Mozambique’s mangroves are dying. This project is bringing them back.

Mozambique has lost a significant portion of its coastal mangrove forests. These trees protect shorelines from storms and provide vital habitat for fish. However, decades of logging and land conversion have taken a heavy toll. Now, a new restoration effort is underway. Local communities are planting seedlings along the coast. The project focuses on areas where erosion has left the land bare. The work is slow and labor-intensive. Workers must first collect seeds from healthy trees. Then, they nurture the seedlings in nurseries before transplanting them into the mud. Early results show promise. Young trees are taking root. Fish and crabs are returning to the creeks. The new forest is also acting as a natural barrier against coastal flooding. The project’s leaders say the goal is not just to plant trees. They want to rebuild a full ecosystem. This requires the support of local fishermen and farmers, who depend on the mangroves for their livelihoods. Restoring these forests will take years. But for the communities involved, every new tree is a step toward a more secure future.