Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)

Mohamed bin Zayed Species project number 0925558

• A brief statement on the mission We exist to facilitate socio –economic development and empowerment of rural and or deprived communities in Ghana, and to promote sustained environmental quality and biodiversity conservation for the benefit of present and future generations. • Objectives of the organization • To facilitate participatory restoration of degraded ecosystems and conservation of threatened species of flora and fauna to enhance biodiversity recovery and sustainable development. • To promote conservation education and public awareness campaigns in the communities to influence the attitudes of the public to admire and conserve nature. • To promote the establishment of woodlots and agro forestry farms as alternative sources of biomass energy for the communities and enhance their livelihoods security. • To promote local capacity building in economically viable, socially acceptable and environmentally friendly livelihoods options that provides the framework for nature conservation. • Date it was established The organisation was established in January 2000 and registered in January 2003. • Geographic area it covers The organisation’s activities cover central, western and eastern regions of Ghana. The organisation has the potential to cover nationwide when the need arise. Target species/habitats in which it works The emphasis is focused on the securing and management of threatened species and habitats to enhance their conservation status and biodiversity recovery. Some of the species includes; chelonia; all marine turtles, all birds of prey including owls, falcons, eagles, primata, duikers etc. just to mention a few. The habitats also include; restoration of degraded inland and coastal wetlands (mangrove ecosystems), Tropical Forest Ecosystems and traditionally protected sacred groves. The project area is coastal wetlands of international importance, which serve a refuge grounds for migratory waterfowls. The coastal sandy beach of about 45km along provides conducive breeding grounds for marine turtles which are under serious anthropogenic and ecological threats by the local fishing communities, and this project seeks to adopt a participatory management intervention to help protect these species. Therefore the project will build the capacities of the local fishing communities so as to understand the ecological linkages existing between the fish, the coastal mangroves ecosystems and the marine turtles for them to understand and appreciate how it guarantees the security of their fishing livelihoods and the hence the need to protect and conserve the marine turtle species in the area.