Leave No one behind. Planting Mangroves

Mangroves are important - for life on earth. Communities living along the coast, depend on mangroves for food, coastal protection and income. Taking all these elements into consideration, mangroves enable this through the provision of ecosystem services while providing fish, timber, clean water and supporting tourism.

Mangroves are important trees that have unique characteristics for growing in saline or brackish water. Their aerial roots have the ability to retain clay particles that support land accretion. When the sea water rises, the roots are inundated with water and suspended mud. When the water recedes, some of the mud is left behind between the roots. In this way, mangrove trees add land and protect the land from continuous soil and coastal erosion. In doing so, they provide natural protection against rising sea levels, storm surge and flooding.

Mangroves are common features in protected bays, creeks, estuaries and river deltas spread all along the Kenya coast. Two communities of mangroves (fringe and creek) formations occur along the Kenya coast. 

Planting Mangroves is part of the activities I love to get engaged in. Its is  both challenging and fulfilling. This activity involves getting into the ocean when the tides are low and getting out when the tides come back.   The communities around the planting sites are mobilized as well as our military personnel within that area and we all get ourselves into the ocean early morning when the tides are low and get out just around mid day when the tides start coming back. The mud  is sticky and you need the special skills from the locals to teach you how to walk  on it. The locals tell us you can not stand in one place , just keep walking and planting.   I can tell you its all fun  and fulfilling when you get out of the ocean and realise you have planted quite a number of mangroves. I encourage you to join a team of mangroves planters one day and experience the fun in environment conservation.  We don't have dull moments. We must restore the planet.