 10% forest cover, and we are working closely with the government to help accomplish these commitments.

42% of the population
live below the poverty line
Only 7%
of Kenya is covered with forest

Two employees look look down the hill to something in the distance

How we started

In late 2019, we started working with the local community, a local forest trust, and regional and national government institutions to establish our office, planting sites, and nurseries. Through their relentless determination to plant trees in Kenya and protect its forest system despite a global pandemic, planting began in March 2020. In that first month, our employees planted over 50,000 trees and since then have continued to increase their planting rate in the Kijabe Forest and along the Northern Coast.

Employee carries sack on shoulder while other employees carry sacks through the mud

The Great Rift Valley

Kijabe Forest

In partnership with Kijabe Forest Trust
Afromontane reforestation and Kenya restoration projects
Provides habitat for wildlife, sustainable economic opportunities for local families, a reliable water supply, and landslide protection

Northern coast

Lamu County

In partnership with David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
Mangrove and coastal forest habitats
Provides employment to those living in extreme poverty, in addition to restoring key habitats that support livelihoods and cultural heritage

Employees on boat carry baskets as they begin to get off boat

"Only at Eden": pick your battles

Would you rather navigate through hyena territory or python-infested bushes? One of our monitoring employees was scouting an area to determine if we should launch a new tree planting site there. To map the site boundary, he had to crawl through thick bushes. Once he got to the other side, a hyena was sitting right in front of him. Slowly, he backed away from the hyena, then quickly changed his course. As he approached the rocky area, he turned his head and saw a giant python slithering through a bush. At that moment, he had to make a choice: go back to the hyena territory or continue through the python-infested bush. He turned back around and continued through the hyena territory. This is not a decision most people have to make during a typical workday. However, our Kenyan reforestation teams face these types of situations every week.

Employee shovels dirt into wheelbarrow that other employee is holding up

Employees sit in boat as one employee is in the water guiding the boat through a narrow spot

Our progress to date

By rapidly scaling our teams and tree planting operations, we are now the largest, most efficient reforestation organization in Kenya. With 45 project sites across the country, we are re-establishing a sustainable water supply through protecting and replanting around springs and rivers, restoring critical habitat for wildlife, stabilizing steep slopes prone to landslides, and securing livelihoods.