CSSL-JOA Project Supports Community-led Mangrove Restoration in Tissanah Community in Western Area Rural Sierra Leone
“…the mangroves are not just trees for us; they are our shield against the sea; they are our source of livelihood for the welfare of our children. From the experiences we have had, it is obvious that if we lose the mangroves, we lose our homes.” Pa-Alimamy Sesay, Chief of Tissanah community.
Mangrove ecosystems are critical for sustaining fisheries, protecting shorelines, and mitigating climate change impacts. Like many other coastal communities, these ecosystems in Tissanah have however been severely degraded due to overharvesting, unsustainable land-use, and other anthropogenic pressures.
To reverse this situation, the Conservation Society of Sierra Leone (CSSL), through GOAL Sierra Leone, received funds from Jersey Overseas Aid (JOA) to work with affected local communities to restore the degraded mangrove areas in the Western Area Rural and Kambia districts. The project started off with sustained community engagements and environmental education to familiarize the communities with the benefits of mangrove restoration and mangrove conservation, while soliciting their fullest support and participation in the site selection/mapping and restoration activities to ensure sustainability.
In late August 2025, CSSL conducted a comprehensive site mapping exercise to assess both degraded and intact mangrove areas in all project communities in the Western Area Rural and Kambia Districts. This activity also proffered good restoration recommendations to strengthen mangrove conservation efforts in both districts, including the use of a community-driven approach in conservation.
From 12th – 24th September 2025, CSSL undertook and successfully completed the restoration of 17 hectares of degraded mangrove areas in Tissanah community where 85,000 propagules were replanted across identified degraded sites. This was followed by the establishment of monitoring groups to ensure sustainability of the restored sites. “Our work is heavily reliant on community support, hence the reason for the establishment of the Mangrove Monitory Group. CSSL will continue to work collaboratively with all community stakeholders to sustainably conserve these very important ecosystems”, Bobson Kobba, Project Manager, CSSL.
It is expected that the restored mangroves will increasingly improve the ecological health of the Tissanah coastline, providing better protection against erosion and other climate impacts on coastal communities in the near future. The intervention will also support efforts at strengthening local fish nursery grounds, contributing to enhanced livelihoods.
The project has demonstrated that when communities are at the center of conservation, massive community support is assured for ecological recovery and livelihood sustainability. This initiative has laid the foundation for future community-led restoration efforts that address both environmental and socio-economic priorities.
“The mangroves feed our pots and protect our children’s future. Joining hands with CSSL in this restoration has given us more than work to do. We the women of Tissanah now see ourselves as keepers of our mangrove forest. We promise to watch over all that we planted because we know our survival depends on them”. Madam Hawa Kamara, Tissanah community.
