Blue Carbon

Seagrass and Mangrove Research and Conservation

The importance of mangroves and seagrass ecosystems.

A heavy emphasis has been put on conserving coral reef ecosystems in the past and it has only become apparent and recognised in recent years how fundamentally significant mangrove forests, tidal wetlands and seagrass beds as a blue carbon sink. It has been discovered these underappreciated blue carbon ecosystems can store more carbon for longer (thousands of years) and at a far quicker rate than terrestrial forests.

C3 has long been involved in seagrass and mangrove research and conservation and contributes to national and global knowledge about these critical systems. Mapping these ecosystems, documenting threats and establishing community monitoring programmes as well as campaigning for their inclusion in new and existing MPAs, forms a large part of the organisation’s work.

In the areas we work, these ecosystems are critical.

They are important in the sustenance of coastal livelihoods, providing nursery grounds, feeding areas and shelter for hundreds of fish and invertebrate species. Furthermore, with the escalating impacts of climate change, they provide physical protection to vulnerable coastal communities from the increasingly frequent and severe typhoons. Throughout the north, C3 is assisting communities establish native forest nurseries and replanting denuded coastal and upland forests as well as replanting mangroves and establishing MPAs focused on mangrove and seagrass ecosystems. With our hundreds of community volunteers and 1200 Reef Rangers, we have huge capacity for replanting large swathes of coastal and upland forests at low cost. We have done so with the support of our partners, Tany Meva and Graine de Vie.

Mangroves in Madagascar. Community Centre Conservation (C3) Madagascar: Blue Carbon

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Contact

C3 MadagascarLot II PA 12 Bis, Soavinimerina, Ambohimanga Rova, Antananarivo, Avaradrano

C3 Madagascar (CONSERVATION CENTREE SUR LA COMMUNAUTE C3 MADAGASCAR), in accordance with Article No. 5 of Ordinance No. 60133, is registered as a non-profit organization in Madagascar under the Direction of the Territorial Administration of Antananarivo with Registration No. 1206/14-MID/SG/DGAT/DIRAT/ANT/ASS.