By Emmanuel Mgimwa, Eastern and Southern Africa Coordinator for the IUCN-SSC Flamingo Specialist Group (FSG)
Tanzania’s commitment to wetland conservation, particularly its Ramsar Sites, has been reaffirmed by Eng. Hamad Yusuph Masauni, Hon. Minister of State, Vice-President’s Office – Union and Environment, during the 15th Meeting of the Conference of Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention (COP15). Speaking at the opening ceremony of COP15 on 24 July 2025 at Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, the Minister underscored Tanzania’s dedication to the sustainable conservation and management of these vital ecosystems. Particularly all wetlands of international importance on which Tanzania has designated as Ramsar Sites, which are Malagarasi–Muyovosi; Kilombero Valley; Rufiji–Kilwa–Mafia Marine and Lake Natron. In his statement, Eng. Masauni emphasised the need to protect them against damaging development.
“Our commitment to Ramsar Convention aligns with Tanzania’s broader environmental strategies and its support for the Ramsar Convention’s 2025-2034 strategic plan, envisioning “A world living in harmony with nature where wetlands are valued, conserved, restored, and wisely used, supporting a healthy planet and delivering benefits for all people.” It also aligns with Tanzania’s commitment to other frameworks such as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)” said the Minister.
Furthermore, the Minister updated the delegates on the steps reached in designation of a new transboundary Ramsar Site, Minziro-Sango Bay, which is shared with Uganda. Minziro-Sango Bay will be the first transboundary Ramsar Site in Eastern Africa. Eng Masauni further said the country will promote policies that integrate environmental conservation with economic development, as well as respect for traditional knowledge.
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands is an intergovernmental treaty that establishes a framework for national action and international cooperation to conserve and sustainably use wetlands and their resources. As a Contracting Party to this important convention, Tanzania has committed to protecting wetlands of international significance, known as Ramsar Sites. This commitment underscores a global responsibility to protect unique ecosystems and their biodiversity.
Nature Tanzania commends the Government of Tanzania’s ongoing efforts in wetland conservation and protection, including the four Ramsar Sites, which have been reaffirmed by the Minister’s statement during the COP15 meeting in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. However, Nature Tanzania has noted the proposed soda ash mining at Lake Natron Ramsar Site by the Ngaresero Valley Company Ltd. This proposal directly conflicts with the principles of the Ramsar Convention, other international environmental obligations, and Tanzania’s commitment to environmental stewardship, making its halt essential to uphold these principles and invest in ecotourism, which is already flourishing.
Lake Natron: A Globally Significant and Fragile Ecosystem
Despite the ecological value and significance, Lake Natron (approximately 1,200 km2), one of Tanzania’s four Ramsar Sites, faces a renewed existential threat from a proposed soda ash mining project by Ngaresero Valley Company Ltd. in Wosiwosi village, Longido District, Arusha Region. Situated within Tanzania’s Great Rift Valley landscape, Lake Natron is a striking and unique limnological phenomenon. Its expansive, shallow waters, renowned for their fragile ecological processes, are the core of a highly specialised and globally significant wetland ecosystem. Critically, 75% of the global population of Lesser Flamingos (Phoeniconaias minor) is found in Lake Natron, and it serves as the only breeding ground in the entire East Africa.
The lake’s hydrochemistry features high alkalinity (pH over 12), elevated temperatures and balanced physical-chemical water properties. These conditions provide a safe nesting site for Lesser Flamingos, which have adapted to feed on specialised algae like Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina), thriving and depending on this balance of physical-chemical water properties. This undisturbed habitat is crucial for their reproduction, protecting a Near Threatened species. A complex web, comprising specialised fish and microorganisms, has evolved to thrive in this fragile ecosystem.
Lake Natron represents one of the highly specialised and globally significant wetland ecosystems. It has a shallow depth (up to 3m) with a balanced water cycle and fragile ecological processes. The balance of physical and chemical properties of the water is crucial for the production of algae, the primary food source for the lesser flamingo, which is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN Red List.
