GREEN EARTH ORGANIZATION- Biodiversity Conservation Activities Kwesi Anderson 11/05/2009

Profile - GEO  It’s a non-governmental, environment conservation and development organisation  Established in 1989 and its activities cover most regions in Ghana  Vision: to create environmentally conscious society where natural resources are sustainably managed or conserved

Profile - contd  Mission: to assist, encourage and advocate to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature to support lives on earth  Goal: to ensure that people appreciate the value of natural resources as their life support system and manage them for present and future generations.

Thematic areas of work  Forest  Climate change  Biodiversity conservation Biodiversity conservation  Desertification and drylands  Water etc

Biodiversity Conservation activities  Boti Falls Biodiversity conservation project  Nyanya lagoon rehabilitation and community improvement project  Biodiversity conservation- Bushfire prevention, education and enrichment planting project  Songor Wetlands conservation and education project  Green Dove publication on biodiversity conservation etc

Songor Wetlands conservation- Ada Definition: Areas of marsh, fen, peat land or water whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporal, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine Water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six Meters ( Ramsar convention – 1971) A wetland environmentA typical marshy wetland

 The Songor Wetland, one of the six coastal wetlands (Protected Areas) in Ghana was designated a Ramsar site in  It is the second largest wetland along the coast of Ghana and covers an area of 51,33.33 hectares  The included Songor lagoon is one of the two lagoon systems associated with the Volta River Estuary  It is located in the Danbge East District of the Greater Accra Region  It is endowed with flora and fauna of global and national significance. E.g. includes manatees, migratory birds, turtles, mangroves, African Python, etc

Some of the animal species found in the area

THREATS TO THE WETLAND In spite of it importance in water storage, flood mitigation, ground water recharge, pollutants retention, stabilization of local climate conditions among others, This biodiversity is under threat from a variety of mostly human induced pressures. These includes  Continuous /over exploitation of mangrove for domestic and commercial energy use  Loss of land and habitat through sea erosion  Block moulding at beach  Land destruction and reclamation  Species destruction

THREATS – Cont’d  Blocking of creeks that supply brackish water to the lagoon  Conversion of habitat into farms and salt pans  Use of unsafe agrochemicals that pollute underground water  A low level of awareness and appreciation of the value of wetland ecosystem and how human activities impact its integrity.

Threats to Wetlands

Some Negative Impacts These threats has led to  Loss of traditional and cultural values and grounds  Loss of social, recreational and aesthetic values  Loss of economic / livelihood activities – fisheries, farming, tourism, reeds, salt…  Loss of ecological habitats – breeding areas of animals  Natural catastrophic – flooding, erosion, strong winds

Species conservation / protection measures  By L.I. 710 of 1971 – creation of reserves, parks and zoos  685 of 1971 – conservation of species, authority to arrest and prosecute  L.I. 1659, 1999 – wetland management (Ramsar site) Regulations  Categorization of species and schedules  Research, survey, monitoring etc…  Close seasons (1 st Aug – 31 st Dec.)

Species protection / conservation

Habitat Conservation / Protection Measures Facilitate the restoration of ecologically degraded areas through,  Mangrove and other tree planting  Clearing of blocked creeks and bank planting  Education on environmentally friendly farming, fishing etc.. Practices  Arrest and prosecution

Habitat Restoration/Improvement

Restoration Activities

COLLABORATIVE PROTECTION  Collaboration between the various stakeholders including, government (Wildlife Division of FC), communities, NGOs (Green Earth) as well as individual is being encouraged and supported  Community conservation volunteers – *turtle conservation task force *Individual volunteers *School clubs  Community investment support fund (divert attention, reduce poverty, create employment)

Thank You