The “To Plant or Not To Plant – Phase 2” project is an ecological restoration and mangrove conservation initiative led by Wetlands International in partnership with several national and international institutions. It will be implemented over a five-year period, from 2026 to 2030, in the Cantanhez and Cacheu regions of Guinea-Bissau, with €2 million in funding from partner Greenchoice.

Guinea-Bissau is home to one of the largest and best-preserved mangrove systems in West Africa. These ecosystems play a vital role in coastal protection, carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, and the livelihoods of local communities. However, they are now under severe threat from deforestation, unsustainable exploitation of natural resources, climate change, sea-level rise, and the gradual abandonment of traditional mangrove rice fields.

In response to these challenges, the project aims to strengthen and expand the Community-Based Ecological Mangrove Restoration (CBEMR) approach, which was already successfully piloted during the program’s first phase between 2021 and 2025.This approach is based on restoring the natural hydrology of abandoned former rice paddies to enable the natural regeneration of mangroves, in close collaboration with local communities. Using this method, more than 2,500 hectares of mangroves have already been restored during the first phase of the project.

The second phase of the project aims to restore an additional 1,000 hectares of mangroves in the Cantanhez landscape, particularly around Komo Island and in the areas surrounding Cantanhez and Cacine National Parks. At the same time, the project will monitor, maintain, and consolidate the sites restored since 2021 in the Cacheu and Cantanhez landscapes to ensure their long-term ecological sustainability. Interventions such as opening dikes and digging canals will help restore the natural water flows necessary for mangrove regeneration.

The project also places significant emphasis on scientific and community-based monitoring of the restored sites. Annual assessments will be conducted in the field using ecological monitoring protocols, supplemented by the use of drones and remote sensing tools developed in collaboration with the organization Face the Future. These systems will enable the evaluation of mangrove development, their health status, and their carbon storage capacity. The goal is for at least 80% of the restored sites to be considered “on track” by 2030.

Beyond ecological restoration, the project aims to strengthen the conservation of biodiversity and iconic species found in the Cantanhez landscape. Cantanhez National Park is home to exceptional biodiversity, including West African chimpanzees, Temminck’s colobus monkeys, elephants, hippos, Atlantic humpback dolphins, and a wide variety of migratory birds and aquatic species. The project will support the implementation of the park’s management plan through monitoring, ecological surveillance, anti-poaching efforts, and community outreach.

Environmental education is also a key focus of the program. The project will support existing school mangrove clubs and encourage the creation of new ones to raise awareness among younger generations about the importance of coastal ecosystems. Communication campaigns, community radio programs, local events, and publications will help disseminate best practices in restoration and conservation on a national scale.

The project’s socio-economic component aims to sustainably improve the living conditions of local communities while reducing pressure on the mangroves. The project will strengthen community savings and credit groups, primarily led by women, to support income-generating activities that are compatible with mangrove conservation. These activities include sustainable rice farming, vegetable farming, beekeeping, oyster farming, artisanal processing of local products, traditional palm oil production, soap making, artisanal fishing, and other sustainable economic activities.

The project also aims to strengthen the capacities of local NGOs and community organizations so that they can ensure the continuity of restoration and development efforts after funding ends. Training sessions will be organized on project management, organizational governance, fundraising, and ecological restoration techniques. Exchanges of experiences between communities in Guinea-Bissau and Casamance, Senegal, will also facilitate the sharing of regional best practices.

At the national level, the project will help strengthen the national mangrove platform PLANTA and support improvements to public policies related to the restoration and protection of coastal ecosystems. It will also contribute to the development of a shared strategic vision for the Cantanhez landscape to facilitate the future expansion of large-scale restoration and conservation efforts.

Finally, the project is expected to generate a significant climate impact through carbon sequestration by the restored mangroves. Estimates indicate that the entire program could store more than 461,000 tons of CO₂ by 2055, thereby strengthening Guinea-Bissau’s contribution to the fight against climate change. Through this initiative, Wetlands International and its partners aim to make Guinea-Bissau a regional and international model for community-led mangrove restoration, balancing biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and the sustainable development of coastal communities.