Project Background

The Muni-Pomadze Ramsar site (MPRS) is one of the 5 coastal wetlands and Ramsar sites in Ghana under the management of Ghana Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission. Anthropogenic activities within the Muni-Pomadze Ramsar site threaten wildlife species and their habitats. The continuous decline in resources has also affected the basic livelihood of communities within the wetland who depend solely or partly on these resources for their livelihood.
Communities within the MPRS have been depleting their natural resources as well as engaging in unwise use of the wetland through degrading activities such as charcoal production, firewood collection, bush burning, cattle grazing, inappropriate farming practices and illegal hunting. The mangrove vegetation around the Muni lagoon has faced serious destruction making the lagoon bare of vegetation; this has affected the water holding capacity and the overall hydrodynamics. Since most fish species use the mangrove areas as spawning grounds, recruitment into the fishery (both in the lagoon and the nearby sea) have been affected negatively. This has indirectly led to loss of jobs, economic benefits and revenue from the processing and sales of fish caught by the fishermen. Ecotourism in the area has also been affected since the population of migratory bird around the lagoon had dwindled.

Since the production of charcoal and firewood collection plays a vital economic role in the lives of communities around the lagoon, especially the women, it is obvious that these degrading activities will continue. The current status of the once biodiversity-rich lagoon calls for quick and integrated interventions to reduce the negative trend. There is therefore the need for measures to address these issues to reduce the pressure on the already stressed resources. It would also be important to strengthen existing legislature and management structures for the Ramsar Site to ensure the long-term survival of its resources.
1.3. Project Objectives and Expected Results
The goal of the project is ?to work with local communities and all relevant stakeholders in promoting biodiversity recovery by restoring the ecological integrity of the degraded Muni lagoon and its adjacent traditional hunting grounds through the development of the capacities of local community groups towards sustainable management and utilization of natural resources?.

The specific objectives of the project are as follows:

i. To restore the ecological integrity of the Muni lagoon and its adjacent hunting ground for biodiversity recovery through the strengthening of the governance structure of the Ramsar Site to ensure sustainability and wise use of resources habitat rehabilitation and manipulation.
ii. To promote conservation and sustainable utilization of natural resources within the Muni-Pomadze Ramsar site through conservation education programs, training of communities, proper demarcation and mapping of the site?s boundaries to enhance law enforcement and resource protection and rehabilitation of degraded sites.
iii. To improve the standard of living of the communities within the wetlands of the Muni-Pomadze Ramsar site through introduction of alternative/additional means of livelihood.

Expected Results/Outputs

x. Twenty (20) communities within the core area of the Muni Ramsar site sensitized on the need to conserve the mangroves and their capacities strengthened to manage 50 ha of the core areas sustainably.
xi. Ten (10) ha of the degraded core area of the Muni Ramsar site rehabilitated with Avicennia and Rhizophora spp (red and white mangrove species).
xii. At least 150 members of the communities living within the core areas zone of the Ramsar site supported with alternative livelihood enterprise development.


Project Outcome

The project when completed will restore the Muni lagoon and its adjacent hunting ground to their former glory while providing the needed conditions for the recovery of some wildlife. Restoration of the hunting grounds will contribute towards increasing the population of bush bucks, which is hunted live by the Effutu people during their annual Aboakyir festival. This will help in the continuous perpetuation of the rich culture of the Effutu people while providing jobs and income for the locals through selling of food, items, artifacts etc during the festival. The restoration of the Muni lagoon will help increase the fishery of the area since most species of fish (from the river and adjoining sea) use the lagoon as spawning grounds.

2.0. Description of Project Activities

Results one
Twenty (20) communities within the core area of the Muni Ramsar site sensitized on the need to conserve the mangroves and their capacities strengthened to manage 50 ha of the core areas sustainably.

Planned Activities

2.1.1 Conduct consultative fora and base line studies
The management of wetlands in Ghana by the Wildlife Division is aimed at maintaining the ecological integrity of the wetland and its resources by ensuring participatory management and sustainable utilization. All expertise and stakeholders will thus be brought on board to achieve this goal. This group will include government agencies, Non-governmental organizations, local authorities, traditional leaders, opinion leaders, resources users, the media (Radio Peace and Radio Windy Bay, the community radio stations), women?s groups etc who come together to oversee the implementation of wetland conservation plans. The project will therefore involve these organizations in the Municipality.

There will be an initial forum which will serve as a prelude to solicit the involvement of all stakeholders including selected opinion leaders, resource users, women groups and community members. Detailed activities and implementation plans of the project will be explained and discussed at the meeting. The project area will be visited and zoned based on the period for the various activities to be conducted under the project. Specific roles will also b assigned to specific stakeholders at the meeting. This will ensure the support of relevant stakeholders for the project and also its sustainability.

