Mangrove Condition
At least 40% of Kenya's mangroves are degraded, which shows as declining canopy cover and impaired ecosystem functions. Loss has slowed in recent years, but some areas are still heavily degraded, with peri-urban mangroves in Mombasa the most affected.
| County | Degraded area (ha) | Main threats | Drivers | Level | Hotspots |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lamu | 14,407 | Illegal cutting, die-back | Livestock, sedimentation, coastal development, pests and diseases, encroachment, windthrow, pollution | Moderate | Tchundwa, Bwajumwali, Siyu, Pate, Mtangawanda, Bori, Kizingitini, Ndau, Kililana, Mkunumbi, Mwabore, Rubu |
| Kwale | 3,725 | Illegal activities | Damming of rivers, coastal development, sedimentation, erosion, flooding, wave energy | Low to moderate | Mwache, Ramisi, Gazi Bay |
| Kilifi | 3,422 | Illegal cutting, encroachment, conversion, die-back | Sedimentation, sewage pollution, brine from salt works, conversion to salt pans | Moderate to severe | Mtwapa, Ngomeni |
| Mombasa | 1,850 | Illegal activities | Sedimentation, oil and sewage pollution, encroachment | Moderate to severe | Tudor, Makupa |
| Tana River | 1,180 | Illegal cutting, fire | Sedimentation, flooding, erosion, encroachment, livestock, pests and diseases, climate change | Moderate to severe | Delta dunes, Kalota, Katsangani, Bujra, Funana, Mgombani, Kitwani |
Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for restoration
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| Goodwill of communities and policy makers; supportive national and international policies | Weak knowledge management and sharing of best practice |
| Technical capacity in research, remote sensing and GIS for mapping degraded sites and monitoring restored ones | High dependency on mangrove wood; low investment in nature-based enterprises such as carbon finance |
| Data on degraded sites available; active Community Forest Associations | No standard reporting templates; little monitoring of past restoration; weak enforcement; overlapping mandates |
| Opportunities | Threats |
|---|---|
| Interest and funding for mangrove restoration; nature-based solutions; jobs and livelihoods | Climate change: flooding, sea-level rise, saltwater intrusion, pests and diseases |
| Green, blue and circular economies; payment for ecosystem services including carbon | Encroachment, conversion and coastal development; high demand for mangrove products |
| UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration; research partnerships; public-private partnerships | Shoreline change; poor land use upstream; low awareness |
- National Mangrove Ecosystem Restoration Guidelines 2025 (PDF, 4 MB)
Step-by-step restoration, planting densities, monitoring indicators and case studies.
- Kenya Mangrove Portal
Maps and monitoring of Kenya's mangroves, inside this portal.
Source: Government of Kenya (2025), National Mangrove Ecosystem Restoration Guidelines, Kenya Forest Service.