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Trees to help rivers - 6th May 2022

The plants, trees and animals on the Sabaki River in Kenya need help. Mangrove trees may be the answer.

People who live nearby have always used the river's plants, wood, fresh water and fish. But now, these things are difficult to find because so many people live here. This is a serious worldwide problem.

David Obura: "So, the point at which we've got to now – in, globally, in Africa, in Kenya, or just looking at the Kenyan coast, is that population density is very high already. And the amount of resources that have already been extracted – by fishing, by clearing vegetation, by cutting wood for, for charcoal or for construction and things like that – is we already at a ecosystem or environmental deficit right now. So, we can only benefit ourselves and nature by restoring ecosystems right now."

The Sabaki River ecosystem includes the plants, trees and animals on nearby land. It's important for cleaner air and water, but people are taking too much from the ecosystem. This is killing it.

Experts on the environment are educating local people. They're showing farmers and fishermen ways to work which are better for the environment. This will stop a lot of the damage.

These changes help clean the water and bring the plants and animals back. This means local people can make money as guides for visitors.

They've already planted tens of thousands of mangrove trees. These trees grow well when reintroduced into their traditional locations.

Francis Kagema: "So, the world is changing a lot. But for the mangroves, the ability to bounce back and come back and colonise the areas they used to be in the past is quite encouraging."