Our Actions

Conserving and restoring wetlands in the Niger Delta

The Niger Delta in Nigeria is the largest wetland in Africa and the third largest mangrove forest in the world. The region is known for its richness in biodiversity as well as its oil and gas resources. Wetland ecosystems play a critical role in supporting the livelihoods of millions of people in the delta. At the same time they are being degraded by unsustainable practices and a legacy of pollution and oil spills. In the delta we are bringing new perspectives to the fields of biodiversity conversation and sustainable development, putting the conservation and restoration of wetlands at the centre of achieving both livelihood and biodiversity improvements.

While this work happens under our partnership with Shell, we are not directly involved in the cleanup of oil pollution, but include the oil industry as an important stakeholder for our new ways of planning development, and improving the condition of wetlands and water resources to benefit both biodiversity and human well-being.

Building Community Resilience to Natural Disasters in Kenya

Downstream communities in the Ewaso Nyiro River of north eastern Kenya are extremely vulnerable to droughts and floods. We are working to help communities reduce their vulnerability and improve their livelihoods through an innovative approach combining sustainable ecosystem management, disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.

Reducing disaster risk by restoring wetlands in the Inner Niger Delta of Mali

The 1.4 million people who depend on the Inner Niger Delta in Mali suffer increasingly from low water levels in the Niger River, which flows downstream into the delta. We are working to address the growing upstream water diversions for irrigation and hydropower, and help downstream communities adapt to sustain their livelihoods.

From the Arctic to Africa: Protecting Waterbirds and Wetlands

Along the migratory flyway between the Northwest Russian Arctic and West Africa, we are protecting wetlands and waterbirds by developingregional long-term wetland conservation and wise-use strategies. Our goal is to bring together people in the countries across the flyway in Africa, the EU and Russia through networking tools for wetland managers and the development of local conservation action and monitoring.

Waterbird Population Estimates Database

The Waterbird Population Estimates (WPE) online database provides current and historic estimates, trends and 1% thresholds for over 800 waterbird species and 2300 biogeographic populations worldwide. This project has been developed by Wetlands International with the support of Environment Canada and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. Visit the Waterbird Population Estimates Database

International Symposium on Water and Wetlands in the Mediterranean “From Grado to Agadir: The next 20 years”

International Symposium, Agadir, Morocco, 6-8 February 2012

The Critical Site Network Tool

 The Critical Site Network (CSN) Tool is an award winning online resource that provides information on 294 waterbird species and the important wetlands upon which they depend in Africa and Western Eurasia. This tool provides users with direct access to both International Waterbird Census and Important Bird Area counts, as well as a range of analytical and explorative tools.  

Water for all in the Ichkeul Basin, Tunisia

By setting up a dialogue between the different demanders of water, we built a consensus that assured the access to water of all (farmers, dams, etc.) as well as preserves the wetlands and biodiversity of the Ichkeul Basin in Tunisia on the long term. This work was done with our local partner INAT, the Institut National Agronomique.

Improving the water quality of the Sebou River, Morocco

The Sebou River in Morocco suffers from serious pollution problems. To successfully push for control of urban pollution, we developed a monitoring & evaluation system for surface water quality.

Towards mangrove conservation in Guinea Bissau

Wetlands International worked in West African Guinea Bissau to restore traditional rice field (or bolanha) in mangrove areas. We enabled the building of dikes and channels to restore the hydrology for rice farming. This contributes strongly to mangrove conservation, as no new mangrove areas need to be cleared for conversion into rice fields.

Sustainable agriculture in the Dambos of Malawi

In Simlemba, Malawi we worked on tackling the issue of overexploitation of the seasonal wetlands (dambos) by agriculture. We helped farmer communities to improve farming in the dambos, manage water resources well and organised the conservation of forests higher up in the hills. 

Solving water conflicts on the foot of the Kilimanjaro, Kenya

From 2005 till 2010, Wetlands International worked with our partner the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) in Kenya with the communities in the Kimana wetlands to improve water use. We helped to organise that the water needs of all, including three Masaai tribes, farmers and widlife for the National Parks, are balanced.

For a healthy Inner Niger Delta, Mali

The Inner Niger Delta is a lifeline for one and a half million people, whose flooding provide fish, fodder for their cattle and water for rice production. This inland delta is also home to millions of waterbirds, that migrate to this rich environment, as well as hippos and many other species. We work with communities and Malinese government to restore the flood forest, reduce the people's poverty and prevent the negative impacts of dams and climate change on the delta. 

