Senegal Mangrove Track Record
Wetlands International works to safeguard and restore one million hectares of mangroves across 10 African countries, preserving biodiversity while benefiting approximately two million people.
Senegal since 2017, focusing its activities on two of the country’s key mangrove areas, Grand Saloum (Saloum Delta and Niumi, Gambia) and Casamance. Both are rich in biodiversity and natural resources,
and their mangrove forests support tens of thousands of livelihoods – but both face a range of pressures from human activity that threaten the health of these vital ecosystems.
We’re working to halt and reverse degradation and unsustainable exploitation, collaborating closely with local and national stakeholders on a wide range of mangrove conservation and restoration activities, building social and ecological resilience in our target areas. As we create partnerships, raise awareness and develop effective strategic approaches to the challenges we face, we’re beginning to scale up our impact across Senegal and the wider region.
Our impact in Senegal in a nutshell
- 114,000 hectares of mangroves with improved conservation status through new mangrove management plans, reduced mangrove cutting and illegal logging, establishment of protected areas, and improved patrolling.
- 1,500 hectares of mangroves restored into diverse, functioning mangrove systems, using community-based ecological mangrove restoration approaches where possible.
- 169,000 people benefiting from increased protection against extreme weather, flooding and increasing salinity, and provided with improved food security through increased fish and crustacean stocks.
- Nearly 50,000 community members provided with sustainable livelihood alternatives to harmful practices, reducing the pressure on mangroves and increasing incomes.
- Increased awareness and education of youth and villagers on the value of mangroves, resulting in positive attitudes towards mangrove conservation; and establishment of a strong NGO network that can bring our work to scale with limited support.
- Adoption of our best practices by several other mangrove initiatives in Senegal, collectively creating strong mangrove action across the country.
- Close cooperation with government, supporting collaboration through national and local platforms; developed mangrove strategy to be used by all stakeholders, based on our approaches.
