Efforts to restore fragile mangrove coastal ecosystems

A resident of Tsunza Village in Gandini, Kwale County, prepares mangrove nursery beds by filling soil into planting bags. [Robert Menza, Standard]

As the tide slowly ebbed into the muddy shores of Tsunza in Kwale, hundreds of volunteers bent knee-deep into the wetlands, carefully pressing mangrove seedlings into the ground.

It was a small act carrying the weight of a much larger fight against climate change.

The planting campaign led by the Kenya Navy aims to restore the fragile mangrove coastal ecosystems while contributing to Kenya’s ambitious target of planting 15 billion trees by 2032.

“We are here today to plant mangroves together with our key partners and the community at Tsunza in Kwale County,” Lieutenant Colonel Boniface Amimo of the Kenya Navy said.

The exercise brought together members of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), conservation groups, insurers and residents from surrounding villages, all working under the scorching coastal heat to plant 10,000 mangrove seedlings in a single day.

Kenya’s military has increasingly taken a central role in the country’s environmental restoration programmes after President William Ruto directed the KDF to help spearhead the national tree-planting initiative.

According to Lieutenant Amimo, the Kenya Navy alone is targeting to plant eight million seedlings during the 2025/2026 financial year.

“So far, we have reached around 3.2 million seedlings,” he said. He noted they have planted mangroves, fruit trees and indigenous species across the Coast region.

Mangroves are considered among the world’s most effective natural carbon sinks because they absorb and store large amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide, hence the intensified planting efforts at the coast.

Sections of restored mangrove areas in Kipini, Tana River County. [File, Standard]

They also protect coastlines from erosion and provide breeding grounds for fish and other marine life.

Environmental groups say the destruction of mangrove forests through logging and coastal development has left many shoreline communities increasingly vulnerable to flooding and declining fish stocks.

“For us, mangroves are not just trees. They protect the environment, absorb huge amounts of carbon and also help communities survive,” said Sakwa James of Furaha Baraka Farms, a conservation organisation involved in the project.

He said nearly three million mangroves have already been planted in the area over the past two years, with plans to expand restoration efforts.

Private companies taking part in the exercise said environmental conservation is becoming a growing priority for the corporate sector.

Mr Samuel Muthomi of First Assurance said businesses could no longer ignore the effects of climate change and hence their involvement in conservation efforts.

“We need to do this as frequently as possible because we are one with nature,” he said.

Mr Brian Hamadi of Absa Life Assurance Kenya described the initiative as both an environmental and economic investment, considering the benefits associated with the restoration of forests.

“Trees are money. By planting mangroves, we are trying to capture as much carbon as possible while also helping communities create livelihoods," he stated.

For residents living near the coastline, the project offers more than environmental protection.

Ms Khadija Ali Kodi, a member of the Tsunza community, said mangrove conservation had become a source of income for many families.

“We plant mangroves and also sell the seedlings and get school fees for our children,” she said.

She also appealed to residents to stop the wanton destruction of forests, warning that environmental destruction affects everyone.