Saving West Africa's mangroves: regional policy & local practices

In the six countries of Mauritania, Cabo Verde, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea Chonakry and Sierra Leone we worked with governments and local communities on two strategies: 1. Bind all governments to conservation policies and action, and 2. Introduce sustainable production techniques that diminish the cutting of mangroves.

Migratory Birds for People programme

The Migratory Birds for People programme consists of more than 16 partner wetland visitor centres across Europe and West Africa, forming a network that follows the flight path of many migratory wetland birds species. These centres are working together to share best practice and develop new approaches to delivering waterbird and wetland messages to their visitors. The lead group consists of the Dutch Staatsbosbeheer, Wetland Link International, and Wetlands International. For more information visit the programme website.

UNFCCC Climate Meeting in Durban (28 Nov - 12 Dec 2011)

Wetlands International participated at the 2011 climate summit in Durban, South Africa. The overall steps taken by the 194 governments are dangerously minimal. Regarding wetlands, we are content that wetland-carbon is finally recognised in different decisions. This may have a great impact for saving carbon rich wetlands (see final press release).

Influencing policies along the Niger River

We provide key tools and knowldge in the development and implementation of major government policies in the entire Niger River Basin, which stretches from Guinea Chonakry all the way to the Niger Delta in Nigeria. We use our experience in the Inner Niger Delta as the basis for his work.

Mediterranean Wetlands for Water and People

Building civil society's capacities to dialogue with governments about improved wetland management represents the potential value added of this project. This project promoted exchange of experiences between Mediterranean countries on the issues of participatory and integrated water management and environmental security.

BIOMAC

Conservation du Lamantin ouest africain (Trichechus Senegalensis)

Entre 2004 et 2007,Wetlands International Afrique s’est intéressée au statut et valeur de cette espèce dans son aire de répartition. Cela a abouti, dans la première phase à la mise en place d’une stratégie régionale de conservation du lamantin. De 2008 à 2011, l’objectif visé est essentiellement de conserver le Lamantin ouest africain et ses habitats, en se basant sur des données scientifiques les plus fiables, et en tenant compte de l’environnement, des caractères socioéconomiques et culturels de son aire de répartition.

Initiative mangrove en Afrique de l'Ouest

Case Study of the Inner Niger Delta (WETwin)

 The overall objective of the WETwin is to enhance the role of wetlands in basin-scale integrated water resources management (IWRM), with the aim of improving the community service functions while conserving good ecological status. Full title: Enhancing the role of wetlands in integrated water resources management for twinned river basins in EU, Africa and South-America in support of EU Water Initiatives.

Wetlands and Livelihoods Programme

This programme focused on the mainstreaming of sustainable wetland management principles and practice into the development of poverty reduction strategies through local and international partnerships in DAC1 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. It did so by enhancing of existing and supporting development of new policies at local, national and international levels, with specific inclusion of the water and health sectors and by ensuring due attention to the need for equitable development.

Follow the Bird

The Follow the Bird! project ran from 2008 to 2010 and demonstrated the vital importance of a network of good quality wetlands along migratory bird flyways and the link of these wetlands to the livelihoods of people.

The ambassadors of the project were birds equipped with satellite-transmitters. The migration routes of ten Purple Herons were followed on the Internet at Follow the Bird!

Creating Marine Protected Areas in Sierra Leone

We work in Sierra Leone to support its government to sustainably manage its marine and coastal resources and biodiversity conservation. We focus on the establishment of two Marine Protected Areas in the country.

Western Paleartic and West-Asian Waterbird Census

The Western Paleartic and West Asian Waterbird Cencus is the waterbird monitoring programme for Europe, West Asia and North Africa. A total of 20 to 25 million waterbirds are counted each season by thousands of volunteers, working through national organisations. Wetlands International produces International overview reports. See the publication section for this.

African Waterbird Census

Project régional de conservation du lamantin Trichechus senegalensis le long du littoral atlantique

Projet en partenariat avec le Programme régional de conservation de la zone cotière et marine en Afrique de l'Ouest  Ce projet concerne la Mauritanie, le Sénégal, la Gambie, la Guinée, la Guinée Bissau et le Libéria. Il s'étale sur la période 2004-2007.

Gestion intégrée des fleuves critiques en eau

De l'eau pour les écosystèmes (Water for Ecosystem). Ce projet concerne le delta intérieur du Niger au Mali.

Voies de migration AEWA-GEF 2004-2009

Accroitre la conservation du réseau de sites requis par les oiseaux d'eau migrateurs sur les voies de migration Afrique-Eurasie. Les pays concernés par ce projet sont le Nigeria, le Sénégal, l'Afrique du Sud, la Tanzanie,la Turquie, le Yémen.

