Mangrove Planting in Senegal
Wednesday, 11. November 2009, 16:40:58
Blue marker at Toubacouta in the Sine-Saloum delta and red marker near Kafountine in Casamance, where I took the photo below of pelicans some years ago.
In the Toubacouta I have witnessed how the mangrove forest is shrinking.
The Saloum delta region is under threat from coastal erosion and from the salinity of the soil. The mangrove forest is vital to this area; it prevents the soil from being washed away, supplies the essential nutrients for young fish and shelters the oyster colonies. The mangrove tree also provides a stock of medicinal plants used by locals and a significant source of income for the women who farm the shellfish. However, ever lower rainfall levels and chaotic exploitation of the forests have accelerated the decline of the tree population, with the resulting deterioration of the environment and dwindling resources.
I am therefor happy to see that a Senegalese environmental NGO has now announced that it had planted 34 million mangrove trees in three months in a project largely financed by French dairy giant Danone to offset its carbon footprint. According to the environmental organisation, Oceanium, some 34 million mangrove seedlings were planted between August and November 2009, 27 million in Senegal's southern Casamance region and 7 million in the Saloum river delta. Over 78,000 volunteers from 323 villages participated in the massive planting campaign. Without the mangrove forests the water becomes too salty to grow rice, a staple food for the Senegalese, fish die and the soil becomes exhausted.

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http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Senegalese_NGO_plants_34_million_mangroves_to_offset_carbon_emissions_999.html
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http://www.unesco.org/csi/region/desert.htm
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http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=80906
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http://www.grist.org/article/roll-up-for-the-worlds-largest-mangrove-planting-project/
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http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5goTwIeIviSzpU__HDlZnGyyP0Scg





















