Mangroves are dense forests of intertwined, stilt-like trees, situated between land and sea in intertropical zones. This magnificent and unique ecosystem accounts for less than 0.03 per cent of the world’s land area, which may seem rather insignificant. And yet!

Mangroves provide exceptional ecosystem services (those well-known benefits that ecosystems provide to humans free of charge). It is for these reasons, and because mangroves are under pressure and at risk of disappearing, that Louvain Coopération has been committed to their sustainable development since 2006.

Our mission, in collaboration with our partners and local communities, is first and foremost to strengthen the participatory management of these ecosystems. We also ensure that local communities, young people and local decision-makers are informed and made aware of the importance of mangroves and the ways to protect them.

We pay particular attention to their sustainable use by the communities that depend on them, by developing economic activities compatible with this environment, such as beekeeping and ecotourism. Finally, we support local restoration (primarily reforestation) and conservation initiatives.

In the new Devlop'RA,& you’ll find out all about these initiatives, including a PhD thesis on the socio-ecological resilience of mangroves at the University of Namur… where mangroves were present over 300 million years ago. A link to our past and, perhaps, our future, which makes mangroves even more precious in my eyes!

Vincent Henin,
Project Monitoring Officer
and Co-leader of the Uni4Coop mangrove programme

I support the conservation of mangroves