In collaboration with the well-recognized non-profit Global Nature Fund (GNF), based in Radolfzell/Bonn, we at True Assets e. V. (non-profit) have launched our first donation project!

The focus is on mangrove conservation in eastern India, south of Kolkata in the coastal region, where the GNF team works with local partners to restore and protect mangrove landscapes — including the sustainable mixed use of the coastal area for local communities.

As a think tank and collaborative network, we are committed to regenerative solutions. We maintain active exchange with GNF, including through our joint participation in the Forum for Sustainable Palm Oil e. V. (FONAP). Through this collaboration, we have also shared insights on other regenerative projects and programs worthy of support.

Mangrove conservation is essential in many ways for tropical coastal regions around the world. Between 1980 and 2010, it is estimated that 20–35% of mangrove landscapes were lost. Mangroves play a critical role in coastal protection, provide habitats for complex plant and animal communities in the transition between freshwater and saltwater, and serve as key breeding and nursery areas for young animals. They also offer local communities safe spaces for sustainable livelihoods, such as responsible shrimp farming, and are excellent carbon sinks.

Where mangroves are destroyed, vulnerable areas emerge in every respect. GNF and its partner, Nature Environment & Wildlife Society (NEWS India), aim to counteract this and contribute decisively to habitat restoration and responsible resource use. This is exactly what we want to support with our collective donation. All funds collected will be fully transferred to GNF for use in the project on-site.

Project Details:

The project aims to develop aquaculture models integrated with mangrove forests. Through approaches such as Integrated Mangrove Aquaculture (IMA) and Sustainable Aquaculture in Mangrove Ecosystems (SAIME), mangroves are directly incorporated into pond systems to combine shrimp farming with ecosystem protection. Farmers plant mangroves around and within shrimp ponds, stabilizing coasts and promoting biodiversity.

Applying these innovative techniques also creates local employment opportunities and integrates young people and women into the workforce. This provides chances for social and economic development within local communities and reduces the pressure for climate-driven migration.

Call for Donations:

Anyone who would like to support this project is warmly invited to make a donation — for example, easily via Betterplace.org:
Mangrove Conservation in India

Alternatively, donations can be transferred directly to True Assets e. V., with the reference “GNF Mangrove Conservation in India”, to the association’s account at Frankfurter Sparkasse:

• IBAN: DE38 5005 0201 0200 7922 70

• BIC: HELADEF1822

We — and GNF/NEWS India — are grateful for any support, no matter how small!