Wetlands International Afrique
Monitoring the biodiversity of mangrove ecosystems in the Saloum delta. Mobilising, inspiring and strengthening stakeholders: when the WIACO approach works!
How can the impact of restoration on mangrove biodiversity be measured? How can we mobilise and train the players responsible for addressing this issue, which is particularly acute in the current context? Wetlands International Afrique Côte Occidentale et Golfe de Guinée (WIACO) is responding to these questions by mobilising and building the capacity of stakeholders, and by setting up a monitoring framework that mobilises stakeholders in order to facilitate the coordination and implementation of data collection and monitoring-evaluation activities on the impact of mangrove restoration activities on biodiversity.
It was around this strategic axis that the various players involved in the restoration work met in Toubacouta. From 15 to 17 May 2024, under the leadership of WIACO, Saloum delta area conservationists, grassroots community organisations and local NGOs set about establishing a fluid framework for coordinating these monitoring activities and working to build the capacity of the players in biodiversity data collection techniques. Held in a format that alternated between fieldwork and classroom sessions, this work enabled the implementation of harmonised monitoring protocols for all players in the Saloum delta. This has given new impetus to biodiversity monitoring, a valuable barometer against which to measure the effectiveness and impact of mangrove restoration activities in the Saloum delta.
For the record, the Saloum Delta forms the northern margin of the group of ‘southern rivers’ that run continuously along Africa's Atlantic coastline. Designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 1980 and a World Heritage Site since 2011, the Delta is mainly made up of tropical mangrove ecosystems, rich in biodiversity, which provide a livelihood for over 100,000 inhabitants. These ecosystems are currently under pressure due to climate change and the unsustainable use of mangrove forests by the local population - anthropogenic pressure. The latter is manifested through abusive felling and removal for the supply of wood for cooking, the processing of fish products, the building of fences, the construction of dwellings, the extension of cultivated areas, and so on. This combination of natural and man-made factors has had a number of negative impacts that threaten local development in the area. These include the encroachment of the sea, coastal erosion, the loss of beaches, the reduction of mangrove swamps and other spawning grounds, the loss of arable and grazing land, the salinisation of water and soil, the alteration of the water table, and shortages of water for irrigation and drinking.
Moreover, mangrove ecosystems play an essential role in regulating natural processes and maintaining the biological diversity of coastal areas. As a result, WIACO is carrying out biodiversity monitoring activities to assess the impact of restoration activities on the fauna and flora biodiversity of mangroves. Current threats linked to climate change and unsustainable mangrove exploitation practices further justify the deployment of this innovative approach based on sound scientific, economic, social and endogenous knowledge.