1) Creation and management of the Grand Béréby Marine Protected Area
To assist the government in its goal of creating the first Marine Protected Area in Côte d'Ivoire, CEM launched a project in 2016 with the support of Rainforest Trust and CEPF around the mouth of the Dodo River. The creation of the Grand-Béréby Marine Protected Area was officially announced on December 21, 2020, and the decree of creation was adopted on July 6, 2002. This nature reserve of 272,375 ha includes integral protection zones to conserve among others 4 species of marine turtles; 3 species of critically endangered guitar rays: spineback guitarfish (Rhinobatos irvinei), the blackchin guitarfish (Glaucostegus cemiculus), the whitespotted guitarfish (Rhinobatos albomaculatus); hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna mokarran CR and Sphyrna lewini CR), smoothback angelshark (Squatina oculate, CR); other endangered and vulnerable species, and an eco-development zone allowing for the sustainable use of natural resources, such as artisanal fishing and ecotourism activities focused on wildlife viewing, coastal landscapes and underwater marine habitats, in partnership with communities.
2) Creation and management of the Dodo River Mouth Community Natural Reserve
Rainforest Trust, CEPF, the US Embassy and IUCN are helping us create the Dodo River Mouth Voluntary Nature Reserve. Managed by the coastal communities involved in its creation, it protects the upper beach, lagoons, mangroves and coastal forests, important habitats for species such as marine turtles, the African false gharial (Mecistops cataphractus CR) chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes, CR), land tortoise kinixys homeana (CR), hawksbill pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis, EN), long-tailed pangolin (Phataginus tetradactyla, VU), mangabey (Cercocebus atys, VU), black-and-white colobus (Colobus polykomus, VU), etc.
3) Community Conservation
All of our projects aim to help Ivorian coastal communities conserve biodiversity and sustainably improve their livelihoods.
Our objectives:
To achieve a change of mentality that promotes the conservation of endangered species, the creation of protected areas, ecotourism and the non-dumping of waste;
a thorough knowledge of marine biodiversity and fisheries resources, as a basis for the creation of a marine protected area managed by coastal communities;
Increased environmental awareness and management;
a diverse skills base that improves employment opportunities for coastal communities;
community-business partnerships that promote fair and equitable sharing of benefits from natural resources.
4) Other projects
We are also starting a project to reforest degraded mangrove and forest sites with native forest trees with the support of the U.S. Embassy and FAO; a project to create nature-based income-generating activities with the help of IUCN and CEPF; and a project to provide free medical care and donated medicines in the villages of Roc, Maneké, Badiké, Dawa and Mani.
