Meet Merciline, a mother of seven and wife to a fish farmer who also works in a mangrove nursery in Kenya. Before joining the nursery, Merciline had little knowledge of the importance of mangroves to the fisheries, or her community. However, since joining our partner, EarthLungs to restore the local mangrove estuary, she has become an enthusiastic supporter. She now recognizes the positive impact it has to the health of the ecosystem and the potential it has to provide a more stable income for her family.

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Although Merciline still collects wood for fire, she now uses dead wood and encourages others to do the same to ensure the long-term survivability of the restored mangrove forest. Her commitment to sustainable harvesting practices demonstrates the impact of restoration initiatives not only on the environment but also on the attitudes and behaviours of the communities they serve.

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Merciline's story is just one example of the positive impact that restoration projects can have on impoverished communities, especially when it comes to improving their energy security by providing sustainably harvested and managed woodfuel sources. This is particularly significant because nearly 1.1 billion people worldwide lack access to electricity, and almost 3 billion people still use polluting fuels like kerosene, wood, charcoal, and dung for their daily cooking and heating needs.

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By restoring degraded forests and promoting sustainable harvesting practices, communities can obtain a reliable source of fuel without further degrading the environment or jeopardizing their health and wellbeing. We’re proud to partner with EarthLungs, who have developed an innovative 'Employ to plant model' to restore forests and promote sustainable harvesting practices. This model provides jobs and incentives to local communities to reforest and protect the restored forests, while the Earthlungs team educates them on sustainable harvesting practices. The ultimate goal is to lift impoverished communities out of poverty while ensuring the long-term survivability of the restored forests.

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To measure the impact of these restoration initiatives, veritree uses a combination of socio-economic surveys, local market data, and remote sensing to understand the drivers of degradation and to monitor woodfuel scarcity and management practices. This helps to ensure that the restored forests are managed sustainably and that the communities benefit from improved energy security and livelihoods.

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Overall, mangrove restoration can provide essential resources and employment opportunities for some of the world's most vulnerable communities while protecting the environment and promoting sustainable practices. Reach out to us to learn how your business can support this, or similar restorative projects.