Mangroves are among the most powerful natural climate solutions on Earth. In Ghana, they are also the lifeblood of coastal communities. The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) and Hen Mpoano have launched a new short documentary, Forests of Life: How Mangroves Sustain Ghana's Fisheries, Coastline, and Climate, revealing how local action and stronger policy can revive these vital ecosystems.

Filmed across Ghana’s coast, Forests of Life, captures the resilience of communities who depend on mangroves for their livelihoods and protection. Through beautiful visuals and first-hand testimony, the film shows how these forests nurture fisheries, guard shorelines from erosion and storms, and sequester vast amounts of carbon - up to five times more than tropical rainforests.

But Ghana’s mangroves are under threat. Research by Hen Mpoano under our Sustainable Oceans Project found that between the years 2000 and 2022, mangrove coverage in the country fell by almost 20%, with the Central Region suffering a devastating 66% decline. This destruction has weakened local fisheries, increased coastal vulnerability, and released stored carbon back into the atmosphere.

The film highlights the urgent need for sustained action to protect and restore mangroves. It documents the growing movement of community-led restoration projects, from planting new seedlings to monitoring ecosystem recovery, and calls on policymakers to integrate mangrove conservation into national climate strategies.

“Protecting Ghana’s mangroves means safeguarding livelihoods, food security, and our shared climate,” said Steve Trent, CEO of the Environmental Justice Foundation. “Community-led restoration shows what’s possible when people, science and policy come together. Governments must now strengthen protections and enforce laws that stop deforestation before it starts.”

Hen Mpoano’s Deputy Director, Stephen Kankam, added: “Communities are the custodians of these ecosystems. With the right support and policies, their efforts can transform degraded coastlines into thriving habitats again.”

The film calls for:

• Stronger regulations to prevent mangrove deforestation and degradation.

• Investment in community-led restoration to revive fish stocks and protect coastlines.

• Integration of mangrove conservation into national climate and fisheries policies.

Forests of Life will be released alongside a policy briefing by EJF and Hen Mpoano, designed to inform decision-makers and encourage evidence-based reforms. Screenings are planned in coastal communities and urban centres, with further distribution through schools, NGOs and environmental film festivals.

By amplifying local voices and showing tangible success stories, the Sustainable Oceans Project aims to inspire national commitment to restore Ghana’s mangroves, securing livelihoods, biodiversity and climate resilience for generations to come.

About EJF:

Our work to secure environmental justice aims to protect our global climate, ocean, forests, wetlands, wildlife and defend the fundamental human right to a secure natural environment, recognising that all other rights are contingent on this. EJF works internationally to inform policy and drive systemic, durable reforms to protect our environment and defend human rights. We investigate and expose abuses and support environmental defenders, Indigenous peoples, communities, and independent journalists on the frontlines of environmental injustice. Our campaigns aim to secure peaceful, equitable and sustainable futures. Our investigators, researchers, filmmakers, and campaigners work with grassroots partners and environmental defenders across the globe. For more information, please contact media@ejfoundation.org