By Yussif Ibrahim, GNA
Kumasi, June 10, GNA – Researchers at the Centre for Biodiversity Conservation Research (CBCR) have raised serious concerns about the deteriorating condition of the Densu Ramsar Site.
They warned that the combined pressures of flooding, habitat loss, and human encroachment could have lasting consequences for biodiversity and surrounding communities if urgent action is not taken.
Mr. Emmanuel N.A. Taye, a Wetland Ecologist and Ornithologist at CBCR, speaking to the Ghana News Agency, described the Densu Ramsar Site as an ecologically vital wetland that provided critical ecosystem services for both biodiversity and the communities that depend on it, stressing that its preservation was not optional but essential.
“The wetland contributes significantly to maintaining waterbird populations along the East Atlantic Flyway by providing safe resting, feeding, and suitable breeding grounds for hundreds of birds each year. Its importance stretches well beyond our borders,” he said.
Mr. Taye expressed a particular alarm over the impact of recent flooding on the ongoing breeding season at the site.
He explained that rising water levels, triggered by recent rainfall and spillage from the Weija Dam, had caused widespread flooding across sections of the Ramsar Site, with devastating consequences for nesting waterbirds.
“As of May 22, 2026, our researchers have recorded and were actively monitoring eleven Black-winged stilt nests and one pratincole nest as part of our annual breeding waterbird monitoring programme, which has been ongoing since 2016. Unfortunately, the floods washed away several of those nests,” said Ms. Pearl Odumang, a Research Assistant at the centre.
She noted that on the average, approximately 150 nests of Black-winged Stilts and about 60 nests of Pratincoles were recorded annually within the Densu Ramsar Site, making it a particularly significant breeding ground for waterbird conservation in Ghana.
She said this year’s breeding season had already suffered a setback due to the late onset of rainfall, and the flooding had compounded the situation by further disrupting nesting activities and reducing reproductive success.
“Of greater concern to us is whether this will be an isolated incident or whether continued rainfall may lead to further spillages and repeated flooding events. Repeated destruction of nesting grounds could contribute to declining breeding success and potentially affect waterbird populations well beyond Ghana, given the role this wetland plays within international migratory bird networks,” she warned.
Mr. Alfred Ali Nuoh, a Chief Technician at CBCR, said beyond flooding, there was a growing threat posed by increasing human settlements and encroachment within the wetland, which he said was steadily reducing its natural water-holding capacity and increasing flood risks.
“The encroachment is shrinking the wetland catchment area. When the wetland loses its capacity to absorb and regulate water, the consequences are felt not only by the biodiversity that depends on this ecosystem but also by the very communities living around it,” he said.
He called on all stakeholders to take immediate and coordinated steps to protect the Densu Ramsar Site before the damage becomes irreversible.
Mr. Taye urged Panbros Salt Industries to consider raising the dykes and edges of their salt pans, which currently serve as important breeding grounds for several waterbird species, to offer greater protection against flooding.
He also entreated the management of the Weija Dam to strengthen coordination and improve the regulation of dam spillages, particularly during breeding periods, to minimise ecological damage.
He called on the District Assembly to enforce wetland protection laws more strictly to curb encroachment and prevent illegal development within the Ramsar Site.
He appealed to citizens and nearby communities to comply with environmental regulations and to actively support conservation efforts, while urging visitors to the wetland to exercise caution when moving through breeding areas, noting that there had been incidents of nests and eggs being trampled.
“Conservation of the Densu Ramsar Site is a shared responsibility. Without urgent intervention, we risk losing not just a remarkable natural heritage, but the livelihoods and ecological security of the communities that depend on it,” Mr. Taye said.
The Densu Ramsar Site, located along the Densu River and its associated wetlands, is one of Ghana’s designated wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, and continues to be monitored annually by researchers at the CBCR as part of efforts to track and protect its breeding waterbird populations.
GNA
Edited by Linda Asante Agyei
Reporter: Yussif Ibrahim