Khor Kalba

A total of 1000 mangroves were planted with 15 volunteers across the Kalba lagoon. 200 saplings were planted in existing areas which had been grazed and 800 saplings in a new area located in the North Island of the lagoon. The north island had soils perfect for the growth of new mangroves and was located opposite the existing restoration area which has had good survival rates.

On Saturday 26th November, with the help of volunteers and workers, a total of 2,600 mangrove saplings (watch our Instagram reel) was planted at suitable sites along the lagoon.

Saplings grown in a mangrove nursery are transported to site and planted at pre-determined locations.

The objective of this biodiversity survey was to collect data prior to our planting activities to be able to compare and understand the impact of additional mangroves on the environment. Our team and volunteers collected baseline data from 8 pre-determined plots (watch our Instagram reel). Data collected covered details of existing mangroves, wild plants in the area, crabs count and their burrows, number of snails in a sample area, number of species of birds seen throughout the day and signs of insect pollinators and pests.

The restoration sites were visited every other month after planting to observe any major disturbances or adjustments needed. We also collected information with some volunteers on the status of the restored mangroves by tracking their health status which is reported using the projects monitoring dashboard to track the progress of the project.

In October 2024, a total of 10,000 mangrove seeds were planted by our team in the picturesque Khor Kalba (watch our Instagram reel). Unlike the usual approach of planting saplings, we diversified our methods by directly planting seeds. These seeds were collected from mature mangroves or gathered from the ground, then soaked overnight and carefully hand-planted. This approach helps preserve genetic diversity and strengthens the resilience of the local mangrove ecosystem.