Every year on July 26, people around the world celebrate World Mangrove Day–a day to recognize the importance of these vital coastal ecosystems and the people protecting them.

This year, we’re marking the occasion with a special edition of MAP Field Notes, sharing a workshop experience that reflects the heart of our mission: supporting communities with the knowledge and tools they need to restore, protect, and steward their mangroves. 

Thank you for being part of MAP’s journey.

Building the Future of Mangrove Restoration in Tanzania:

This April, MAP traveled to Tanzania, to deliver three Community-Based Ecological Mangrove Restoration (CBEMR) trainings in partnership with Community Forests Pemba (CFP) and Community Forests International (CFI). These workshops represented over a year of collaboration and planning.

During MAP’s first visit to Zanzibar in April 2025, our team spent time with communities to understand the challenges, priorities, and support needed to strengthen mangrove restoration efforts. Those conversations shaped this year’s training focuses:

Looking Beyond Tree Planting

Mangrove restoration is often measured by the number of trees planted. However, successful restoration, with trees reaching maturity, requires much more. Tanzanian participants learned how understanding the landscape’s water flow, soil conditions, wildlife and community needs is vital to creating lasting mangrove restoration.

Through classroom learning and hands-on field trips, participants reviewed restoration sites, developed restoration plans, and explored how to change strategies to meet each community’s unique ecological and social needs.

Investing in Community Leaders

MAP designed these trainings to support community members who will become restoration leaders and trainers within their own villages.

As part of the ZanzAdapt initiative, which strengthens women’s leadership across Zanzibar, participants left with both the technical skills and confidence to share their increased knowledge. Lasting restoration happens when knowledge belongs to communities.

The Ripple Effect

At MAP, we believe the greatest impact happens after a training ends. Just one month later, Community Forests used the skills and resources from MAP’s training to lead a three-day workshop for 166 agroforestry trainers across four communities in Zanzibar.

More than 83% of participants were women, strengthening the role of women as leaders in climate change and environmental stewardship.

These trainers will now help communities across Zanzibar add CBEMR into their work—creating a ripple effect that lays the foundation for community-led restoration for years to come.

Where in the World is MAP?

World Mangrove Day isn’t just one day on the calendar for MAP–it’s a celebration of the global community working every day to restore and protect mangrove ecosystems.

This July, members of our team are celebrating alongside worldwide partners and practitioners.

Our Executive Director, Dr. Dominic Wodehouse, and CBEMR Trainer Jim Enright are currently in The Gambia delivering MAP’s first-ever CBEMR workshop in the country.

Meanwhile, our Restoration Program Director, Dr. Laura Michie, Restoration Workshop Leader Dr. Diana Cisneros, and Grants & Operations Manager Ali Eggling are attending the Conference of the Americas on Mangroves in Panama. The team will be presenting on MAP’s work, participating in panel discussions, coordinating the Mangrove Photography Awards exhibition, and hosting an event for women across the Americas working in mangrove conservation.

Whether delivering trainings, sharing knowledge at international conferences, or strengthening partnerships around the world, we’re proud to work alongside the incredible communities leading the future of mangrove conservation.