The Ngao Model Forest community established a credit system where individuals earn credits for their contributions, such as labor or providing equipment, fostering cooperation and mutual support. This innovative system ensures equitable sharing of resources and efforts. The community transitioned to bamboo plantations, which offer new income streams and economic stability due to bamboo's fast growth and versatility. Bamboo forests also support the growth of mushrooms, insects, and worms, providing additional food sources and income opportunities. The presence of wildlife, such as snakes, rabbits, birds, squirrels, tree shrews, wild chickens, and wild boars, further contributes to the local economy. Strong community relationships and collaborative efforts have been key to the success of these initiatives, promoting sustainable practices and addressing the needs of the community.

To strengthen mangrove protection and community-based monitoring, twelve community scouts were selected and trained from within the Mtakimau Community Forest Association (CFA). Equipped with uniforms, patrol skills, communication tools, and basic enforcement knowledge, the scouts actively support restoration, surveillance, and awareness-raising across the 2,550-hectare mangrove area. Scouts conduct regular patrols, detect illegal activities, sensitize local communities about forest conservation, and collaborate with Kenya Forest Service (KFS) officials for enforcement actions. Their work enhances ground-level presence and helps bridge the gap between formal forest authorities and the community.

MTAKIMAU CFA members, supported by WWF-Kenya and the Kenya Forest Service (KFS), took the lead in restoring degraded areas across the 2,550-hectare Mtwapa-Takaungu-Kilifi mangrove landscape. They established a model mangrove nursery in Nzombere Village and received hands-on training in propagating indigenous species, nursery management, and enrichment planting. Using insights from PFMP mapping, they prioritized degraded patches for restoration. In June 2024, the community planted 21,786 seedlings—WWF-Kenya purchased 13,786 while the CFA contributed 8,000. The nursery, now producing over 10,000 seedlings, serves as both a restoration hub and a sustainable income source through seedling sales to restoration partners. Ongoing monthly monitoring ensures nursery health and supports long-term forest regeneration.

The MTAKIMAU Mangrove Participatory Forest Management Plan (PFMP) 2024–2028 guides the sustainable management of approximately 2,550 hectares of mangrove forest across Mtwapa, Takaungu, and Kilifi. Developed under Section 47(1) of the Forest Conservation and Management Act (2016), the plan resulted from a highly participatory process led by the Mtakimau Community Forest Association (CFA), in collaboration with the Kenya Forest Service (KFS), WWF-Kenya, and other local stakeholders.

The process began with community barazas that restructured and registered the CFA. Stakeholders then formed and trained a Local Planning Review Team (LPRT), which conducted forest assessments, household surveys, participatory mapping, and community dialogues. Together, they designed the PFMP to define sustainable forest use practices, identify conservation priorities, and establish equitable benefit-sharing mechanisms. The plan reflects community aspirations, ensures ecological integrity, and builds climate resilience. KFS and the CFA formalized their partnership by signing a legally binding Forest Management Agreement (FMA) based on this plan.

The Mtakimau Community Forest Association (CFA) was revitalized through restructuring and targeted governance capacity building. Transitioning from loosely organized village-based groups to formal individual membership improved accountability, transparency, and inclusive participation. Sixty grassroots leaders were trained on leadership, resource mobilization, conflict management, and forest legislation. Democratic elections established both a management and executive committee. Additionally, sessions on Environmental and Social Safeguards and grievance mechanisms were delivered, enhancing the CFA’s capacity to manage mangrove resources sustainably. This transformation fostered local ownership and positioned the CFA as a credible, community-led institution supporting long-term mangrove restoration and conservation in Kilifi County.

The project has identified some key forest-friendly activities, specifically, beekeeping and agroforestry, which are acceptable to the communities. This provides an avenue for replication in other communities and up-scaling throughout the landscape to provide substantial and sustainable livelihood for communities, while ensuring that the forest is preserved.

As part of strengthening park management capacity, SCERA also provided equipment and materials including field gear (jungle boots, life jackets, raincoats, torch lights and water bottles), fuel and food rations to support forest patrols in 2024. The Conservator of Parks, Okomu National Park, Lawrence Osaze, expressed deep appreciation for SCERA’s support, noting that the equipment would significantly enhance their capacity to manage the park effectively.

Capacity building for rangers on SMART and GFW, with human rights consideration, the development of a law enforcement strategy focused on crime prevention, the update of the ranger codes of ethics and standard operating procedures for Okomu National Park, and support  with equipment, fuel and rations to deploy the technology in the field all culminate in achieving significant improvement in the capacity of the park in preventive law enforcement, anti-poaching activities and combating illegal logging. Data collection and analysis has been made easier and more efficient, making planning, deployment of resources and response to threats more effective

14 carpenters from six communities (Udo community, Iguowan community, Ofunama Community, Okomu Ijaw community and Iguoriakhi community, which is not a SZC) were trained on beehive construction, 31 community people from 6 communities (Udo community, Ugolo community, Iguowan community, Ofunama Community, Inikorogha Community and Okomu Ijaw community), 1 person from Iguoriakhi community were involved in the beekeeping training and benefited from the disbursement of beekeeping equipment. 11 communities (Udo community, Ugolo community, Iguowan community, Iguafole community, Maroghinoba community, Ikoka community, Ugbo Community, Ofunama Community, Inikorogha Community, Ajakurama community and Okomu Ijaw community) were also trained in agroforestry and Plant Propagation and Nursery Management, and benefited from the disbursement of nursery maintenance equipments and tree seedlings.

Park-adjacent communities, local, state and federal government and non-government stakeholders are actively working together in the revision and implementation of a collaborative management plan for the Okomu National Park (ONP).

With financial support from the BIOPAMA AC Medium Grant and the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), SCERA has supported the conservation efforts of Okomu National Park for almost two years. In January 2024, SCERA commenced activities during the first OBSP meeting in 2024 to support the Okomu National Park in the development of a participatory management plan. Subsequently, a workshop brought together local stakeholders to provide their inputs and agree on a roadmap for the development of the management plan. 

The solar powered bio-fermenter automatizes the fermentation process for preparation of biological inputs. The system comprises two tanks (for fermentation and filtration), a battery-powered motor, and a time controller. The fermenter operates entirely on solar energy and features an automatic slurry stirrer that stirs the mixture six times a day, supplying oxygen at regular intervals to support microbial activity and consistent fermentation. The six-stage filtration process allows the output to be used in different application methods: as slurry for soil application, as a filtered solution for foliar spraying, or through drip irrigation systems.

The bio-fermenter can be adopted at the individual farm level or as part of a shared model. In the community-based approach, one farmer becomes a service provider, preparing natural inputs and supplying them to nearby farmers for a fee. This model supports local entrepreneurship and facilitates broader access to high-quality biological inputs, even for farmers who may not have the time or capacity to operate the fermenter themselves.