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The Lower Couffo Valley, Côtiere Lagoon, Chenal Aho, Lake Ahémé Ramsar Site The Lower Couffo Valley, Côtiere Lagoon, Chenal Aho, and Lake Ahémé are wetland sites located in Benin, West Africa. The sites, also known as site no. 1017 (1°37'45–2°20'05 and 6°12'37''–7°1′N), are of immense ecological significance, and have been recognized as Ramsar sites, and therefore protected under an international treaty for wetland conservation.

Geography and habitat The wetland sites are situated in the southern part of Benin, along the Atlantic coast. They cover an area of about 524,000 hectares, as of 2018 the valleys of the Couffo, Mono, and Sazué rivers were included as part of the site. The wetlands include a variety of habitats such as mangroves, flooded grasslands, marshes, and savannahs that are home to around 233 bird species, over 90 fish species, and 364 plant species belonging to 100 families including Poaceae and Rubiaceae. The site is also home to eight primates including the red-bellied monkey (Cercopithecus erythrogaster); aquatic mammals such as the african manatee (Trichechus senegalensis); 18 reptile species; and at least four turtle species including the leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) and hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) which nest on the Site.

The mangroves in this site are also referred to as West Complex, high biological productivity, which translates into significant biodiversity. The coastal zone is characterized by the Guineo–Congolian climate, with two rainy seasons (March–July and September–November) of 900–1300 mm. It is an important natural habitat as the stilt roots of the red mangrove (Rhizophora racemosa) serve as refuges and spawning grounds for a large number of fish species. The mangrove is also a habitat for oysters and bird life.

Historical importance The Lower Couffo Valley, Côtiere Lagoon, Chenal Aho, and Lake Ahémé wetland sites have been of great importance to the local people for centuries. They provide a source of food, water, and other resources, and are an important cultural and spiritual site for many communities. The community has a fishing sector that employs about 10,000 fishers, the area also carries production of salt, palm wine, and corn agricultural activities. Benin adopted the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in 1999, which was further implemented in 2000.

Environmental Degradation Major threats include the over-exploitation of the mangroves, soil erosion due to illegal logging, and coastal erosion.-1 Climate change is also a growing concern, as rising sea levels and changing weather patterns have perpetrated the erosion of the coastal area.

In 2019, the government of Benin extended the protection of the Ramsar sites to cover the entire coastal area. The extension includes measures to control pollution, regulate fishing practices, and promote sustainable development in the region.-2 The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations is also working with local communities to promote sustainable management of the wetlands, including the use of environmentally friendly farming practices. The TCP/BEN/3502 project "Restoration of the mangrove ecosystems of the Ramsar site 1017 in Benin » has a mission to preserve the site’s mangrove forest. The local communities planted acacia, eucalyptus, and red and white mangroves on the shores of Lake Ahémé.

Some of the animal species found in these sites are considered threatened such as the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), African manatee (Trichechus senegalensis), Brycinus carolinae (a ray-finned fish), and red-bellied monkey (Cercopithecus erythrogaster).

Mainly, the demand for wood for energy has resulted in overexploitation of the mangrove. mangroves were degraded between 1995 and 2005. From 2005 to 2015, the mangrove ecosystem was restored due to the implementation of the Ramsar Convention with several projects.-3 Annual firewood and charcoal needs were 12.83 m3 and 36.25 kg per capita, respectively. A gap of around 36% remains to be filled to meet wood energy needs at RAMSAR sites 1017 and 1018 in Benin. The wood needs are projected to be 18.859806 hm3 for firewood and 53,271.485 tons for charcoal in 2027.

References Ramsar Convention Secretariat. (n.d.). Basse Vallée du Couffo, Lagune Côtiere, Chenal Aho, Lac Ahémé. Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved from https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/1017

Ramsar Convention Secretariat (2019) Benin extends two Ramsar Sites to cover entire coastal area, News. Available at: https://www.ramsar.org/news/benin-extends-two-ramsar-sites-to-cover-entire-coastal-area

Elie Antoine Padonou, N. Innocent Gbaï, Moustapha Arèmou Kolawolé, Rodrigue Idohou, Mireille Toyi (2021) How far are mangrove ecosystems in Benin (West Africa) conserved by the Ramsar Convention?, Land Use Policy, Volume 108, page 105583, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0264837721003069 Jean Adanguidi, Elie Antoine Padonou, Afio Zannou, Sidol B.E. Houngbo, Idelphonse O. Saliou, Symphorien Agbahoungba (2020) Fuelwood consumption and supply strategies in mangrove forests - Insights from RAMSAR sites in Benin, Forest Policy and Economics, Volume 116, 102192. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1389934120300770

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2017). Project to restore the mangrove ecosystems of Ramsar site 1017 in Benin: Nearly 150 hectares of Acacia, Eucalyptus and mangroves planted with the support of the FAO to preserve the mangroves in the region of Lake Ahémé and the lagoon coastal, News. Retrieved from https://www.fao.org/benin/actualites/detail-events/en/c/1034610/