GHANA COASTAL WETLANDS MANAGEMENT PROJECT DEVELOPMENT OF A MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE DENSU DELTA RAMSAR SITE By Prof. A. A. Oteng-Yeboah For Wildlife Division of Forestry Commission Ministry of Lands and Forestry DECEMBER 1999 GET TF 28619 GH LIST OF CONTENTS List of Tables ................................................................................................................. iv List of Figures ................................................................................................................ iv List of Appendices ......................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................... v Executive Summary ..................................................................................................... vi Terms of Reference ....................................................................................................... ix 1.0 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Physical Features of the Densu Delta Ramsar Site ................................................................ 1 1.1.1 Relief and Drainage ......................................................................................................................... 1 1.1.2 Climate ...................................................................................................................................... 2 1.1.3 Geology ..................................................................................................................................... 2 1.1.4 Hydrology .................................................................................................................................. 3 1.1.5 Water Quality .................................................................................................................................. 4 1.2 Biological Features of the Densu Delta Ramsar Site.............................................................. 5 1.2.1 Floral Diversity .............................................................................................................................. 5 1.2.1.1 Inshore ........................................................................................................................................ 6 1.2.1.2 Lagoons and Estuaries ................................................................................................................ 6 1.2.1.3 Salt Marshes and Mangrove ....................................................................................................... 6 1.2.1.4 Freshwater Marshes ................................................................................................................... 7 1.2.1.5 Flood Plains ................................................................................................................................ 7 1.21.6 Strands ......................................................................................................................................... 7 1.2.17 The Scrub/Thicket ....................................................................................................................... 7 1.2.2 Faunal Diversity .............................................................................................................................. 7 1.2.2.1 Macro-invertebrates 1.2.2.2 Fishery Resources....................................................................................................................... 8 1.2.2.3 Avian Resources ......................................................................................................................... 8 1.2.2.4 Mammal and Herpetofaunal Resources ..................................................................................... 9 1.3. Socio-Economic Features of the Densu Delta Ramsar Site ...................................................... 10 1.3.1 Demographic Profile .............................................................................................................. 10 1.3.2 .............................................................................................................................................. Tradit ional Characteristics ............................................................................................................... 10 1.3.2.1 ..................................................................................................................................................................... Water Tenure ...................................................................................................................................... 10 1.3.2.2 ..................................................................................................................................................................... Beliefs ................................................................................................................................................. 11 1.4 ..................................................................................................................................................... Land Use and Economic Activities in the Wetland ................................................................ 12 1.4.1 Salt Winning ................................................................................................................................. 12 1.4.2 Housing Development ................................................................................................................... 13 1.4.3 Quarrying, Sand Winning and Clay Mining .................................................................................. 13 1.4.4 Mangrove Harvesting .................................................................................................................... 14 1.4.5 Crop Farming and Animal Grazing .............................................................................................. 14 1.4.6 Fishing........................................................................................................................................... 15 i 2.0 EVALUATION OF THE RAMSAR SITE. ..................................................................... 17 2.1 Evaluation of the Densu Delta Ramsar Site ......................................................................... 17 2.1.1 Naturalness ........................................................................................................................... 17 2.1.2 Rarity .................................................................................................................................... 17 2.1.3 Fragility ................................................................................................................................ 17 2. 1 .4 Typicalness ........................................................................................................................... 17 2.1.5 Aesthetic Value ..................................................................................................................... 17 2.1 .6 Recreation ............................................................................................................................. 18 2.1.7 Research ................................................................................................................................ 18 2.2 The Stakeholders .................................................................................................................. 18 2.2.1 A Functional Stakeholder Community .......................................................................................19 2.2.2 Membership of the Site Management Committee (SMC) ..........................................................19 2.3 Education and Public Awareness……………………………………………………………...19 3.0 OBJECTIVES FOR MANAGEMENT .........................................................................20 3.1 Long - Term Management Objectives ............................................................................. 20 3.2 Factors Influencing The Achievement of the Long-Term Objectives .................................. 20 3 2.1 Human/Institutional ...................................................................................................20 3 2.2 Economic ................................................................................................................... 23 3 2.3 Natural ............................................................................................................................23 3.3 Personnel .............................................................................................................................. 23 3.4 Operational Objectives .......................................................................................................24 3.4.1 Operational Objective for Long- term Objective (1) .................................................... 24 3.4.2 Operational Objective for Long- term Objective (2) 4.0 ACTION PLAN .................................................................................................................... 27 4.1. Zoning ......................................................................................................................................... 27 4.2 Management Strategies .............................................................................................................................................