All our projects

Restoring a unique mangrove forest

We are planting 200,000 trees in Mexico in order to restore the mangrove forest. In collaboration with our partner SENDAS and the local population, the project will enable us to bring nature back to life again!

Status: Current project

Restoring mangroves in Mexico

In Los Tuxtlas, part of the beautiful mangrove forest has been lost due to a forest fire. Along with our partner SENDAS and the local population, we’ll be restoring this part of the mangrove forest step by step. And there’s good reason for our project, as mangroves are essential to people and to nature:

Mangrove forests are a source of biodiversity. They’re also known as ‘nature’s nursery’, where young fish reach maturity. Mangroves provide an ideal habitat for many birds, crabs and other marine animals.
Mangroves form a natural protection against storms and hurricanes. Their extraordinary root system (part of which is above the soil!) enables them to curb the force of the wind and waves.
Mangrove forests are among the forests that sequester most carbon. That makes them a powerful means to combat climate change and further global warming!

We started restoring the mangrove forest in 2022 and 2023, and have successfully planted the first 200,000 trees. To boost the restoration, we want to plant a further 60,000 trees in 2024. But we need your help to do so. Will you help us plant them?

Participate in our forest projects

How often would you like to plant?

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How many trees would you like to plant?

1
€5
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2
€10
Donate 2 trees
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3
€15
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4
€20
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10
€50
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€0
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You will be kept informed about your trees with Track & Trees.
You will receive an invitation to plant your own trees during a tree planting day.
You will (optionally) receive a mailbox tree. We get trees from you, you get a tree from us!

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trees being planted

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planting period

Why it’s necessary to restore the mangrove forest

Part of the mangrove forest in Los Tuxtlas was lost in a forest fire, caused by an accident. What remains are pieces of land that are covered only by the rampant growth of invasive plants, which leave hardly any space for the mangroves to regrow spontaneously.

This has an impact on nature as a whole in Los Tuxtlas. The reduction in mangrove forest means a decrease in habitats for (endangered) plants and animals. And furthermore, the fewer mangrove forests, the more vulnerable the region is to the consequences of climate change. This is something the people of Los Tuxtlas are noticing as well. Global warming is raising temperatures and sea levels all over the world, leading to increasingly intense storms and hurricanes.

By planting new mangrove forests, we can turn the tide – both literally and figuratively. New mangrove forests boost the recovery of biodiversity, as well as protecting the region better against intense wind and waves..

Photo 1: The planting location in Los Tuxtlas. Photos 2 and 3: Mangrove forest in Los Tuxtlas that is still intact.

What our work involves

Between 2022 and 2024, we want to plant 260,000 trees, along with SENDAS and the local population. By doing so, we’ll restore a total of 26 hectares of mangrove forest, which is equivalent to at least 43 football pitches. Our ultimate goal is to have planted 500,000 trees and restored around 50 hectares of mangrove forest in five years. And that’s almost 84 football pitches!
We’re planting three different species of mangrove that are native to Los Tuxtlas: white, red and black mangrove.
The inhabitants of Los Tuxtlas are restoring the water network in the region. They’re digging water channels that link up to the sea, ensuring a good balance between the inflow and outflow of fresh and salt water. Then the mangrove forest can grow optimally, and endangered creatures like turtles and fish can return to the area.
The impact of the restoration of the mangrove forest is monitored extensively by SENDAS, using innovative monitoring technology. SENDAS is also providing education to children and their families about the importance of mangroves, which contributes to awareness and motivates the local population to restore and maintain the mangrove forests.

Locals in Los Tuxtlas help with the planting and the digging and management of the water channels.

The first positive results

The first 200,000 trees are now in the ground. And the locals have already dug several new water channels in the area and improved existing channels. The effects are visible already, as the mangrove seeds can spread throughout the area, carried by the water. This stimulates natural regeneration, whereby the seeds grow into new mangrove forests.

In order to further promote forest restoration and natural regeneration, our aim for 2024 is to plant another 60,000 trees and expand the channel system. Would you like to help us achieve this goal?

Plant with us

The 2023 planting alongside a water channel (left).

Our partner

We are carrying out this project with our partner SENDAS A.C., a Mexican NGO that has been working on nature conservation in Los Tuxtlas since 1999.

SENDAS has close ties with local organisations and universities, and the inhabitants of Los Tuxtlas. For example, SENDAS works with a ‘brigade’ set up by a local community. The brigade includes local fishermen who have dedicated themselves to restoring the mangroves for years already. Their responsibilities include planting trees, managing the water channels and maintaining the mangrove forests.

This project of Trees for All contributes to several Sustainable Development Goals

Shoal of juvenile fish swim near mangrove roots

Green Kingfisher - Chloroceryle americana resident breeding bird which occurs from southern Texas in the United States south through Central and South America to Argentina. Male above the water.

A variety of creatures benefit from the mangrove restoration, such as fish, herons, green kingfishers and turtles.

The planting location

The mangrove forest restoration is taking place in Los Tuxtlas, in the state of Veracruz in the Gulf of Mexico. Los Tuxtlas is known for its gigantic natural diversity, which includes cloud forests, volcanoes, coral reefs, coastal areas and mangrove forests.

Since 2006, Los Tuxtlas has been a designated ‘UNESCO Biosphere Reserve’: a protected natural area where agriculture, livestock farming and fishing are permitted with restrictions. The National Commission of Protected Natural Areas (CONANP) is responsible for managing the biosphere reserve.

An integral approach

As in our other projects, in Mexico, too, we’re taking an integral approach to our work. This means that not only do we plant mangrove trees, but we also look at what else is necessary to restore the landscape. For this reason, we’re also supporting a second project further on in Los Tuxtlas, where we’re helping farmers to use their land sustainably. In addition, we’re planting trees around springs, in order to improve the water balance in the region. By taking an integral approach, we ensure that the various restoration activities reinforce one another.