Aktionsgemeinschaft Artenschutz (AGA) - Mangrove protection in Kenya
As an environmental pioneer, we know how important it is to protect, conserve and support biological diversity. In the species protection organization AGA (Aktionsgemeinschaft Artenschutz) we have found an experienced partner that will accompany us on this path. Our shared goal is the conservation and protection of mangrove forests in Kenya, which are a unique ecosystem that plays a critical role in global climate protection and in biodiversity conservation.
AGA works with the state corporation Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and the organization Bahari Hai im Mida Creek near Watamu to protect the mangrove forests in Kenya. One important goal is to maintain the existing mangroves by engaging Community Scouts to prevent illegal harvesting. Furthermore, AGA replants forests in damaged areas with the help of volunteers from nearby villages. With environmental education, local people are made aware of the value and significance of mangroves.
Werner & Mertz supports this important work as of 2025. A large part of the cooperation is the environmental education for local residents. By means of training and educational programs, the people who live close to the mangroves learn how important the forests are and get involved in their care.
Mangroves are all-rounders
True all-rounders, mangrove forests provide priceless services for people and animals. Between land and ocean, fresh and salt water, the low trees put down roots in the swampy ground. They stabilize coasts, protect them from erosion and flooding, filter the water and offer innumerable animal species shelter and a home.
Fish find breeding grounds among the mangrove roots while sea turtles search for protection and food in the underwater thicket. Above the water, mangrove branches, twigs and leaves offer space and sustenance to monkeys, bats, birds, tree-climbing crabs and insects.
Essential for climate protection
Mangrove forests bind large amounts of carbon. They are not just an important element in the coastal ecosystem, but also a crucial factor in global climate protection. Despite their significance, mangrove forests around the world are threatened. Deforestation and water pollution endanger these valuable habitats.
As early as 1986, AGA began its successful work in protecting threatened animal and plant species and their habitats. The organization is active internationally in its efforts to conserve the fundamentals of life for people, plants and animals. Its first project was the rescue of sea turtles; today AGA is involved in many protection projects, like the one for the valuable mangrove forests in Kenya.
