February 01, 2019

Saved By The Trees

2 minutes

The island of Kokota, part of the Zanzibar Archipelago off the coast

of Tanzania, is tiny – only one square kilometer and home to just 500

people. For centuries, its residents

subsisted by harvesting the islet’s natural resources, including its trees.

By the early 21st century, the deforestation had become unsustainable and the islanders faced a crisis. Fisheries were depleted, and rivers ran dry. The changing climate brought rising sea levels, more erratic rainfall, and coral bleaching in the surrounding waters. The situation looked hopeless.

But in recent years, the island has come back from the brink of

ruin. Reforestation efforts began in

2008 on the larger island of Pemba and on Kokota itself, led by a Pemba local

and a Canadian tree planter who formed the non-profit Community Forests

International. Since then, nearly 2

million trees have been planted on the two islands. Enthusiastic volunteers on Kokota usually

help plant trees during the rainy season, when water is plentiful.

Community Forests International, along with spearheading the tree

planting effort, also built Kokota’s first school, and installed rainwater

storage tanks for the community.

The conservation group is now devising ways for Kokota to make more

money by diversifying its agriculture with crops that grow well in its climate

including spices like cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. They are also helping locals to grow more and

different vegetables in their gardens.

Small, poor communities are often the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, such as drought, powerful storms, and depleted fisheries. Tiny Kokota provides an example of an environmental comeback. Fighting climate change requires economic solutions along with environmental solutions. For this one tiny island, it appears to have been saved by the trees.

**********

Web Links

This island was on the brink of disaster. Then, they planted thousands of trees.

Photo, posted July 18, 2015, courtesy of Marco Zanferrari via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

...more