Papariko: Mangrove reforestation in Kenya. Right people on the ground
In our previous blog post, we introduced Papariko, Vlinder’s mangrove reforestation project in Kenya. We also described what a project’s validation for Verra, a leading carbon certifier, looks like. In this article, we would like to highlight the importance of finding local partners for your carbon project. We are fortunate to have them — and this is a post of appreciation and gratitude for their hard work and devotion.
Here you will also see many great pictures made by our team. And this is a nice one to start with.
You have already met our colleagues Robin Bartmann and Camilla Werl and the KBS auditors Martin Luther King and Shilpa Swarnim who came to Kwale to perform an independent validation audit. During the validation, they inspected the sites with newly planted mangroves and spoke with the local people. They also met our partners and experts on the ground.
The Kenya Forest Service and Community Forest Associations: Mangrove forest stewardship
One of the first organizations in Kenya we contacted and partnered with was the Kenya Forest Service (KFS). It is a state corporation responsible for the country’s forest management and its experts have immense expertise in forest restoration and conservation, including mangrove reforestation. They work in collaboration with Community Forest Associations (CFAs) formed by the local people who have been long-time stewards of the forest.
The KFS and CFAs are Vlinder’s partners in the Papariko project, they actively participate in decision-making and project activities. The KFS approves the reforestation project zone and facilitates scientific and methodological work. They co-manage the existing and newly restored mangrove forests together with the CFAs. The KFS also does the identification and mapping of degraded mangrove areas for the project in collaboration with the CFAs.
This is Mr. Blessingtone Maghanga from the KFS attending the auditors’ meeting with the community.
And here you can see the Kwale CFA Chairman Mr. Mohammed Mwangolo who jumped in the car with women from the community-based organization to visit the reforestation site. CFAs perform an important role in the Papariko project. They represent the communities living in the project areas and directly participate in the project activities.
Umita: Project administration and community management
Our devoted partner on the ground is Umita, a management consulting company working in Eastern and Southern Africa with governments, humanitarian and development organizations. Isabella Masinde who manages the Vlinder Kenya Project on-site is also the CEO at Umita. Isabella has years of experience in community engagement and social development in Kenya. Among other projects, she carries out mangrove management, biodiversity surveys, and technical training.
In the picture, you can see Isabella at the meeting of auditors and the local communities. She coordinates all meetings held with regard to the project and specifically helps with managing all stakeholder needs from the government to the local communities.
Kenyan scientists and researchers: Mangrove reforestation expertise
The auditors were also accompanied by Dr. Michael Njoroge Githaiga, Vlinder’s consulting expert on the project. He is a professor at Embu University in Nairobi, Department of Biological Sciences. Dr. Githaiga leads ground-truthing of the degraded areas, trains the local planting teams and oversees planting, and also advises on aboveground and belowground biomass measurement, soil carbon monitoring, and species composition.
“Whenever Dr. Githaiga is out in the forest, he is always counting the mangrove species he can find”, — say the locals. He took these field trips as an opportunity to educate the auditors and the team about the local mangrove species, the correct spacing between trees at planting, and carbon pools.
And here are Camilla and Robin being taught how to plant mangroves. You make a hole in the muddy soil with a big thick stick and put a seedling there. Not that easy at all! And don’t forget the right spacing between the planted trees: the guys behind them are making sure they are doing it correctly.
So, to have a reforestation project successfully implemented, you need to find reliable partners in your project area — those who know how things should be done on the ground. Vlinder would like to thank all the partners that help us on our way to the goal of restoring 1500 hectares of degraded mangrove forest in Kenya! Now we know how to secure land use rights, which native species to plant, and how to build trust with the local people.
The latter is very crucial as we truly believe that for the project’s sustainability, the community should be the stewards and the beneficiaries of the new forest. Our next blog post will elaborate on that. And below there is a sneak peek ;)
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Vlinder is a climate tech company that plants mangroves and reinforces climate projects with early funding and innovation. Vlinder’s goal is to enable carbon mitigation of 10 million tons of CO2 every month, the combined footprint of Switzerland and Austria.
