GROWING FORESTS

Located on the eastern coast of Africa, the Marereni and Kurawa planting site is a degraded mangrove forest north of Malindi Town. The local people face limited freshwater, poor road connectivity, and insufficient education facilities.

Large-scale mangrove deforestation in this region results from land clearance for salt production, fuelwood, charcoal, and prawns. As a result, wild fisheries are in decline, and soil erosion threatens coastlines.A consistent income tied to sustainable land-use practices will significantly improve the overall wellbeing of this community.

Our reforestation partner hires local people to reforest their region by planting mangrove trees while stimulating economic growth, breaking the cycle of poverty, and empowering the community whilst building economic resilience. 

The reforestation site is 2,630 hectares, with a capacity of 10,000 trees per hectare with a total planting capacity of 6,500,000.

Mangroves are incredible for so many reasons, stemming from their ability to grow and thrive on the boundary of ocean and land. The trees’ unique adaptations to salinity make wherever they grow a vital haven for wildlife and an important resource for the hundreds of millions of people living near these ecosystems. Their importance to people and wildlife could not be any more clear as ever-growing impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss threaten our planet.

Mangrove species do not require nurseries. At 3-5 years of age, mangroves begin to produce and drop their own propagules (seeds), which can be used to give rise to a new tree. These propagules may be collected from existing trees or from trees previously planted.

Additionally, mangroves typically grow along coastal forests, providing an irrigation system that is largely self-sufficient.

Mangroves are planted year-round in Kenya.

Rhizophora Mucronata is a slow-growing, evergreen tree growing up to 27 metres tall, with a bole 50 - 70 cm in diameter. The tree produces numerous stilt roots from the base. One seed is developed per fruit & starts to germinate when the fruit is still attached or hanging on the tree. The root (radicle) gradually protrudes from the fruit, at first like a green cigar, then grows into a rod-like structure. In this species such a seedling root (hypocotyl) with a rough & warty surface may attain a considerable length (sometimes over 100 cm), the largest & longest in the genus.

Avicennia Marina, also known as gray mangrove or white mangrove, is a shrub or tree belonging to the Acanthaceae family. They are generally 10–14 m long and have light gray or whitish bark with stiff, brittle, thin flakes. Their leaves are thick, glossy, and bright green on the upper side and gray or silvery white with small hairs on the lower side.

Ceriops Tagal is a medium-sized tree growing to a height of 25 metres (80 ft) with a trunk diameter of up to 45 cm (18 in). The growth habit is columnar or multi-stemmed and the tree develops large buttress roots. The radiating anchor roots are sometimes exposed and may loop up in places. The bark is silvery-grey to orangeish-brown, smooth with occasional pustular lenticels. 

Bruguiera Gymnorhiza has the largest leaves, flowers, propagules and lenticels of all Bruguiera species. The name Large-Leafed Orange Mangrove comes from the orange flowers and the large leaves that can reach up to 25cm in length. They grow about 20 to 25 degrees north and south of the equator in an area with subtropical to tropical climates. These conditions enable this evergreen tree to produce leaves and shoots during the whole year. The leaves have an elliptic shape, the upper side is smooth and dark green, the bottom is waxy and light green. Occasionally three or four leaves are formed simultaneously.

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Haiti is one of the most environmentally degraded countries on earth. With 99% of its forests already gone, the United Nation estimates that 30% of Haiti’s remaining trees are destroyed each year. Charcoal production is a major cause of the continued deforestation of Haiti. This deforestation magnifies the effects of hurricanes and contributes to soil degradation, leaving the community with diminished natural resources.

Years of ecological devastation in Haiti have led to varying levels of crop failure, flooding, soil erosion, and water table depletion. To combat these effects, our partners work directly with community leaders to plant, protect and guard native trees to maturity. In doing so, hoping to help restore the natural environment and also implement agroforestry techniques to aid in food security.

The team is utilizing a variety of planting methods including Bare Root, Cutting, Direct Seeding and Seedling Nursery.

The planting seasons:

• Bare root: April-June & August-November
  
• Direct seeding: April-June & August-November
  
• Nursery: April-June & August-November
  

The team has primarily used bare root methods and also focus on germinating seeds in the nursery. 

Bare Root: At the onset of the rainy season, wild seedlings are harvested from healthy or remnant forests, which typically see a large influx of small seedling growth beneath the canopy. Bare root (wild) involves the gentle collection of these seedlings and quickly replanting them at an adjacent deforested area. Transferring the seedlings does not harm the healthy forest, as overcrowding and excessive shade from the canopy means only a tiny percentage of the seedlings would have survived. This planting method strategically leverages nature’s abundance.

During dry seasons the team collect native seeds & prepare them in the nurseries.

Traditional seedling is the process of germinating seeds in the nursery, temporarily moving them to a bag or pot until they reach maturity. When the rainy season begins the saplings are then planted in the fields - in just a few years a sustainable forest emerges.

Gliricidia Sepium

The species Gliricidia sepium is cultivated and used for a variety of purposes in tropical regions. The flowers of Gliricidia are edible when cooked. The whole plant is a folk remedy for various conditions such as but not limited to colds, cough, fever, headache, bruises, burns, rheumatism, ulcers, and wounds. It can also be used as a rodenticide and general pesticide. 

Leucaena Leucocephala

Young leaves, pods, and flower buds are edible and usually eaten raw, steamed or mixed in soups or with rice. The seeds can also be eaten either raw or cooked, or dried then used as coffee substitute. The plant also yields edible gum used in sauces. Roasted seeds can even be used to moisturize skin. The wood is often used for its fiber, mainly to make paper.

Delonix Regia

Besides its ornamental value, it is also a useful shade tree in tropical conditions, because it usually grows to a modest height (mostly 5 m or 15 ft, but it can reach a maximum height of 12 m or 40 ft) spreads widely and its dense foliage provides full shade. In areas with a marked dry season, it sheds its leaves during the drought, but in other areas it is virtually evergreen.