How to Plant 60 Million Mangrove Trees in 3 Months in Remote Africa

Alex Pasternack
Science / Natural Sciences
October 25, 2010

The mangrove tree is essential to tropical zones around the world, helping to nourish local ecosystems with fish and plants, protect shorelines and soak up carbon. And now it's vanishing at an alarming rate. Since 1980, the planet has lost up to a third of them.

But in the West African country of Senegal, citizens aren't taking the loss of their trees lightly. Through the end of October, over 70,000 people across the Casamance and Saloum regions will plant an estimated 60 million of the essential trees.

With the help of a local NGO, Oceanium, and French corporate sponsors Danone and Voyagers du Monde, here's how thousands will be literally rebuilding their environment from the ground up.

Photo: Alex Pasternack