Blog by Michel Schuurman, Business Development at Treevive
Recently, I visited two potential mangrove restoration projects—one in Ghana and another in Benin. A crucial aspect of our work involves an in-depth exploration of existing projects and potential initiatives. Field visits allow us to gain a profound understanding of the local context and gather pivotal data and information that shape our approach and decisions. For these mangrove projects, we have hired Face the Future, a technical forestry consultancy with experience in mangrove restoration projects in Africa. In both cases we explored the potential for a mangrove restoration project, focusing on three, equally important critical aspects:
- Ecological Suitability – Evaluating whether the conditions, such as the hydrological conditions and presence of brackish water and existing vegetation, would support natural and/or assisted regeneration of mangroves.
- Socio-Economic Viability – What human activities have been the driver(s) of mangrove degradation? Can we provide alternative fuel sources or livelihood activities that ensure any regenerated mangrove areas actually can and will be sustainably managed?
- Legal and Governance Status – Getting clarity on formal and informal land ownership and governance structures, governmental (carbon) policies, and the general stance on developing a carbon project. It’s vital to understand community and government dynamics to this and understand and manage expectations on for instance benefit sharing by local stakeholders, whose support is vital to the project’s success.
While challenges like fragmented land availability from an ecological perspective and some uncertainty about specific demarcations on land ownership exist, the optimism and commitment of local stakeholders—both formal and informal—are truly inspiring. It feels like planting a mangrove seed: we’ve laid the groundwork, and now it’s up to us to nurture this potential into something thriving and impactful.
In Benin, ECOBENIN, a local NGO dedicated to empowering remote communities while restoring nature, leads the on-the-ground work. Their efforts exemplify how restoration projects can simultaneously address biodiversity loss, climate change, and enhance local livelihoods. Witnessing their work highlighted the power of combining ecological restoration with social impact programs.
Field visits are essential to Treevive’s approach. They allow us to go beyond the theoretical, enabling direct engagement with the people and landscapes we aim to support. Seeing the reality on the ground offers insights that no report or GIS study can match. It raises a deeper understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities each project presents and helps us co-create tailored, impactful solutions with our partners.
Restoration isn’t just about planting trees—it’s about building trust, cultivating relationships, and supporting communities getting out of poverty. At Treevive, we’re committed to working closely with local organizations and stakeholders to restore degraded landscapes and strengthen communities. Each field visit reminds us of the importance of dialogue, presence, and collaboration. These experiences reinforce our mission to combat climate change and biodiversity loss while creating tangible benefits for local people.
It also lets us face the fact that high quality and integrity criteria are important. And that we always need to strive for the best possible outcomes for local communities, biodiversity, and climate. Yet there is no one-size-fits-all approach that guarantees such things. It requires craftsmanship, creativity, a lot of time and energy, and the acceptance that nothing will ever be perfect. But if we closely work with local project proponents, communities, investors, and offtakers, we can ensure the perfect doesn’t become the enemy of the best.
Together, we can transform fragmented ecosystems into thriving landscapes. Let’s keep planting seeds!
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