Reforesting Mangroves in Kenya

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

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.

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

"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.

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.

• 50 million+ trees
• produced, planted, and protected
• 1,050+ employees
• empowered with fair wages

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