Intégration de la biodiversité des eaux douces dans le processus de développement en Afrique: Collecte d’informations et sites de démonstrations

La Commission de la sauvegarde des espèces de l’UICN a reçu de la Commission européenne un financement pour le projet « Intégration de la biodiversité des eaux douces dans le processus de développement en Afrique : collecte d’informations et sites de démonstration.

Les dénombrements d'oiseaux d'eau en Afrique - DOEA

Les dénombrements d'oiseaux d'eau en Afrique sont un réseau dynamique et en expansion, englobant des personnes très diverses qui vont des groupes communautaires locaux aux personnels des aires protégées, et des étudiants des universités aux chercheurs chevronnés. Le réseau couvre également une mosaique de pays avec partout un intêrêt commun pour les zones humides et les oiseaux d'eau.

Gestion internationale de la Biodiversité (BBI) 2003-2006

Intégrer la Recherche et l’Utilisation rationnelle des zones humidse dans quatre écorégions d’Afrique de l’Ouest.

New FluBird Project (NFB)

Wetlands International is the co-coordinator  to this project with Erasmus University and 10 other partners throughout Europe. The NFB project aims at setting a Network for Early Warning of Influenza viruses in migratory birds in Europe. Our role is to provide data and expertise on high risk bird species, coordinate surveillance in high risk sites and build capacity for monitoring waterbirds.

Poverty reduction in the Inner Niger Delta, Mali

This project is a demonstration project of the Wetlands and Poverty Reduction Project that aims to contribute to poverty reduction and biodiversity conservation by putting in place a participatory and sustainable management process for local development in the Inner Niger Delta.

Support for the local dialogue on water, food and the environment in Mali

This project is setting up a dialogue on water, food and the environment in Mali with the aim of establishing or revitalising local fishery councils to provide better management of fish stocks and wetlands.

Dams in Mali

This project aims to address the environmental, social and economic consequences of expanding the dam capacity in the Upper Niger River Basin. It will update the existing impact assessment developed under a previous project with new information.

This project is being carried out through our Headquarters and Mali office, in partnership with Altenburg & Wybenga, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam – Institute for Environmental Studies.

Integrated water resources management in the Upper Niger Basin

This project supports consultations with stakeholders in Mali and Guinea concerning future directions for promoting integrated water resources management.

‘Heron Trust Fund' for local farmers, Ribeira Montaña, Cape Verde

Together with local people, we work on conserving the areas of the Purple Heron.

Community Enhancement of Lac Ouye, Malika, Senegal

Lake Ouye is in the rainy season crucial for thousands of migratory wintering birds. The project aims at the conservation of the lake and the avifauna with the help of local communities of Malika.

Biodiversity and food security Atlas for the Niger Basin

This project aims to publish an atlas linking poverty and biodiversity in the Niger Basin.

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for manatee conservation

This project identifies key sites for manatee conservation, identifies manatee experts and raises awareness of priority activities in 22 African countries.

Regional Programme for the Protection of Coastal Marine Resources (PRCM)

This project supports a Wetlands International project development officer to develop initiatives and resources for wetland conservation in coastal West Africa, in the framework of PRCM.

Gambia Basin demonstration project

This project aims to support management of a river shared between Senegal and the Gambia.

Capacity building for NGOs in Cape Verde

This project builds capacity in non-government organisations in Cape Verde.

African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) support, Mali

This project supports conservation of flyways in Mali.

Contribution to African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA)

Wetlands International provides technical information and organisational input to support the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA).

Wings over Wetlands (WoW)

This project aims to improve the conservation status of African-Eurasian migratory waterbirds by assisting countries to conserve key wetland areas. The project takes place in 118 Asian, European and African countries along the African Eurasian Flyway.

In this region, we have identified the critical network of wetland sites (for a total of 3,020 sites) for migratory waterbirds.

We train people and raise awareness about the conservation and wise use of migratory waterbirds and the wetlands they use. Demonstration projects are implemented to provide good examples.

Global Avian Influenza Network for Surveillance (GAINS)

Wetlands International is a partner in this global initiative to share data on Avian Influenza and wild birds. Our role is to provide data on waterbirds (International Waterbird Census), to implement and coordinate surveillance in specific countries, to build capacity for monitoring waterbirds and to coordinate waterbird ringing activities in Asia.

Avian Influenza: preparing countries on an outbreak

Avian Influenza project (HPAI): FAO technical cooperation programme on enhancing the readiness of countries in Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Europe for the arrival of Avian Influenza through wild birds.