Mangrove Conservation Awareness and Climate Change Knowledge Transfer

1. Project Overview

The Mangrove Conservation Awareness and Climate Change Knowledge Transfer Project supported by UNDP ROME, aims to strengthen environmental education and cultural knowledge among young people and communities living near mangrove ecosystems and Kaya forests in the Kenyan coast. The project combines traditional Mijikenda knowledge with modern conservation science to build awareness on biodiversity protection and climate change.

2. Cultural Knowledge and Heritage

The project promotes understanding of traditional culture and conservation practices linked to sacred Kaya forests. Through storytelling, comic strips, and engagement with Kaya elders, students and youth learn the cultural significance of these ecosystems and the traditional systems that protected them for generations.

3. Environmental Education and Learning

Interactive workshops, educational materials, and ecosystem diagrams will help students, teachers, and community members better understand climate change, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem services. School visits to mangrove and Kaya sites will provide hands-on learning experiences.

4. Community Skills and Participation

Women and youth will be trained to conduct biodiversity surveys, including identifying plant and animal species and collecting environmental data. This helps communities actively participate in monitoring and protecting their local ecosystems.

5. Conservation Action and Resources

The project will establish a model tree nursery with indigenous and mangrove species, upgrade environmental education centers, and develop learning resources to support long-term conservation education.

6. Knowledge Sharing and Impact

Findings from biodiversity surveys and traditional conservation practices will be documented and shared through case studies, reports, and community events to support informed conservation planning and policy discussions.