TUI Care Foundation has partnered with Peace Parks Foundation to restore a mangrove forest in Maputo National Park and construct a walkway that will allow guests to experience this threatened and critically important coastal habitat.
Around 150 hectares of degraded mangrove forest will be restored through the planting of 525 000 seedlings. A 200 metre-long walkway running through mangrove forest will be established at Santa Maria, on the tip of the Machangulo Peninsula, home to various accommodation facilities.
Maputo National Park Warden Miguel Goncalves explained that mangrove forests play a critical role in conservation and community efforts.
“Mangroves are the unsung heroes of coastal conservation. They protect communities from storms, support fisheries and store carbon at rates far exceeding terrestrial forests. Restoring them is an investment in nature and people,” Goncalves said.
Local entrepreneurs will be supported through the establishment of sustainable tourism enterprises with kayaks and stand-up paddleboards provided for community members to launch their own ecotourism businesses at Santa Maria and Ponta do Ouro.
The project will also see the launch of 20 environmental clubs at schools surrounding the national park.
“This project demonstrates what’s possible when conservation, education and sustainable tourism come together. We’re not just protecting a park; we’re creating a model for how communities and nature can thrive together,” said Manuel Ferreira, Head of Programme Management and External Communications at TUI Care Foundation.
