3 CURRENT STATE OF THE SELECTED KEY CRITICAL HABITATS
OF THE WESTERN REGION
This chapter presents habitat-based findings of the field and laboratory survey. For each habitat data is presented on water quality, marine, coastal and terrestrial biodiversity, fisheries, socio
economics of adjacent coastal communities, and digital maps provided. Issues of critical conservation significance are discussed and management strategies identified for each habitat.
3.1
Introduction
The habitats are presented geographically in their order of location along the coastline from west to east Figure 1:
1. Belibangara
Coastal freshwater lagoon with no open link to the sea and serves as a wildlife habitat, fishing habitat, transportation means and for water abstraction for domestic usage.
2. Domunli
A small estuary, with an intact and rich mangrove forest.
3. Amansuri Main
Network of freshwater and brackish water lagoons with the only known intact swamp peat forest in Ghana
4. Azulenoanu Amansuri Outlet
An estuary lined by mangroves with significant submerged stands of the water lily plant, Nymphaea lotus
5. Ankobra
An estuary marked by degraded mangroves along the fringes.
6. Miamia
Sandy beach with rocky boulders at the eastern side, sheltered from the impact of the open sea waves by a coastal forest.
7. Kpani-Nyila
An estuary formed by the two rivers of Kpani and Nyila, has a breached sand bar and healthy mangroves on the fringes.
8. Princestown
Long stretch of sandy beach with some portions interspersed with submerged rock.
9. Cape Three Points
The only forest reserve of primary forest, located adjacent to a rocky beach.
10. Butre
Long stretch of sandy beach, with a few rocky outcrops.
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Figure 1. Map of the Western Region of Ghana
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3.2
Belibangara
The Belibangara habitatsite is located at New Town, which is the furthermost town in the Jomoro District of the Western Region and adjacent to Cote d’Ivoire Appendix 1. It is a coastal
freshwater lagoon with no open link to the sea and serves as a wildlife habitat, fishing habitat, transportation means and for water abstraction for domestic usage.
The water body has religious and traditional values to the community as they worship it as a deity. The local community believes the spirit of the Belibangara abhors dirt and filth, as such
use of outboard motors and refuse dumping are not permitted in it. Significant portions of the lagoon are covered by aquatic weeds dominated by the water lily plant Nymphaea lotus Figure
2. The observed deterioration of aquatic vegetation in the lagoon has perhaps given rise to eutrophication and siltation. This is, in no small way, contributing to the reduction in size of the
lagoon.
Figure 2. Eastern portion of Belibangara lagoon showing excessive growth of aquatic vegetation
3.2.1 Water quality
