Vanga Bay

Vanga Bay lies on Kenya’s southeast coast in Kwale County. Coastal villages, fishing grounds and mangrove forests are closely connected here. The local Vanga Blue Forest organisation describes its work across Vanga, Jimbo, Kiwegu and Jasini, with community members involved through forest associations and beach management units. [1]

A significant milestone in the bay’s recent conservation history came in 2019, when Vanga Blue Forest was launched. UNEP records the June 2019 launch of the VAJIKI Community Forest Association’s participatory forest management plan. The approach built on experience from Gazi and linked mangrove management with community participation and carbon finance. [2]

Today the bay is also a place for public discussion about conservation benefits. The completed mural outside the Vanga Blue Forest office explains how carbon income supports local priorities. Its participatory design is documented in the October 2026 WIOMSA Newsbrief and in the related mural case study on this hub. [3]