By Steve Misati, 2024 Ocean Restoration Steward and Founder and Director of Youth Pawa

Mangroves are often called “guardians of the seas”: they store more carbon than any other ecosystem on Earth and provide livelihoods for local communities around the world.

However, they are also facing unprecedented pressure: more than half of the world’s mangroves are at risk of collapse by 2050.

Mangroves on Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast have been neglected and exploited for decades, but community members are trying to restore them using traditional knowledge passed down from their ancestors.

Both in Kenya and globally, the main strategy for restoring mangroves is to plant new trees. But is this the most effective strategy? A growing body of evidence suggests that protecting existing mangrove forests may be a more effective approach.

The image of volunteers planting mangrove seedlings has become synonymous with conservation efforts. It is an encouraging symbol of environmental stewardship. But behind this well-intentioned endeavor lies a more complex reality.

This sole focus on tree planting often overshadows the critical importance of protecting existing mangrove ecosystems. Mature mangroves are complex ecosystems that have evolved over centuries and provide invaluable benefits to the community and the environment.

Plant or preserve?

The appeal of mangrove restoration is undeniable: images of volunteers planting seedlings are often perceived by the public as a symbol of hope for ecological recovery.

But mangrove restoration is a complex process. It is not easy to recreate the ecological functions of a mature mangrove forest, and the survival rate of planted seedlings is often low.

This is where conservation comes in. By protecting existing mangroves, we safeguard the wealth of ecosystem services they provide, including coastal protection from flooding and erosion, water filtration, carbon sequestration, and breeding grounds for marine life. These ecosystems also provide important livelihoods for coastal communities.

“We are committed to preserving mangroves rather than planting them, as this is the only way to restore them,” says Dominic Wodehouse, executive director of the Mangrove Action Project.

“We don’t want to disturb the soil because that’s where the carbon is stored. We also want to make sure we preserve the existing mangroves because they tend to be much more diverse than planted mangroves.”

We often see that conservation allows scientists, environmentalists and other stakeholders to study these natural wonders, supporting future restoration efforts and strategies, and ensuring the continued provision of ecosystem services.

“Planting is risky and many planting projects around the world fail,” Wodehouse continues. “We get all the goods and services that mangroves produce: the shelter, the firewood, the palms and the alternative livelihoods from existing, mature mangroves. So we much prefer to try to leave them in the ground if possible.”

Conservation is not just about refraining from destructive activities. It is also about actively managing and protecting existing mangrove forests. This includes countering threats such as pollution, overexploitation and coastal development. Local communities often bear the brunt of these challenges, but they are also the main beneficiaries of healthy mangrove ecosystems.

Mangroves are a lifeline

At Youth Pawa, we work to conserve and restore mangroves on the Indian Ocean coast near the Kenyan city of Mombasa.

For us as a community, caring for these amazing trees is not just about conservation. It is about active management and protection. It is about recognizing their value and the services they provide to us.

“Mangroves are basically our lifeline,” says Athumani Mwero, a community leader from a Mkupe village. “They protect our homes from storm surges, provide our families with fish, purify our water and secure our livelihoods. So for us, protecting them is not just about the environment – it’s about securing our future.”

I believe that conservation should be more of a priority in restoring mangroves, while tree planting should only be a last resort. Protecting these precious trees must start with strong conservation measures by strictly enforcing anti-deforestation laws.

By ensuring that existing ecosystems are present and thriving, we can develop restoration strategies that aim to replicate the existing nature around us.

“Conservation is about helping nature to flourish,” says Hannah Mathenge, a local youth conservationist. “It’s about giving nature a chance to continue to thrive, while restoration through planting is about making sure the ecosystem doesn’t die out completely.”

For Mathenge, the dichotomy between conservation and plant-based restoration applies to humans as well. “An old man may have trouble walking, so you first encourage him to eat well, take vitamins and do a lot of exercise – that’s conservation,” she draws an analogy.

“But if the man doesn’t get his energy back, you give him a walker. That’s restoration.”

What happens next?

Planting is certainly appropriate, especially in highly degraded areas, but given the many disadvantages, ranging from low survival rates to reduced biodiversity and resilience, conservation must be given the highest priority.

By understanding and protecting existing mangroves, we can gain valuable insights into their resilience and adaptability. This knowledge can then lead to more effective restoration strategies when needed.

It is important to note that conservation and planting are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they complement each other. However, an excessive focus on planting new mangroves can result in attention and resources being diverted from protecting existing forests. To protect the long-term health of these vital ecosystems, we need a balanced approach that prioritizes conservation while implementing strategic restoration where necessary.

Ultimately, the decision to conserve or restore mangroves through planting should be based on a thorough assessment of specific site conditions, taking into account factors such as the degree of degradation, the availability of seed sources and the ability of local communities to participate in management.

Only if we take a holistic perspective and give nature conservation the highest priority can we ensure the survival and resilience of mangrove ecosystems for future generations.

“I tell communities that these mangrove ecosystems are valuable, so I hope you will look after them,” says Wodehouse, recalling a case in Thailand where locals cleared a large area of ​​mangroves to harvest wood for charcoal.

“They thought, ‘We’ve cut down all the mangroves, we can just fish now.’ When they got there, there were no fish left. They learned their lesson: mangroves are valuable ecosystems that we need to protect and care for. We can’t just cut them down for charcoal and then not worry about it anymore.

“The loss of mangroves has consequences.”