ID: 1289

Casamance Mangroves: restoring coastal ecosystems in Senegal

The spectacular estuary of the Casamance river in the south of Senegal, the greenest region of the country, was once home to an abundance of mangroves - tropical trees and shrubs that thrive in salty, coastal waters. Villages here rely on the mangroves to protect them from storms and support agriculture, fishing and the harvesting of shellfish from the mangroves, both for their own consumption and for income. In the 1970s, the area was blighted by drought. People started using the mangroves for firewood, which fed a vicious cycle of deforestation and poverty. WeForest is working with Oceanium, the most experienced mangrove restoration NGO in Senegal. Their goal in Casamance is to replant mangroves over 2245 hectares at a density of 5000 trees per hectare, protect communities from storm surges and erosion, mitigate climate change, and re-establish sustainable and profitable mangrove-friendly fishing and farming activities for local communities.

Planned actions

Protection of land/water

Management of land/water