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An army of volunteers has been creating new mangroves along the banks of Kenya's Sabaki River.
This collective effort's an attempt to restore this essential ecosystem's functions, to benefit the estuary and its people.
Generations of villagers dwelling beside the Sabaki estuary have depended on its natural bounty for lumber, firewood, fresh water, seafood and farmland.
But as ecologist David Obura observes, overexploitation caused by an explosion in population has taken a devastating toll.
Sustainably nurtured, the coastal wetland serves as a resilient partner protecting communities vulnerable to climate change both as a carbon sink, a means of filtering out pollutants, and a defence from extreme weather and rising tides.
Nevertheless, villagers need real world demonstrations of the value of conservation, evidencing the financial gains to be made from rehabilitating local ecosystems.
Conservationists have supported fishermen to abandon unsustainable practices, while volunteer rangers now apprehend loggers in the estuary.
As wildlife and birds flock back, locals find opportunities to supplement their income, acting as guides to visitors and school parties.
Having already planted tens of thousands of mangrove trees, the restoration effort continues to grow with every sapling, providing the river with a brighter tomorrow.
Francis Kagema is the coast regional coordinator from the conservation group Nature Kenya.
