A year restoring mangroves in Kenya: My Restoration Stewardship wrapped

My journey as the GLF 2024 Ocean Restoration Steward has been an exciting and fulfilling experience. I can’t talk about this experience without mentioning my love for the blue ecosystem – the ocean, where it all started.

I have the joy of living within walking distance of the ocean. For twelve years, I’ve waded in these waters, swum in it, walked along its edge countless times, fallen in love with it, snorkeled and dived in it, explored it and occasionally almost drowned in it. One thing always stood out to me – the lush, beautiful green mangroves on the coastline. I was in awe. My love for nature solidified when I learned about the significance of mangroves and the conservationist in me was born.

What drove my passion for mangroves?

Good question! Did you know that in addition to helping us in the battle against the effects of climate change, mangroves can also help mitigate its causes? These coastal trees can absorb more carbon than any other ecosystem on earth. A patch of mangroves could take as much as 10 times the carbon of a similarly sized patch of terrestrial forest. They are also biodiversity hotspots, and their roots help stabilize the coastlines and act as one of the ocean’s natural filtration systems.

Despite all the benefits the mangroves bring, their destruction has been rampant. Kenya alone lost about 20 percent of its mangrove cover between 1985 and 2009, meaning 450 hectares of mangroves disappeared every year. This destructive trajectory has been on the rise, and with it, there is an urgency to use our voices for their protection and restoration. The Restoration Stewards program through the GLF allowed me to do exactly that – serve as a voice for the mangroves. I became an advocate for the original abundance of mangroves near my home so that the ocean also gets to breathe.

A section of mature mangroves in the Mkupe ecosystem. Photo: Steve Misati

My Journey as a Restoration Steward

It all began in November 2023 when I shared my ocean conservation project about mangrove restoration with the GLF team. As it goes, “You never know until you try.” I gave it a shot and I got accepted.

The beginning was nothing short of seeing my dream of pushing for more mangrove conversation and conservation coming close. I had a few meetings here and there and I also connected with fellow restoration stewards in my cohort. They are all amazing, learning from their projects and their landscapes was quite an eye-opener. These relationships only proved Henry Ford’s words to be true: “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is a process; working together is a success.” As stewards, we work to make our planet healthier and better. “Think on a landscape level,” we say.

Steve Misati planting some mangrove seedlings in their Mkupe ecosystem. Photo: ZF Photography

The journey got interesting when we got paired with mentors. Levis Sirikwa and Lily Dali proved to be amazing mentors from whom I could learn and get advice. I am a firm believer in youth mentorship. After all, it is crucial because it provides an environment for growth and helps create meaningful systems that bring positive impacts. I am grateful for my mentors.

My project took a great shift both in terms of implementing and showcasing our work. Getting opportunities to fully share about our mangrove restoration work brought great satisfaction. Talking about my community and how they have been instrumental in championing these resilient ecosystems was also humbling. All in all, I believe that if there is to be an ecologically sound society, it will have to come from the grassroots up, not from the top down.

The highlight of my experience

The biggest highlight of my experience as a Restoration Steward has to be the Landscape Leadership Camp and the GLF Africa Conference 2024. From the impactful learning activities to the solid engagements with other inspiring young people and experts, I had an amazing time. I learned that being a landscape leader embraces the four points of ‘I,’ ‘we,’ ‘they’ and ‘it’. This reminds us of the power of collaboration and working together in building a just, healthier landscape. 

Steve Misati, and other GLF Africa participants during one of the sessions. Photo: the GLF

During the conference, we were also reminded that our land is the great connector of lives, the source and destination of all. It is our healer and restorer. Without proper care for it, we can have no community, we can have no life.

Parting words

The journey with the Restoration Stewards program has been extremely instrumental in shaping how I frame my conservation and restoration work. It has given me an opportunity to remind people how the ocean is powerful and vengeful, and that we must respect it. 

Oceans speak a language that can send you to sleep with the lullaby of the waves gently lapping the shore or they can wake you up with a mighty roar smashing against the rocks, warning you not to enter. For me, the ocean is a magical world, full of possibilities.

Perhaps the best words to describe the way the Restoration Stewards program makes me feel is like a part of something much larger. A tiny, but essential cog in the intricate, complicated system of the universe.

From left – Levis Sirikwa (2023 Ocean Restoration Steward), Claudine Kamanzi (2024 Drylands Restoration Steward), Steve Misati (2024 Ocean Restoration Steward) and Anna Akpe (2024 Wetlands Restoration Stewards) during the Landscape Leadership Camp field trip. Photo: Eirini Sakellari

A big thank you to the Global Landscapes Forum for entrusting me with the opportunity to continue voicing for the protection of the ocean through championing mangrove conservation and restoration. This is a journey I will always hold dear in my heart.