The Aden wetlands are amongst the most important wetlands in Yemen and Arabia. Aden wetlands consists of Aden lagoons east of the cause way, salt pans. All intertidal mudflats within Aden extend to little Aden, Aden marsh (a sewage effluent marsh and Doum Palm area) and the Abyan beach.
More than 100 migratory bird species use the site for feeding and roosting. Since reunification of Yemen in May 1990, significant social, political and economic changes have taken place across Yemen in general and Aden in particular. These changes have induced serious threats to the serenity and integrity of the Aden Wetlands.
These pressures are a result of the location of the site, with rapid economic development and increased demand for building land in the Aden area. The site comes under use by different government and public sub-sector (stakeholders) that have suboptimal or no coordination experience nor an actively implemented management plan to ensure preservation of the site's natural values. These developments dictate the need for the timely implementation of an integrated management plan. Most stakeholders are not aware of their authority and responsibilities regarding the management of the site. Therefore, a key element of this project will be to raise awareness on wetland values at local level. The project will focus also on updating and implementing the recently developed management plan. The management plan identifies different stakeholders’ rights and responsibilities to ensure conservation of the biological value and sustainable use of natural resources.
The WOW demonstration project in the Aden Wetlands aims at corroborating the management plan and support its adoption in the context of the wider master plan for Aden city as the main sea port and free zone of Yemen. The Yemen Society for the Protection of Wildlife (YSPW), the BirdLife affiliate in Yemen and BirdLife Middle East Division are jointly excuting this demonstration project in close collaboration and synergy with parallel ongoing conservation initiatives of the Environment Protection Authority (Ministry of Water and Environment) and UNDP in the same area.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES:
Goal: To support the upgrading and implementation of key actions of the integrated management plan with involvement of major stakeholders and to ensure inclusion of the management plan into other relevant national management planning processes.
Outcome 1. Prepare and start implementing an integrated management plan.
The project will assist the EPA in raising awareness of the importance of the site. In addition, a database including all existing information on the wildlife and main ecological parameters of the area will be set up to support the development and implementation of the management planning process. This database will be integrated with regular field monitoring work.
Outcome 2. Increase awareness of the important values of wetland and waterbirds.
The YSPW and EPA will develop and execute a targeted outreach educational programme for local communities in conjunction with a wide range of local partners.
Outcome 3. Integrating the Aden Wetlands into national and local land use planning.
The project team will lobby government and non-governmental organizations and liaise closely with parallel ongoing development projects in the area, (i.e. with the World Bank "Port Cities" Project) and with the authorities of Aden Municipality.
Outcome 4. Raising project funds for the implementation of the management plan by the end of the demonstration project.
A key activity is to develop a fund raising strategy for the implementation of the management plan. This will entail the elaboration of financial implications of the management plan’s integration into the master plan for Aden city.
PROJECT PROGRESS (Latest update) 
ADDITIONAL PROJECT INFORMATION:
LOCAL IMPLEMENTING AGENCIES
THE YEMEN SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF WILDLIFE
The Yemen Society for the Protection of Wildlife or Wildlife Yemen is working in close cooperation with BirdLife Middle East Division. The main goals of the society are to work with people towards conserving Yemen's wildlife and strive to build-up national capacity in conservation and sustainable use of natural and biological resources.
For more information please see: http://www.birdlife.org/worldwide/national/yemen/index.html
DEMO PROJECT TEAM
IBRAHIM KHADER
I have ten years of national, regional and international work experience in the areas of environmental science and project implementation with the General Cooperation for Environment Protection (GCEP)Jordan), Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as assistant national coordinator and regional water programme coordinator. I am currently Head of BirdLife Middle East Division.
I have a BSc in Science, MA in Plant Taxonomy, and am currently a PHD candidate in Rangeland Ecology. I also have experience in field research and surveys, preparation of project appraisals, and resource mobilization.
OMAR AL SAGHIER
I’m Omar Al-Saghier (Ph.D) the Secretary General of the Yemen Society for the Protection of Wildlife (YSPW). Since the early eighties, I've worked in the field of Livestock and Rangeland Management Research in Yemen. In 1993, I became involved in bird and wildlife conservation. Between 1994-2003 I served as BirdLife International Affiliate in Yemen. As member of YSPW board of directors I contribute by helping build the capacity of YSPW and voluntarily provide technical backstopping for conservation work carried out by the Society.
I’m currently working as the National Coordinator for GEF Small Grant Programme, supporting via grants NGOs and CBOs finding solutions to local environmental problems in GEF foal areas: Biodiversity conservation, Climate Change mitigation, International Water protection, Land degradation and phasing out Persistent Organic pollutants.
GAMAL BAWAZIR
Gamal Bawazir (MCs Oceanolog, MCs Biological Geography) has been selected as Project Manager from August 2008 for the WOW Project in Yemen. He has been working at the Marine Science Research Authority in Aden since 1990 before joining the WOW team in Yemen. He is a member of the Yemen Society for the Protection of Wildlife. The WOW Project Team in Yemen will further consist of Mr. Abdulrahman Raweh (Education and Awareness Officer) & Mr. Safwan Al-Saghier (Assistant to the Project Manager).
SAFWAN AL SAGHIER
Safwan Al-Saghier is the Deputy Team Leader for the WOW Demonstration Project in Yemen.
ABDULRAHMAN RAWEH
Mr. Abdulrahman Raweh is the Education Coordinator for the WOW Demonstration Project in Yemen.
For more information please contact:
Ibrahim Khader, Email: [ ibrahim.khader@birdlifemed.org ] | Tel: +962 (6) 5548173 | Fax: +962 (6) 5548172
Omar Al Saghier, Email: [ omar.alsaghier@undp.org or wildlife.yemen@y.net.ye ] | Tel: +967 1 448605 extn. 440 | Fax :+967 1 448844
Gamal Bawazir, Email: [ www.aden@y.net.ye or gbawazir@y.net.ye ] | Tel: + 967 2 222719 | Mobile: + 967 777252750
Safwan Al-Sagheer, Email: [ alsaghier2000@yahoo.com ] | Tel: +967-2-222719 | Mobile: +967 734113671
OTHER PROJECT PARTNERS