Vanga Blue Forest Mangrove, Kenya – Plan Vivo
Mangroves, along with other marine ecosystems such as algae, seagrass, and wetlands, are an invaluable carbon sink. Mangrove forests also provide effective protection against flooding and are home to thousands of different species of fish, mammals, and birds. At the same time, mangroves are threatened in many parts of the world as coastlines are exploited and trees are cut down for use as firewood and building materials. Vanga Blue Forest protects an area of 460 hectares of mangroves and improves the livelihoods of 9,000 people in three villages.
Background information
Deforestation of mangrove forests is a widespread problem, including in Gazi Bay in southeastern Kenya. The forests, which grow along coastlines that are often exploited, are cleared for use as firewood for construction and heating. When mangroves disappear, coastal communities become less protected from flooding, which is becoming more common as the effects of climate change become more apparent, and important ecosystems are lost.
The project
The Vanga Blue Forest project started in 2020, inspired by the nearby Mikoko Pamoja project, which is the world's first project for the protection of mangrove forests, and after initial funding from the Leonardo Dicaprio Foundation. The project's main focus is the conservation of mangrove forests and the replanting of trees, but Vanga Blue Forest also provides many socioeconomic benefits. As in all Plan Vivo-certified projects, 60% of the income from the sale of carbon credits goes directly to the local community, funding that in Vanga has helped to improve infrastructure and build school buildings.
Unique feature
Mangrove forests are biodiverse ecosystems that are home to many terrestrial and aquatic animals and plants. But the trees in these wetlands are also very effective carbon sinks. The leaves from the mangroves end up in the sediments below the water surface among the trees' roots. There, they are stored for a long time, unlike leaves from trees on land where they release carbon dioxide on the ground. Mangroves also contribute to water purification and protection against storms.
The project contributes to the following objectives
Watch a movie about the Vanga Blue Forest project
