Cameroon’s Coastal Communities Lead Massive Mangrove Restoration to Save Fisheries
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📰 The quick summary: Residents of Douala, Cameroon are partnering with NGOs to restore 1,000 hectares of vital mangrove forests by 2050, helping to revive dwindling fish populations and protect coastal communities from flooding.
📈 One key stat: Cameroon loses about 3,000 hectares of mangroves annually, with an estimated two-thirds of the country’s mangrove cover disappearing over the past 40 years.
💬 One key quote: “If we do nothing about restoring the mangrove forests, Douala will sink,” says Giles Musima Akem, an administrative council official overseeing the project.
1️⃣ The big picture: Cameroon’s coastal communities are facing a dual crisis of declining fish catches and increasing vulnerability to sea-level rise, both linked to the widespread loss of mangrove forests. To address this, the government has partnered with NGOs to launch an ambitious 30-year project aiming to restore 1,000 hectares of mangroves in the Wouri Estuary region. Local organization Watershed Task Group has already restored over 100 hectares in nearby estuaries and is engaging community members directly in the restoration process. Beyond serving as crucial fish breeding grounds, these mangroves act as natural barriers against coastal flooding, which threatens Douala – Cameroon’s largest city.
2️⃣ Why is this good news: The restoration project has successfully engaged local fishers and residents who now understand the connection between healthy mangroves and their livelihoods. Community members are actively participating in growing saplings in nurseries and planting them in degraded areas, with a 70% survival rate for transplanted trees. The initiative goes beyond just replanting by providing alternative income sources like beekeeping and urban farming to reduce dependence on mangrove wood. These restored forests will create a protective green belt for Douala against worsening coastal flooding, while also serving as carbon sinks that can store greenhouse gases for thousands of years.
3️⃣ What’s next: The restoration team will continue nurturing more than 7,000 seedlings in their nursery to replace any trees that don’t survive after planting. The mangrove saplings need about eight years to reach maturity, with sustainable harvesting possible after 30 years. The project aims to establish a self-sustaining system where communities understand the importance of replanting even as they harvest mature trees.
Read the full story here: Mongabay – As fish catches fall and seas rise, Douala’s residents join efforts to restore mangroves
