Restoring mangroves, protecting coastlines in Kenya

How does mangrove restoration contribute to climate action?

Mangrove trees are significant carbon reservoirs because they remove more greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere than terrestrial forests. Their special root system, which has semi-earthy and semi-marine components, collects biomass from organic matter, such as dead leaves and branches, over the years and binds CO₂ emissions from the atmosphere. This particular root system stores far more CO₂ than other tree species.

Worldwide, mangrove forests have been destroyed for agriculture or aquaculture, or cleared for timber and firewood. By damaging these enormous CO₂ reservoirs, large amounts of CO₂ are released again into the atmosphere. To avoid this,mangrove restoration projects protect mangrove forests and preserve coastal habitats for a variety of wildlife species - both in water and on land. The dense roots of mangroves also serve as natural protection against erosion, flooding and storms in coastal regions.