Milihoi Mangrove Restoration

The Milihoi / Kichwa cha Nyoka site sits near Lamu Town, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site with a trading history stretching back to the 12th century. Mangroves have been central to the local economy for generations — harvested for dhow construction, exported for the tanning industry, and used as building materials.

Mangrove harvesting was banned in 1997, but continued illegally until legal harvesting was reinstated in 2019. Decades of overharvesting for firewood, construction, and agriculture have significantly degraded these coastal ecosystems, leaving communities vulnerable to extreme weather and threatening food security.

The Restoration Project

Launched in 2020 by Eden: People+Planet, the project spans 1,812 hectares in Lamu County. The deforested section covers 159 hectares requiring enrichment planting, with another 1 million hectares in need of protection and restoration. Native mangrove species — including Avicennia marina, Rhizophora mucronata, Ceriops tagal, and Bruguiera gymnorrhiza — are planted at a density of 10,000 trees per hectare.

As of the latest reporting, over 1.25 million trees have been planted at this site.

Community Impact

The project has created over 5,841 employment days since its launch, providing stable incomes for local workers. Women make up 22.6% of the workforce, with women's economic empowerment a core focus of the programme. The primary occupation in this area is fishing and small-holder agriculture — Lamu County faces challenges including limited fresh water, underdeveloped infrastructure, and food insecurity.

Beyond direct employment, the reforestation work improves food security and resilience to climate impacts by reducing soil erosion, enhancing storm surge protection, and restoring habitats for marine species that support local fisheries.

Environmental Benefits

• Erosion prevention and coastal storm surge protection

• Enhanced water quality in surrounding marine environments

• Habitat restoration for diverse marine and coastal species

• Biodiversity enhancement across degraded mangrove ecosystems

• Significant long-term carbon sequestration — mangroves store up to 50 times more carbon per hectare than some tropical forests

Path to Full Restoration

The project aims to plant up to 15.9 million trees to fully restore the Milihoi channel area. As planted mangroves mature, they naturally regenerate through propagule dispersal, creating a self-sustaining ecosystem. The project is aligned with Kenya's AFR100 initiative (African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative), supporting large-scale landscape restoration and national climate resilience.