Upscaling Mangrove Restoration for Coastal Hazard Reduction in a Deltaic Environment: Prioritizing Restoration Efforts for Nature-based Solutions in the Volta Delta

Project title: Upscaling Mangrove Restoration for Coastal Hazard Reduction in a Deltaic Environment: Prioritizing Restoration Efforts for Nature-based Solutions in the Volta Delta.

Potential pilot site: Toku, Obane, Anyanyui creek, Bomigo & Agbatsivi (within Songor and Anlo-Keta Lagoon Complexes)

Implementing Partners:  : Prof. Kwasi Appeaning Addo (UG), Selasi Avornyo (UG), Ken Kinney, ED. (The DI), Prof. Abiy S. Kebede (BUL), Prof. Marc Mokrech (UHCL), Prof. Nadine Heck (ECU), Prof. Siddharth Narayan (ECU)

(Asso Prof Narayan, Siddarth & Department of Coastal Studies, East Carolina University with University of Ghana, The Development Institute (Ghana), Brunel University, London, and University of Houston – Clear Lake

Donor: International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), Global EbA Fund

Duration: 36 Months

Context:

The Volta Delta is an excellent example of deltaic coastlines that are hotspots of biodiversity but highly vulnerability due to exposure to hazards and low adaptive capacity which coincide with pressures on natural systems especially poorly managed mangrove ecosystem. The near coast communities in the Volta Delta rely on abundant mangrove forest ecosystems for extractive resources such as fuelwood as well as non-extractive benefits such as coastal hazard reduction but threatened by unsustainable human activities and climate change. Mangrove EbA is known to have high potential for reducing vulnerability to coastal hazards while enhancing ecosystem health.

However, implementation of mangrove EbA restoration and conservation projects remains low due to a lack of understanding of the various climate, hazard, environmental and social drivers that influence EbA potential and effectiveness.

2.0 The project:

This project has the goal of ensuring communities are better prepared to implement EbA for reducing hazards and to improve their ability to sustain and enhance mangrove ecosystem health by upscaling mangrove EbA.

The national level partners include universities, Wildlife Division of Forestry Commission, District assemblies and other related government agencies, local NGO, as well as communities to better understand how to up-scale locally appropriate mangrove Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) across the Volta Delta in Ghana.

The project will help overcome barriers to EbA upscaling in the Volta Delta by:

1. developing a web-based assessment tool that provides a spatial ranking of mangrove EbA potential in the Volta Delta;
2.  improving understanding of the human and natural factors that shape EbA effectiveness and;
3. building local capacity to assess EbA potential, adaptively manage EbA projects, and conduct ecological mapping and monitoring of mangrove habitats.

3.0 Expected outcomes:

1. Improved ability to assess and prioritize mangrove EbA sites
2. Understanding of factors that increase mangrove EbA success improved
3. Local capacity built to monitor & evaluate EbA projects for adaptive management

  Protect team, July 7, 2023 at SBH, Sogakofe 

  Meeting with KLCRS manager in Anloga