Protected areas (PAs) are critical for maintaining a healthy environment for people and nature and are instrumental in delivering the Aichi Targets of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Biodiversity in PAs can only be conserved effectively if data on species, their habitats and threats are collected systematically to allow evidence-based decision-making and adaptive management. However, recent research has demonstrated that most decision makers, whether protected area managers, government departments, local communities or NGOs, struggle to collect, access, analyse or use the data they need to make informed decisions.

Between January 2019 and June 2021, this project seeks to enhance the conservation of forest and freshwater ecosystems in Ghana by improving capacity for evidence-based protected area management. The Centre for African wetlands will work in collbooration with the IUCN Species Survival Commission ( SSC) to develop and test species monitoring tools that meet local and global policy makers’ needs at two sites and train PA managers and NGO staff. In addition, university courses will be developed to ensure each site becomes a long-term field station and data collection node, and to allow young conservationists in Ghana to gain a skills base vital to the future management of their national natural resources. This is the first coherent effort to simplify and standardize monitoring methods in protected areas in Africa and will enhance national reporting to global conventions like the CBD and on Sustainable Development Goals 14 (Life Below Water) and 15 (Life on Land).

Donor: FONDATION AUDEMARS-WATKINS

Implementing period: January 01, 2019 to June 30, 2021