Rapid urbanisation and globalisation are bringing increasingly complex issues to the forefront. Improper
planning of human activities and over-exploitation of the surrounding natural resources have successfully damaged the biodiversity and the natural processes. Today humanity is at a stage where these ecosystem services are essential for our existence but the resources have been exploited beyond their capacity. In addition, climate change adds additional long-term threats due to erratic weather patterns and extreme natural events.

Coastal Lagoons are one such geographical feature where such complexities are very visible. Given the high fertility of the surrounding land and the biodiversity hosted by the lagoons, they are rich resource banks for settlements to thrive on. This has led to issues like water pollution, loss of biodiversity and urban encroachment. Despite protection from international communities like the Ramsar Convention, most wetlands are degrading every day.

The need of the hour is to find innovative middle-ground solutions, where the services can be availed without degrading the environment. Further, to plan these services in a way that they are instrumental in reviving and enriching the lost ecosystem. This project attempts to present one such design and strategy for the Muni-Pomadze Lagoon (MPL) in Ghana. Considering the complexity of the issues, the project chose an interdisciplinary and collaborative approach to produce a holistic solution for the site.

The Muni-Pomadze Lagoon in Winneba, Central Ghana is one of the five wetlands of international importance in Ghana. The lagoon is a shallow, saline coastal lagoon, with a large variety of flora and fauna to support the ecosystem. Growing human developments on the fringes of the area, like the city of Winneba, are proving to be an increasing threat to the natural environment. Illegal hunting, habitat destruction for firewood and other resources and encroachment by the growing cities as well as the use of the forest area for garbage disposal are visible threats which have caused critical degradation of the ecological areas.

In an attempt to protect their coastal environment and biodiversity, the Ghanian Forest Commission, aims to restore the balance on the Muni-Pomadze Ramsar Site within three years. Their vision is to leave the future generation with richer, better and more valuable wetlands by developing sustainable livelihood opportunities and restore the original habitat for the biodiversity.

The West African country is taking the route of research and international knowledge sharing to find the optimum solutions. With successful models visible in the case of the Volta Delta, new collaborations are being made for the Muni-Pomadze. TU Delft in collaboration with the University of Education, Winneba and University of Ghana, Legon is investigating the lagoon through the fields of flood risk management, delta planning and design. Together with its existing partners A Rocha Ghana and Muni-Pomadze Ramsar Site of Wildlife Division (Forestry Commission), the students at the university have taken up the challenge of ecological degradation through urban encroachment in the region.

Taking the route of interdisciplinary approaches to complex issues, a group of 9 students from the fields of hydraulic engineering, water management, urban planning and management are currently investigating the issue. The aim is to develop a joint research project focused on Nature-Based design. To understand the context and on-site issues better, the students are organising a visit to the Lagoon in the month of February.