Vanga Blue Forest mangrove: carbon offsetting with local roots in Kenya
February 18, 2026
The climate challenge is enormous, but so are the opportunities. By combining integrity, innovation, and carbon offsetting, companies can take direct responsibility for their emissions—their CO2 waste—while working to reduce their emissions. One way to take responsibility is to finance projects that preserve and replant forests. Read more about Vanga Blue Forest in Kenya here.
Since 2020, the well-established climate project Vanga Blue Forest along the coast of Kenya. The project is run by the Association for Coastal Ecosystem Services (ACES) and is certified by Plan Vivo. The aim of the project is clear: to preserve the vital mangrove forests and carry out extensive reforestation to secure the local ecosystem.
Social sustainability and climate benefits
The project is centered around Gazi Bay in Kwale County, located approximately 110 kilometers from Mombasa. The mangrove forest in the area is part of a larger green belt that stretches all the way from Diani in Kenya down to Tanga in Tanzania. Specifically, the Vanga Blue Forest covers an area of 460 hectares and includes the villages of Vanga, Jimbo, Kiwegu, and Majoreni.
One of the cornerstones of the project is its social sustainability. A total of 974 households are participating, and a central part of the business model is that at least 70% of the income, as with all Plan Vivo projects, from the sale of carbon credits goes directly back to the participants in the local community.
Mangroves, along with other marine ecosystems such as algae, seagrass, and wetlands, are an invaluable carbon sink.
Latest updates from the field
The business is growing, which places higher demands on security and structure. Since the project office now houses valuable technical equipment such as computers and GPS tools, a night guard has recently been hired to protect these resources.
Furthermore, they are actively working on transparency and dialogue through The Vanga Blue Forest Committee. They have recently conducted training initiatives on handling feedback and complaints to ensure that residents' views are dealt with appropriately. The project team also travels outside the core area to engage neighboring villages and raise awareness of the importance of the forest.
Mangrove forests provide effective protection against flooding and are home to thousands of different species of fish, mammals, and birds. At the same time, mangroves are under threat in many parts of the world as coastal areas are exploited and trees are cut down for use as firewood and building materials. Projects such as Vanga Blue Forest help to protect mangrove forests.
Future prospects with biodiversity credits under Plan Vivo
Thanks to sponsorship from the Kenyan law firm Oraro & Co, the project has been able to upgrade its logistics. The investment has resulted in a motorcycle for effective project monitoring, as well as two bicycles and uniforms for the guards.
Mangrove trees are highly effective carbon sinks. The leaves from mangroves end up in the sediments below the water surface among the trees' roots, where they are stored for a long time, unlike leaves from trees on land, which release carbon dioxide when they fall to the ground.
The future also looks exciting in terms of broadening environmental work. ACES and Vanga Blue Forest are now working on launching a "Carbon Plus" model for their seagrass project. Currently, buyers of carbon credits can only donate to this initiative, but the goal is to launch it as a pure biodiversity project under Plan Vivo's new standard, Plan Vivo . A first annual report for the seagrass project is already included in the current main report, marking an important step towards even more comprehensive protection of the coastal area.
Manage your climate impact with nature-based climate solutions
Through certified and well-established climate projects, ZeroMission helps ZeroMission and organizations achieve net-zero. We must act now. The climate crisis will not wait.
By measuring, reducing, and sequestering carbon dioxide, we can create positive effects for both your business and the climate. Contact us if you would like to know more about Vanga Blue Forest or any of our other projects.
