Planting Trees to Save the Mangrove

Deforestation is a serious issue in Guinea, where mangrove forests are cut down to burn wood to dry and smoke fish. Mangroves play an important role as nursery areas for fish and shrimp; moreover, they are important factors in stabilizing the shoreline. Mangroves contribute to climate change resilience by reducing the impacts of severe storms and cyclones. When they are cut down and burnt, not only do they destabilize the shoreline they also release greenhouse gas emissions.


A group of local women in Guinea were so concerned about the disappearing mangrove forest due to the overuse of wood for drying and smoking fish that they decided to band together to do something about it. Their solution was simple, successful and sustainable. The women created cooperatives on four island villages to stop the deforestation of mangrove wood. They now use non-polluting solar driers to dry and smoke the fish. And they plant fast-growing Moringa trees to reforest the area and create a sustainable source of income, by drying and selling the tree’s nutritionally dense leaves and water-purifying seeds.