THE PROBLEM
The need for a conservation model
Despite their invaluable worth, the mangroves face extreme pressures driven by poverty and a lack of economic alternatives:
Unique ecosystem Degradation: Mangroves are being lost to slash-and-burn
agriculture and wood-fuel (Makala) production, destroying vital carbon
vaults and decimating the nesting grounds
of endangered sea turtles.
Community Exclusion: Conservation approaches that exclude
local populations often generate conflict and fail to foster meaningful
community engagement or ownership.