Climate Change

By Darius Barrolle, Senior Communications Specialist   After 4 years of tireless efforts by the National Protected Areas Authority (NPAA) of Sierra Leone and the USAID-funded West Africa Biodiversity and Climate Change (WA BiCC) program to strengthen local institutions for improved management of coastal Sierra Leone’s vast marine ecosystems, the Sherbro River Estuary (SRE) Co-Management…

By David Goodman   They are one of the shyest and most elusive inhabitants of West Africa. Now scientists have discovered that forest elephants play a key role in curbing global climate change. Unlike iconic savanna elephants that roam the plains of sub-Saharan Africa, African forest elephants are the smaller cousins that are found in…

By Edudzi Nyomi, WA BiCC Communications Specialist In the early weeks of self-isolation and physical distancing, a few curious friends asked my opinion about the supposed positive environmental effects of COVID-19 stemming from us staying at home. The question remains legitimate even as countries around the world—including Ghana, where I live—have substantially eased restrictions on…

The results are in for WA BiCC’s Earth Day Ghana 2020 Video Contests, organized in partnership with the Ghana Wildlife Division, A Rocha Ghana and Kali Etch! Altogether, WA BiCC received 70 submissions, all showcasing students’ creativity, smarts, and passion for protecting our planet. Check out the first-, second- and third-place winners and their videos!…

Earth Day Ghana 2020 Video Contest DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS EXTENDED UNTIL FRIDAY, APRIL 17!! April 22nd will mark 50 years of Earth Day and this year’s theme is Climate Action. As Ghana and other nations seek to combat the threat of coronavirus, we must also be aware that climate change represents the biggest challenge to…

By Fatmata Katta   For those charged with helping their countries both adapt to and combat climate change, understanding and being able to leverage climate information is critical. This is particularly true for Sierra Leone, recognized as the third most vulnerable country in the world to the effects of climate change. Thus, WA BiCC and…

By Darius Barrolle   Radio dramas are a part of Sierra Leone’s rich culture; hence, it is no surprise that “Watasay Ston,” a new radio drama series and form of entertainment-education, has quickly emerged as one of the most popular in the country. One reason behind its success is that all stakeholders, including the government,…

By Fatmata Katta   Sierra Leone marked this year’s World Wetlands Day celebration with the launch of its Climate Change Adaptation Plan (CCAP), a document that WA BiCC played a key role in developing. The CCAP sets the framework for an adaptation plan that is geared towards increasing the resilience of coastal communities across Sierra…

By Fatmata Katta   Sierra Leone’s Sherbro River Estuary (SRE) is rich in biodiversity, including turtles, manatees, sharks and crocodiles. Designated as one of the country’s four marine protected areas, the region is also reported to host about 58% of Sierra Leone’s total mangroves, and other coastal habitats in the region include beautiful sandy beaches,…

By Zebedee Njisuh, WA BiCC Landscape Manager The recent field mapping exercise of the Sherbro River Estuary (SRE) marked a fresh approach to field mapping in Sierra Leone; one that recognized community members as important stakeholders to environmental sustainability. The mapping activity is a collaborative effort among USAID’s West Africa Biodiversity and Climate Change (WA…