The Hadejia-Nguru Wetlands (HNWs) are located in the Sahel zone of north-eastern Nigeria. The area is a floodplain wetland comprising permanent water bodies and seasonally flooded areas. The wetlands constitute important feeding grounds for different migratory bird species. In addition the area supports about 1.5 million farmers, herders and fishermen, who depend on the wetlands for their livelihoods. The water in the wider basin is most important for drinking and agriculture purposes.
However, the construction of several upstream dams outside the HNWs has significantly modified the natural pattern of annual floods, and this represents a major threat to the natural water balance of the wetland system. As a result of this man-made change, large areas of farming and grazing land and important fish ponds have either gradually dried up along blocked channels now occupied by the invasive Typha grass, or have been flooded. As a result, local farmers and grazers have been forced to over-harvest the fewer remaining natural resources, and encroach on some protected areas. Some villages were forced to relocate on higher grounds. These problems may be addressed through careful intergrated watershed management policies, however the above human pressure on protected areas and waterfowl habitats are likely to remain, as relocated communities are likely to return to their original lands.
It is therefore imperative to develop and implement a comprehensive management plan for the whole of the HNWs. The demonstration project hopes to support this process by involving local communities in some small pilot initiatives. Communities are in the best position to manage and control the immediate causes of wetlands degradation. In order to raise awareness of the above critical wetland management issues, the existing NCF education and research centre in Nguru town will be upgraded and re-activated. These efforts will contribute to improving the integrity of the wetlands as a key stopover site along the routes of the migratory waterbirds, while enhancing the livelihoods of local communities.
The main focus of the Wings Over Wetlands demonstration project in Nigeria is to pilot community based approaches to restore the integrity and water regime of the Hadejia Nguru Wetlands. The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) is executing the Demonstration Project in the Nigerian Hadeija-Nguru Wetlands.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES:
Goal: To reduce the degradation of the HNWs due to unsustainable use of the natural resources through greater community participation in wetland resource management.
Outcome 1. Increasing awareness on the importance of sustainable management of the wetlands and their natural resources amongst all stakeholders.
Renovation and equipment of the existing wetland conservation centre in Nguru. Prepare and disseminate awareness materials using available information and results from the demonstration project. The centre will host stakeholder awareness/consultative workshops, as well as an annual training on identification and monitoring of waterfowl.
Outcome 2. Increasing community-support for ecological research projects and assessing ecotourism potentials at the Hadejia Nguru sites.
Establishment and implementation of a wetlands and waterfowl research & monitoring plan in cooperation with major national academic and research institutions. This will help generating the necessary baseline information to support appropriate wetlands management measures. The project will also assess the site's ecotourism potential, in consultation with the principal line agencies in charge of ecotourism development.
Outcome 3. Reducing invasive Typha on channels to the wetland sites by an extend of 30%, thereby improving the areas’ suitability for both waterfowl habitats and floodplain crop production.
Increasing the understanding of Typha’s ecology among the communities of the HNWs, will help define and adopt a site-specific and community-based Typha Control Plan that will corroborate wider efforts being promoted at watershed level.
PROJECT PROGRESS (Latest update) 
ADDITIONAL PROJECT INFORMATION:
LOCAL IMPLEMENTING AGENCIES
NIGERIAN CONSERVATION FOUNDATION (NCF)
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The Nigerian Conservation Foundation is Nigeria's foremost non-governmental organisation dedicated to the promotion of nature conservation. it's ultimate goal is to stop and eventually reverse the accelerating degradation of Nigeria's natural environment and to help build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature.
For more information please see: http://www.ncfnigeria.org/
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DEMO PROJECT TEAM
IBIRONKE OLUBAMISE
I am Ibironke Olubamise, the National Project Coordinator for the Wings Over Wetlands (WOW) Demonstration Project in Nigeria and head of the Technical Programmes Department of The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF). I have an M.Sc. in Environmental Microbiology and an MBA in Environmental Management. As the head of Technical Programmes Department of NCF, I develop, implement, supervise and coordinate NCF’s Technical programme activities. In addition I assist the Director of Technical Programmes in the implementation of the NCF’s conservation programmes.
ALADE ADELEKE
I am Alade Adeleke and I oversee all technical programmes and projects of NCF nationwide. I hold a BSc Zoology and MSc Resource Management. My academic training spannned Africa and Europe. I also received professional training in wildlife management and conservation, participatory rural appraisal, participatory monitoring and evaluation and environmental impact assessment. I have over seventeen years experience in conservation and natural resource management in Nigeria, thirteen of which with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation. I have been involved in various field surveys, conservation based concept and proposal development and protected area management planning activities.
GARBA MOHAMMED BOYI
Mr. Garba Mohammed Boyi is the Project Manager of the Wings Over Wetlands (WOW) Project at the Hadejia Nguru wetlands. Mr Boyi, a native of Bauchi state, has over ten years of conservation experience of which a substantial part was in wetlands management. He was one of NCF Field Officers that worked on the Important Bird Areas (IBA) project. He is a trained wetland Manager having undergone several training with Wetlands International and he has served as a mentor at the recently concluded International Course on African wetlands Management (ICAWM), held at the Kenya Wildlife Service Training Institute in Naivasha.
For more Information please contact:
Ibironke Olubamise (Mrs.), Email: [ ronkejj@yahoo.com | ncf@hyperia.com ] | Tel: +234 (0) 126 42498 | Fax: +234 (0) 126 42497
Alade Adeleke, Email: [ aladeewi@yahoo.com ] | Tel: +234 (0) 126 42498
Garba Mohammed Boyi, Email: [ mgboyi@yahoo.com ] | Tel: 234(0) 1 2642498
OTHER PROJECT PARTNERS