By: Audrey Raymonda John
World Water Day, celebrated annually on March 22, serves as a crucial platform for advocating sustainable water management and addressing global water challenges.
In Sierra Leone, the 2025 local theme chosen by the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, “Water Ecosystem Preservation,” underscores the urgent need to protect the country’s vital water resources amid increasing environmental threats.
With growing deforestation, pollution, and climate change impacts, preserving water ecosystems is essential for the well-being of Sierra Leone’s population and biodiversity.
Sierra Leone boasts a diverse range of water ecosystems, including rivers, wetlands, and coastal areas, which are crucial for human consumption, agriculture, and hydropower. Major rivers such as the Rokel, Sewa, and Moa provide freshwater to millions, while wetlands, such as the Sierra Leone River Estuary, serve as important ecological zones.
Reforestation and Conservation Efforts. A Tree planting campaigns are being conducted across the country to restore degraded forests and improve watershed management.
The Western Area Peninsula National Park, which supplies water to Freetown, has been the focus of reforestation projects aimed at reducing soil erosion and improving water quality.
The theme of “Water Ecosystem Preservation” for World Water Day 2025 highlights the need for collective action to safeguard Sierra Leone’s water resources. Through sustainable policies, community engagement, and responsible environmental stewardship, Sierra Leone can ensure that its water ecosystems remain resilient and continue to support future generations.
Protecting these ecosystems is not just an environmental duty but a necessity for national development, public health, and biodiversity conservation.
