Our wetlands, Our Future

The Greater Amanzule Wetland (GAW) covers an estimated 50,000 hectares of land and water area and is a biologically diverse system comprising freshwater lagoons, rivers and mangrove forests. It has the most extensive remaining stand of intact swamp forest in Ghana and stretches from the Ankobra estuary to the Tanoe–Ehy marshes on Ghana’s southwestern border with Ivory Coast. It traverses three administrative boundaries – the coastal plains of the Ellembelle and Jomoro Districts and to a little extent, the Nzema East District.

This biologically rich resource is threatened by mangrove harvesting for fuelwood and charcoal production, infilling for infrastructure development and pollution. Underlying these threats are poor land use planning, urbanization patterns and population pressures. Over the long-term, the Greater Amanzule Wetland conservation program seeks to build resilient coastal landscapes, increase natural resources dependent-household incomes and improve ecosystem functions and services in this area.  

For more information, contact: Stephen Kankam (skankam@henmpoano.org)