Mwambe
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The massive planting site at Mwambe (410ha) holds immense possibilities for future climate change mitigation efforts on the island of Pemba. The community of Mwambe is located on the southeast corner of the island and dreams of restoring this degraded tract of land to a natural forest ecosystem, building the soil and biodiversity of the region in order to provide protection against the adverse affects of climate change. Small islands are expected to be hit hard by climate change, as sea-levels rise, weather patterns become unpredictable and increased disease threatens to weaken the population.
Community Forests Pemba hopes to design a carbon credit afforestation project in the region, but believes in doing more than just planting trees. Plantations sequester approximately one-fifth the amount of greenhouse gas emissions stored in a natural forest, and adversely alters the landscape to minimize the amount of wildlife habitat and biodiversity. By building the soil by fostering co-beneficial mycorrhizal relationships, and by working with indigenous herbaceous, shrub and tree species, the Mwambe site could revolutionize landscape-level restoration while informing the future of project development on the island.
The population of Mwambe is 7,424 (3,641 male and 3,783 women) with an average age of 13.7. Mwambe is located in Mkoani District.
