20150712-volunteers-planting-in-forest

The Mangrove Project
Propagating mangroves and restoring our marine ecosystem.

In their heyday, mangrove forests could be found along most coastlines in Mauritius. As of 2007, the total area of mangroves in Mauritius was about 23 hectares only. We are changing that, one propagule at a time!

The mangrove ecosystem.

Mangroves offer a bounty of benefits:

— They act as breeding areas for many species of local fish, crabs, and shrimps.

— They help filter nutrients that promote coral growth.

— They act as natural buffers during storm surges, protecting coastal residents and properties from significant damage.

— They help to trap sediments so as to reduce land erosion.

— Mangrove forests are able to sequester large amounts of carbon dioxide far more effectively than terrestrial forests, helping in the fight against climate change.

The livelihoods of local fishermen are often staked to the health of mangroves, as they provide habitats for aquaculture catches such as crabs and shrimps, nursery grounds for 70% of commercially caught fish, and act as a critical force in balancing the flow of nutrients out to sea that enable nearby coral reefs to thrive.

gaurav-planting-mangroves

38,935
mangroves planted

Mangrove propagation in Mauritius

Since 2012, under the supervision of the Ministry of Fisheries and Rodrigues, we have planted around 37,157 mangroves in the south-east of the island. With the help of our amazing volunteers and support from local communities, our campaign continues…