Revival of mangrove forest at Better Hope underway

Last week an exercise involving the planting of approximately 12,000 black mangrove seedlings along the Better Hope foreshore commenced.

The mangroves being planted (Ministry of Agriculture photo)
The mangroves being planted (Ministry of Agriculture photo)

According to a press release from the Ministry of Agriculture, the exercise employs 18 people from the community and is expected to result in the restoration of 450 metres of black mangroves; natural recruitment and extension of mangrove forest east along the coastline; reduction in garbage dumping along the shoreline; increase in knowledge of local communities about the importance of mangroves; increase biodiversity within the restored forest; and reduction in overtopping and flooding in the community.

The project is being funded by the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) and the World Wildlife Fund’s Education for Nature. It is being executed by the Mangrove Reserve Producers Co-op with technical assistance from NAREI.