Wetlands International commenced restoration efforts in Kitangani by bringing together a wide group of stakeholders. We engaged local communities through civil society organisations and the Lamu Community Forest Association (CFA), as well as Kenya Forest Service (KFS), the Kenya Forest Research Institute (KEFRI), the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI), and the Lamu County Government.
[Kuto/Cherono/Elizabeth, please add more details on our engagement activities with these groups. E.g. did we collect socio-economic information from the site and wider landscape? Did we discuss alternative livelihoods? Did we discuss the values of mangroves and benefits of restoration? Did we discuss why previous restoration attempts failed, etc?]
These efforts resulted in a group of CBEMR champions that throughout the full process helped in creating further awareness, assisted in capacity building, in conducting ecological and social assessments, implementation and monitoring of restoration activities.
Stakeholders were then trained on best mangrove restoration techniques, using the CBEMR approach. In collaboration with the Mangrove Action Project (MAP) and KFS, Wetlands International trained community organisations, government and county officials, forest managers, research institutions, academia from several universities, media and civil society from Lamu, Tana River, and Mombasa counties. From the communities, women had a 50 per cent representation, as it is them who are mainly involved in actual restoration efforts.
Participatory and Holistic Approaches: The CBEMR approach is participatory and provides a holistic view of the landscape and the restoration process. It connects resource users with research institutions, the local government, national conservation and law enforcement agencies, and civil society and build on their local and expert knowledge.
Gender Roles and Social Groupings: Women are key in mangrove restoration and conservation activities. Men, who are mostly breadwinners, spend most of their time fishing or pursuing other livelihood or economic activities and are therefore not keen on engaging in conservation initiatives. Gender roles and social groupings are therefore critical when planning mangrove conservation and restoration initiatives.
Local Knowledge and Participation: CBEMR champions create awareness, assist in capacity building, undertake actual restoration activities, monitor restoration activities, and conduct ecological and social assessments, among other roles.
Lamu has relatively well-established community-based organisations that have a growing interest in mangrove restoration.
Capacity Building and Knowledge Sharing: There exist knowledge gaps in mangrove conservation and restoration within communities, conservation institutions, and research organisations. There is therefore need for continuous capacity building and knowledge sharing.