Lamu gets down to conserve mangrove
Coast communities have depended on Mangrove as the pillar of their economies.
In Lamu, for example, residents see this marine forest as a vital source of livelihood, making its conservation a priority.
Against this background, Lamu county government has collaborated with non-governmental organisations to restore and protect the important resource, which has also been greatly affected by development.
The Lamu community, with the support of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI) recently launched a partnership to strengthen mangrove management on Lamu Island and its archipelago.
“The road developed from Manda Island has disrupted the Marine forest in Manda. The whole area used to Mangrove.
The materials used here have had grievous results on the mangrove life, first because many trees were cut down.
Then the flow of water has been disrupted, so when it rains the water cannot flow as it is trapped within the mangrove.
This suffocates the trees because they cannot breathe in the fresh water, so it is killing them,” said National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) Lamu county director, James Kamula.
Fishing is also facing a threat as the mangrove act as breeding grounds for the sea life.
Overharvesting, infrastructure development, pollution, and climate change have contributed to the loss of 20 per cent of Kenya’s 148,263 acres of mangroves since 1992.
More than 60 per cent of Kenya’s mangroves are in Lamu. As a result, fishermen are struggling to find good catches and businesses to supply the construction and boat-building industries.
To avert this, the organisations have established nurseries to start rehabilitation of mangrove. Their strategy involves training community leaders on proper methods of planting mangrove and the importance of its conservation.
Beach protection
Kamula says coastal residents should take this as a positive gesture towards restoration works.
“There are very successful cases of restoration; the one in Manda is just one of them. This should be a sign of what to expect three years to come.
It is quiet commendable and I must say that many youth funded projects have contributed to restoration of the mangrove in this site.
There are very many challenges that the mangrove of Lamu are facing one of them being the marine litters which are also affecting many beaches so when we are looking into restoration we need to also talk about protecting the beach.
The locals are also encouraged to embrace different strategies to restore and conserve our Mikoko,” he said.
Women Representative, Lamu Forest Community Development, Shalifa Abibakar, suggested it would be of vital importance to involve more locals in training workshops so they can learn the new techniques to protect the mangrove since they are direct beneficiaries of the trees in Lamu.
Well spaced
“I have lived in Lamu all my life and as a community we depend on the mangrove for so much. The trees have been here since our forefathers, who instilled in us the importance of taking care of them.
So we are ready to learn from the scientists,” she said, stating that most locals do not believe that the mangrove needs to be planted as it has always grown on its own.
According to Dr Judith Okello, a marine scientist at KEFRI, there is a lot of ignorance that has to be taken away from the minds of the locals, which makes the training even more relevant.
“People need to understand that as much as they have something beneficial like this mangrove, it is important to properly conserve it so that it can give back to them even more.
Development is important and it has to happen over time. The mangrove thrives properly when it is properly planted in proper spacing rather than just randomly crowded in one space.
Also proper harvesting can enhance its growth and proper distribution. These are the strategies the organisations aim at promoting,” she says.
