
MOZAMBIQUE
Through mangrove restoration, this project helps protect against climate change, restores vital ecosystems and empowers women and communities.
PLANTING PARTNER
Eden Reforestation Projects

Maputo Bay, Mozambique
This project supports the restoration of decimated mangroves in the estuaries surrounding Maputo Bay in Mozambique. The Bela Vista and Tsolombane Reserve sites near the capital city of Maputo were once a bustling habitat for mangroves and the many animals that live within them. The area suffered significant losses during the Mozambican Civil War (1977-92) when they were set on fire to prevent hiding rebels. These days, alongside settlements and human activities such as charcoal making, Maputo Bay's estuary system is threatened by increased flood events directly correlated to climate change, severely impacting these coastal communities. Planting in this area helps stabilise the coastline and increases protection against storms and other weather events. The project also contributes to the "Maputaland Coastal Forest Mosaic", a significant ecosystem which hosts more than 470 bird species, with four species and 43 subspecies endemic or near-endemic to the area.
OUR IMPACTS.

861
Hectares of forest planted to date

70%
Female workforce

750,000
Trees to plant per year
LOCAL IMPACT.

“It makes me proud to leave a legacy for my children,” says Amélia. “As they grow up, they will know that their mother contributed to planting trees to restore the environment.”
Amélia Alberto Chilengue

IMPACT ON NATURE.
Like other coastal wetlands, Mangroves are powerful carbon sinks and store up to five times as much organic carbon as tropical upland forests. They also have characteristic prop-roots, which provide a habitat for many aquatic species and function as a nursery ground for various fish and shellfish species. These ecosystems offer vital roosting and nesting places for wading and shorebirds and are essential habitats for migratory birds, marine turtles, dugongs and porpoises. The mangroves of Maputo Bay are also part of the "Maputaland Coastal Forest Mosaic", a hugely significant ecosystem that hosts many species native to the area.
PROJECT IMPACT.
While no one is safe from the effects of climate change, the global south disproportionately bears the brunt of its impacts. Alongside the environmental and social implications of the project, restoring these mangrove forests helps stabilise the coastline and increases the area's resilience when facing increasingly volatile weather conditions and heavy storms.
In Mozambique, mangroves planted 100 metres from the coastline are protected by law. But more protection is needed to capture the extent of the mangrove estuary systems near Bela Vista. In creating the project, Eden Reforestation will ensure that forest use will be limited by a contractual commitment to protect the trees in perpetuity, and timber extraction will be prohibited, allowing both forest and community to thrive for years to come.

Project Gallery