Deposits (waste, embankments) and excess water (rainwater, waste water) in the city-mangrove interface zones have weakened the mangroves to the point that, after cyclone Dean (August 2007), large areas of mangroves did not regenerate naturally – the mangroves no longer had the salinity conditions to regenerate.

By mobilizing companies for the monitoring and replanting of mangroves, the challenge of this project is twofold: On the one hand, to ensure that the next more intense hazards linked to climate change (cyclones, droughts, sea level rise) do not fall on environments that are too fragile, and, on the other hand, allow companies to prepare for these potentially impacting phenomena by giving a different value to the mangrove than that of an insignificant environment. Mangroves protect us from natural hazards and can also be our escape route in the event of a technological accident. These aspects justify the choice of the 1st LIFE4BEST objective (Adaptation, mitigation of the effects of climate change).

Through the contacts and processes that it will allow with companies, this project aims to achieve the 2nd objective selected (conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services). This approach plans to take companies through a process of control and discovery and to limit the arrival of fresh water by the modernization of the purification of waste water and rainwater.

(Project site, Photo: Alex C.)