During the project, the partners involved were different users of the Vanga mangrove, both directly and indirectly, and all depended on the existence of the forest to accomplish their uses. These include fishermen, beekeepers, dagaa processors, Vanga Blue Forest, researchers, Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, Kenya Forest Service and WWF-Kenya. This was necessary for successful hydrological restoration. This collaboration ensured that resources were shared, efforts were coordinated, and the restoration process benefited from diverse expertise.

Field-based training allowed community members to gain practical involvement and experience in the process of hydrological restoration. The community members to be engaged in the activities were identified through the village heads and VAJIKI CFA officials. Meetings were first held with opinion leaders in the village before extrapolating to the larger community. They then went through training, which was mainly field-based. The community was trained on general mangrove restoration and on how to create a (fishbone) network of channels in the degraded site to facilitate free and almost simultaneous flooding of the area. Hydrological restoration was trained in the field, allowing the community to observe and appreciate the baseline conditions and the modifications that could be made.

The project involved engaging the local community in a baseline survey to assess the hydrological conditions and the appropriate restoration approach. The survey aimed to gather information on water flow, salinity levels and mangrove health, which are necessary for designing effective hydrological restoration strategies.

Effective policy lobbying and advocacy must address the implementation of both existing and newly finalized policies to ensure they meet their intended goals. This involves continuous monitoring to track progress and assess the effectiveness of policy implementation. All partners involved in a program or policy must participate in this ongoing process to ensure alignment with objectives and adapt strategies as needed.

The natural resource sector in Kenya is governed by a complex web of laws and policies that directly impact community lifestyles and livelihoods. However, many community members lack knowledge of these laws, leading to confusion, especially when different government departments enforce contradictory regulations. 

NACOFA has taken on the responsibility of informing and educating communities about the relevant laws that affect them. By doing so, NACOFA helps protect communities from unwarranted actions by government officers. An example is the development and implementation of Participatory Forest Management Plans (PFMPs) and Forest Management Agreements (FMAs). Despite these agreements being signed between KFS and various CFAs, there are instances where KFS fails to honor the commitments, making community awareness critical for accountability.

Stakeholder mapping involves reviewing the diverse interests of stakeholders across various sectors at both local and national levels. This process should be as comprehensive as possible, mapping out existing influence and power structures to determine who to engage directly or indirectly. Prior to stakeholder mapping, a thorough analysis of existing policies is conducted to fully understand the issues and why they matter to the community. This understanding then informs the stakeholder mapping activity, making it clearer who to engage with.

The first step involves identifying local environmental challenges at the community level, such as water shortages, diminishing grazing areas, food scarcity, soil erosion, landslides, or flooding. NACOFA gathers community input on possible solutions and explores the links between these challenges and forest or environmental degradation.

Next, NACOFA studies the existing laws and policies that could address these issues, identifying any gaps, or determining if enhanced implementation or enforcement is needed. This process allows NACOFA to pinpoint the responsible government institutions, key officials, CSOs, partners, and community groups to collaborate with.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) is central to ensuring the sustainability of our tree restoration efforts. This building block allows us to track the progress of tree growth and refine our restoration strategies for better outcomes. We employ drones to capture before-and-after images, providing a clear visual comparison of the impact of our restoration work. By continuously assessing our efforts, we can make data-driven adjustments that enhance the effectiveness of our conservation initiatives.

This building block leverages the widespread appeal of football to engage youth in environmental conservation efforts. Our environmental educators collaborate with college and university students, using football as a medium to raise awareness through posters, talks, and events focused on restoration methods. By tapping into the popularity of football, we make environmental issues more relatable and engaging, inspiring students to adopt sustainable practices. This approach not only educates but also mobilizes young people to become active participants in conservation, making them feel integral to the solution.

The purpose of this building block is to conduct thorough landscape assessments on the land owned by colleges and universities. By evaluating the environmental conditions, we can determine which species are best suited to thrive in these areas. This careful selection process ensures higher success rates for planting and contributes to more sustainable conservation efforts. The landscape assessment serves as the foundation for effective planting strategies, aligning species selection with the specific ecological characteristics of the land, ultimately leading to more resilient ecosystems.