Koromi River, located in the semi-arid climate of the hinterland of Malindi, is working towards the restoration of 202 hectares of land where massive deforestation is prevalent as well as active pastoralism. The outcome of these activities has led to ecosystem deterioration which is severely threatening the land’s biodiversity. There is luckily still a mix of indigenous trees and shrubs on the land, but many of the oldest trees have been cut down, leaving many parts of the land stripped and vulnerable to further erosion. Since the conception of Camp Koromi River, 10,000 Melia trees, 1,500 moringa trees, and over 25,000 indigenous trees have been planted on 16 hectares of land. The camp is also starting to harvest rainwater from the riverbed of the Koromi seasonal river to begin other sustainable agricultural endeavors as well as to lessen the negative impacts of traditional irrigation.

Koromi River Ecosystem Restoration Community is situated in an area that is experiencing high levels of deforestation for charcoal production, as well as unplanned grazing. Rainfall is as low as 300mm per year and the land is divided by a seasonal river. Their model is to combine a “production tree” (Melia Volkensii) with a variety of slow growing indigenous trees. Their goal is to restore the soil via rainwater harvesting and the tree planting and generally aim for a permaculture approach. They have yet to harvest sufficient water for agricultural/horticultural activities, but the objective is to combine the natural trees with drought resistant fruit trees such as pomegranate. Koromi River is also working to protect endangered trees and shrubs, and educate the community on the importance of this flora in the ecosystem, through information signs and other planned interventions. They also plan to make walking and cycling paths that will enable the community to enjoy the trees and the birds. They hope to widen their impact by providing the proof of concept for local farmers and offer training and inputs to them to join in the restoration of the neighbouring land.