Mozambique announced on February 8, 2022 that it wanted to launch a major project to reforest the mangroves along the coast. The rising water, tropical storms and deforestation for charcoal cooking, among others, have ravaged its coasts.
Mozambique, whose coasts are eaten away by the onslaught of the ocean, tropical storms, cooking with charcoal or slash-and-burn crops, announced on Tuesday (February 8) its intention to launch the largest mangrove reforestation project in the country. ‘Africa. The Mozambican Ministry of Sea and Inland Waters wants thereby replanting up to 100 million trees over the next three decades in the central provinces of Sofala and Zambezia.
This concerns 185,000 hectares of mangrove forests on the coast of Mozambique, which stretches for 2,500 kilometers.
Meanwhile in Mozambique: Satellite image shows rampant #deforestation from 2000 to 2012 and projections to 2019 (right)
The forest cover loss was 30,000 km2 between 2001 and 2017, about the size of Belgium
There are 23,489 active fires detected there in the last 7 days pic.twitter.com/zHbvVjwPH2
— Assaad Razzouk (@AssaadRazzouk) August 4, 2018
“Meanwhile in Mozambique: Satellite image shows endemic deforestation from 2000 to 2012 and projections to 2019 (right). Forest cover loss was 30,000 km² between 2001 and 2017, approximately the size of Belgium. 23,489 active fires have been detected there in the last 7 days.” Tweet posted on August 4, 2018)
This project is supported by Blue Forest, an offshoot of Impact Adventures, a company that carries out sustainable community projects in Africa. It will rely in particular on satellite imagery to identify heavily deforested areas. “We start by using high-resolution satellite imagery, LiDAR technology and remote sensing data to identify key ‘hotspots’ where the need for restoration is greatest. Then we apply our Artificial Intelligence algorithms to decipher collected satellite data and field measurements in order to design our reforestation activities in an accurate, efficient and transparent manner”specifies Blue Forest on its site.
“These 185,000 (hectares) are effectively the size of Paris, Manhattan and London combined. It has never been done on this scale.”
Vahid Fotuhi, founder and CEO of Blue Forestat AFP
The program aims to offset some 200,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year, which would be equivalent to removing 50,000 fossil-fuel cars from the road, AFP said. This project will be financed by a mechanism of carbon credits generated by the activities of reforestation and conservation during the thirty years of this partnership.
Blue Forest is currently developing mangrove rehabilitation projects in seven countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
“Mozambique is an extremely strategic country when it comes to mangrove forests. We are delighted to partner with the Ministry of Sea, Inland Waters and Fisheries and work in coordination with all national and provincial institutions, as well as with the local communities of Sofala and Zambezia on this flagship projectsaid Blue Forest CEO Vahid Fotuhi. Tens of thousands of people and endless marine life will benefit.”