Sharing local mangrove knowledge...

We had a special addition to our mangrove surveys last week - a local man accompanied us and gave us practical lessons in the traditional properties and uses of the mangrove tree species we see in Mkwiro. This was a great chance not only to share local knowledge but to also get a more practical experience of this important habitat.

Ruga shows us the key properties of different mangrove species

We all learnt a lot, which is going to significantly help us in identifying species in the field and understanding how the local communities use natural resources. For example... we all now know the differences between white mangrove and red mangrove bark and how to make different products simply from them, and have a greater appreciation for the variety of products a relatively small area of mangroves can provide - including furniture, musical instruments, fish bait, varnish and beauty products to our long list!

It was a fantastic day, thank you to everyone involved, especially Ruga for donating his time and expertise!

Sharing local mangrove knowledge...