2.1.2 Conduct communication, education, and public awareness programs within all the communities living within the core area of the Ramsar Site
There will be two forms of education under the project; internal and external. There will be an initial sensitization to serve as a prelude to explain detail implementation plans of the project to staff of A Rocha and all collaborative agencies. The second form of education which is the external education will be organized for all stakeholders and communities whose activities impact on the natural resource. Resource persons will be used to cover aspects of wise use concept and sustainable management during the implementation of the project itself. The educational activities will include the showing of documentaries in communities, at schools, churches, mosque, etc. T-shirts, Bill boards, sign posts, posters, and brochures will also be developed to help educate the community about illegal environmental practices. Schools and communities within and close to the project area will be educated. All the schools and communities within the core area will be covered. To reach the areas beyond the project area, monthly radio programs will be conducted on the local radio stations. This will help educate the greater amount of resource users about the project and its benefits.

2.1.3 Form, train, and empower Community Resource Protection Volunteers Group
A community volunteer group will be formed, trained, and empowered to monitor the activities within and around the project area during and after the project. They will be trained basic ecological monitoring, fire fighting and prevention techniques, and law enforcement to help prevent degrading activities in the project area. This will help protect and maintain the existing resources and the new ones that will be generated through the project for the benefit of future generation. Wildlife Division will supplement the efforts of the volunteer group during their routine monitoring and law enforcement activities within the wetland.

2.1.4 Enact community by-laws and regulation to guide the management and utilization of resources within the Core Ramsar site
The project in collaboration with Wildlife Division will assist the local communities to enact local byelaws which will guide the management of the core Ramsar site. A study tour to Ada will be conducted for the Volunteer groups to learn on firsthand information on how to management Ramsar sites through community efforts.

Results two
Ten (10) ha of the degraded core area of the Muni Ramsar site rehabilitated with Avicennia and Rhizophora (red and white mangrove) species

2.2.1 Establish community nursery capable of producing 50,000 seedlings annually,
A community nursery will be established to supply assorted tree seedlings for planting at the hunting grounds. The species will be carefully selected based on previous experience in the area. The policy will be to use mixed species when planting to mimic what pertains in the natural forest. Also best practices such as no clear-felling will be encouraged. Individual members of the communities will also be trained in nursery establishment and management to earn a living. Planting of the seedlings will be planned to coincide with the major and minor rainy seasons (May ? July of each year) to ensure survival of the seedling.

Mangrove seedling nursery will also be established to produce mangrove seedlings for planting in the field. Both Avicennia and Rhizophora species will be nursed for transplanting in the field. The mangrove seedlings in the nursery will be raised to develop in such a way as to be able to endure field conditions resulting in a better survival than seed sown directly in the field. The seeds will be raised in polypots to suitable sizes before transplanting in the field. Planting will be done at high tide to ensure that seedlings have enough water in the soil. Canals will be crated to get some water from the lagoon to area without water.

2.2.2 Support local communities to engage in habitat improvement and restoration activities

The project will provide seedling and food for work to enable the community members replant the degraded areas. The entire community will be involved in the planting under the project management committee. The planted species will be nurtured into maturity. The project will keep register of all those who actively support the restoration activities. The active participants would be supported with livelihood activities of their choice.

Results 3
At least 150 members of the communities living within the core areas zone of the Ramsar site supported with alternative livelihood enterprise development.

Planned Activities

2.3.1 Indentify and initiate alternative livelihood interventions
The project will conduct studies to identify existing livelihood activities that will enhance sustainable resource utilization to be promoted. In addition, new viable enterprises will be introduced. Community members would be trained in the rearing of grass cutter, snails, and bee to help generate income. Value of products will be enhanced to raise market value to create wealth. This will divert the attention of the community members to other forms of trade other than firewood collection and charcoal production for sale and thus help reduce the pressure on the resources. Individual community members who are interested in plantations and woodlot establishments will be trained and encouraged through provision of subsidized seedlings. This will ensure that good lessons learnt are replicated during the subsequent year. This will also allow for challenges to be addressed and its effect minimized.

2.3.2 Introduce energy saving technology to minimize the consumption of wood for fish processing and domestic cooking
Participants will be trained in the construction and use of fuel efficient stoves for fish processing and household cooking. This will reduce the pressure on the mangroves and tree that the project will generate for fuel and charcoal.
2.3.3 Introduce farmers to sustainable farming
Farmer participants in the project areas will also be trained in sustainable farming to reduce further degradation and pollution of the environment. The improper use of pesticides and organic pollutants will be addressed and reduced to prevent pollution of the lagoon through run offs from farm lands. The Ministry of Food and Agriculture will provide the technical support.

Second Quarter

1. 20 communities were sensitized through radio broadcast within the project catchment.
2. 1009 community members from 3 communities identified as key target communities were engaged in several forms of education within the project catchment. 350 school children in 3 schools were also sensitized on mangrove conservation issues. This will be expanded in the next phase of the project.
3. 30 community members trained as Community Resource Protection Volunteers
4. 3500 white mangrove seedlings were planted over an area of 3.5ha
5. 30 community members trained in 3 alternative livelihood programme.