Guanabara Bay revives as fishers restore mangroves.

Community-led restoration in the APA Guapi-Mirim has helped re-establish mangrove forest and wildlife at the head of Guanabara Bay, even as pollution and other pressures persist in much of the bay.

Guanabara Bay is widely known for scenic views but remains heavily polluted along many urban shores. At the head of the bay, the APA Guapi-Mirim protected area now supports a growing mangrove forest that looks and functions differently from the more polluted parts of the bay. Local fishers and organised projects launched community-based restoration and cleanup work from the late 2000s onward, helping the mangroves recover. Key facts: - APA Guapi-Mirim was created on 25 September 1984 and covers about 14,000 hectares, including roughly 6,000 hectares of mangrove swamps. - From around 2008, community-based restoration led by local fishers and NGOs has restored about 320 hectares; Projeto Uçá has restored 18.2 hectares since 2013 and plans to more than double that area by 2029. - Project coordinators report that roughly 60 animal species have returned to restored areas and that mangroves now provide local benefits such as greater cushioning from storm impacts. - Remaining risks include untreated sewage and solid waste entering the bay, broader climate pressures, and nearby industrial activity; Petrobras is reported to fund Projeto Uçá as part of its ESG commitments. Summary: The community-led work in APA Guapi-Mirim has contributed to clear local gains in mangrove cover, wildlife presence and community income linked to cleanup activities. Continued restoration is planned through 2029, while broader pollution and climate-related pressures remain challenges for the wider bay.