Introduction
Madagascar, located around 400 kilometers from East Africa in the Indian Ocean, is an island country that ranks as the world's second largest after Indonesia. The island of Madagascar itself is the fourth largest in the world. Madagascar is renowned for being a biodiversity hotspot, with most of its wildlife species found exclusively on the island.
Unfortunately, more more than 90% of Madagascar's original forests have been destroyed, leading to the displacement of numerous animal species and limiting the ability of local inhabitants to farm and utilize the land. In addition, entire mangrove estuaries have vanished, leaving exposed soil vulnerable to erosion into the ocean. These mangrove forests are critical carbon sinks that offer habitats for a diverse array of marine species residing in the shallows, as well as providing essential coastal protection from floods and storms.
Planting partner
Our projects in Madagascar are run by Eden Reforestation Projects (‘Eden’) – a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose mission is to provide fair-wage employment to impoverished villagers as agents of global forest restoration.
Eden hire local people to grow, plant, and guard to maturity the trees planted through funding from our community – on a massive scale. As well as restoring forest ecosystems, Eden’s “Employ to Plant” methodology results in multiple positive socioeconomic and environment impacts.
Why mangrove trees?
In January 2020, a joint letter from 11,000 scientists declared a climate emergency. In it, signatories had singled-out restoring mangroves as a major natural climate solution which “contribute[s] greatly to sequestration of atmospheric CO2”.
Mangrove forests can store four times as much carbon as a tropical rainforest, and they also provide crucial ecosystem services like safe habitats for tropical fish, the cycling of nutrients, and highly-effective coastal storm protection.
Learn more about mangrove forests in this video:
Our mangrove restoration efforts in Madagascar support planting locations on parcels of coastal land to the North West of the island, near Mahajanga.
Social impact
The project employ the local community to reforest their own environment fosters a deep connection between the community and the land. Reforesting and protecting the land encourages the local communities to invest in the success and growth of the trees, which they begin to love and care for.
Over time, the improvement of traditional income generating activities such as fishing and farming also help the community understand the direct benefits they receive from a healthy forest.
When extreme poverty is alleviated, families can then begin investing in micro enterprises, larger numbers of children can be enrolled in school, an increase in access to healthcare is possible and previously poverty stricken families can then afford to save and plan for their future.
Project Photos
UN Sustainable Development Goals
As an Net Zero member, your money goes towards supporting projects that are in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Here are the goals recognised by the Mangrove restoration in Madagascar project:
Read more about the Sustainable Development Goals
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