This project is already funded!
Background & challenges
The project is located between the villages of Tsongeritelo and Ambotsibotsiky, in the Atsimo Andrefana region southwest of the island. This region is famous for its mangroves, growing along the shores of the Mozambique Channel (Indian Ocean).
The local inhabitants are originally from the Vezo, a semi-nomadic ethnic group with close ties to the sea. Generations of these people have lived in harmony with the ocean, lagoons, and mangroves. Nowadays, the population lives mainly off sea and coastal fishing, as well as agriculture – growing sweet potatoes and producing salt – are their main activity.
Unfortunately, climate change, massive deforestation and destruction of the mangroves, population growth, and industrial offshore fisheries have greatly disrupted this way of life. Ninety percent of people in the region live below the poverty line, suffer from food insecurity, and are therefore extremely vulnerable to climate change.
Mangroves are vital for local populations, providing them with food, firewood and building materials for their houses. They also have medicinal properties.
One of the priorities of the project is to boost the management and restoration of degraded natural resources, as well as the ability of households in the region to adapt to climate change for food and food security.
Hence the project aims to plant 8,000 mangrove trees with the active involvement of 400 students from surrounding schools.
The educational aspect this project will enable the children, by planting their own tree, to:
- discover the richness of the forest and mangroves and reconnect with nature;
- act in the public interest by making a long-term gesture that is free for themselves, for others and generations;
For the environment, planting the trees will deliver the following benefits:
- tackle erosion and preserve water resources;
- enrich biodiversity and increase the presence of fish and shellfish near the mangroves;
- tackle poverty and food insecurity;
- directly tackle global warming by capturing carbon and planting adapted species.
This project is the continuation of an initial project carried out in 2021/2022 in the region.
Project type
Educational mangrove planting
Beneficiaries
Schools in the district of Tuléar I & II: 400 pupils, the teachers, parents and families of the young participants, elected officials and local authorities involved in the project, and village communities neighbouring the plantation areas.
Number of trees
8 800 trees planted to retain 8 000
Species planted
Orange mangrove, Bruguiera gymnorhiza; red mangrove, Rhizophora mucronata; yellow mangrove, Ceriops tagal; grey mangrove, Avicennia marina; flower mangrove, Sonneratia alba
Partner
Eau de Coco and Bel Avenir
Works timeline
This calendar is by planting year. Two planting years are planned for this project. The first in June 2023/2024 and the second in June 2024/2025.
Period 1: October then November 2023
- Identification of partner schools by Eau de Coco and making contact
- Selection of eco-system plots (Mangrove, etc.) Preparation of seedlings, seedlings and transplanting of young mangrove seedlings.
Period 2: November to December 2023
- Preparation of the reforestation plots
- Presentation of the project in class by Eau de Coco
- Discovery of the world’s forests in class, particularly the endangered forests of Madagascar
Period 3: November 2023 to February 2024 (date to be defined with all partners and depending on weather conditions)
- Planting with the classes over 3 days (4,000 plants)
- The children will receive a planting certificate with their name on it.
Period 4: February to May 2024
- Classroom work by the teachers on discovering the world’s forests and deepening their understanding of the forest in their area following the planting.
Period 5: June – July 2024
- Planting with the classes over 3 days (4,000 plants)
- The children will receive a planting certificate with their name on it.
Period 6: April – May – June 2025/2026/2027/2028
- Monitoring of the plantations (inventory and assessment of plant growth)
- Briefing of young people on the progress of the project
Planting partner
- The Bel Avenir programme in Madagascar
- The Coconut Water programme in Cambodia
- The ESIP-ECSI programme (Education for International Solidarity and Peace) throughout France
Each of these programmes has three focus areas:
- Education and the fight against child labour
- Health
- Environment
In this last area, Eau de Coco develops numerous actions to protect and conserve biodiversity together with local communities. The project subject of this article is part of one of these actions: restoring a mangrove (3 hectares – Belalanda – Tuléar district I & II – Atsimo Andrefana region) with the village community and its children.
Budget
The total budget to be raised is €33,200, i.e. €4.15 per perennial tree,
- 93% of which is earmarked for the planting project, broken down as follows:
- Mangrove planting: €1.41
- Educational activities in Madagascar: €1.09
- Project management, monitoring and evaluation costs: €0.61
- Risk management: €0.06
- Bel Avenir structure costs: €0.16
- Collection, monitoring and communication costs shared across all A Tree for You projects (12.76%): €0.53
- and 7% (€0.29) for structural costs of A Tree for You.