Dredging: A Path to Irreversible Ecological Ruin
The Ngaresero Valley Company Ltd’s proposal to utilise the dredging method—mechanical excavation of lakebed sediments—for soda ash mining presents ecological consequences for Lake Natron that are projected to be catastrophic and, crucially, irreversible. The investor’s assertion that the lakebed can naturally regenerate over time fundamentally misinterprets the unique and delicate geological and biological processes that characterise Lake Natron. Unlike many aquatic environments, this lake’s evaporite formations and the specific microbial communities they support are products of slow, precise geochemical interactions within an isolated, closed basin. “Once physically disturbed and chemically altered by dredging, these foundational elements cannot regenerate to their original state within any ecologically meaningful timeframe. The effects of such dredging will spread to other parts of the lake, affecting the breeding and feeding sites of flamingos, other waterbirds, and species that depend on this unique lake ecosystem,” commented a renowned limnology scientist when visiting Nature Tanzania’s booth at the Ramsar COP15 meeting in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. This, in turn, will negatively impact the flourishing ecotourism activities.
Another major concern for the proposed soda ash mining is the impact on freshwater resources. Soda ash processing needs a substantial amount of freshwater, which is already scarce in the Lake Natron area. Taking this freshwater from the lake’s wetlands, which are fed by springs and seasonal rivers, would lead to severe water shortages and conflicts for local communities and wildlife. It would also significantly alter the lake’s hydrology and ecology, impacting the delicate balance of the ecosystem that many species depend on. Beyond freshwater, local communities raised serious concerns over contamination. The chemicals used in soda ash extraction and the waste products generated can pollute both surface water and groundwater. This poses a direct threat to the health of people and livestock who rely on these sources for drinking.
Lake Natron Ramsar Site includes one of the most sensitive yet balanced water cycles, which is already threatened by climate dynamics. Dredging this unique wetland for soda ash mining will destroy this sensitive and fragile wetland, rendering its regeneration ecologically impossible.
Why Lake Natron’s Mud is Critical for Lesser Flamingos
Lake Natron’s unique mud is vital for the Lesser Flamingo breeding ecology. Lesser Flamingos are clever architects; they build their distinctive conical nests, usually 15-20 cm high, from the wet, muddy sediment found in the shallow parts of the lake. Past breeding events have been recorded in Wosiwosi, Monic and Pinyinyi areas. This mud provides the essential structure, elevating their single egg above the harsh, salty water, protecting it from both flooding and the extreme environment. Without access to this specific type of mud, particularly in the vast, remote soda mudflats that serve as their main breeding grounds, successful breeding would be impossible. Any changes to the lake’s hydrology or chemical makeup, such as those caused by soda ash mining through dredging (at any point of the lake), could threaten the “special” mud used as nesting material that these birds depend on for reproduction.
Lake Natron’s unique mud is vital nesting material for Lesser Flamingos, making it their primary global breeding site. Mechanical excavation of the lakebed (at any point in the lake) would destroy these critical nesting areas. Supporting existing ecotourism offers a sustainable, win-win path for both local communities and nature.
Undermining Sustainable Development: The Irreversible Cost to Tourism and Local Livelihoods
Given the profound and irreversible negative impacts, it is clear that soda ash mining using the dredging method is incompatible with the conservation of Lake Natron’s fragile ecosystem. This environmental destruction would directly and irreversibly undermine the significant investments the government and private sector (tourism companies) have made in developing ecotourism in the Engaresero village area. The vibrant flamingo populations are the primary draw for tourists, generating substantial revenue that directly benefits local communities through employment, services, and local governments through taxes and levies. The ecological catastrophe caused by dredging would eliminate this natural attraction, leading to a permanent cessation of tourism activities and a devastating economic blow to these communities and local government revenues, effectively negating all prior development efforts.
Dredging (the mechanical excavation of lakebed sediments) of Lake Natron will destroy this sensitive and fragile wetland, rendering its regeneration ecologically impossible.
As Daniel Sironga, chairperson of Engaresero Eramatare Community Development Initiative (EECDI), a community organisation coordinating tourism activities, stated: “Many companies have invested in Engaresero and Magadini villages. Environmental damage from a soda ash plant could harm tourism and livelihoods, resulting in losses for companies and reduced revenue for the Tanzanian government.” Ngiding’a Lemailogi, the village chairperson from Wosiwosi, further highlighted that even without direct ecotourism, their Longido district already benefits significantly from tourism revenue at the Engaresero gate. This revenue is crucial for local economic development, as it funds essential services such as dispensaries, electricity, and education. This demonstrates existing indirect benefits and substantial potential for further tourism investment in Wosiwosi village.
Ecotourism is already flourishing in Engaresero village at Lake Natron, with the potential to expand into other villages. Dredging in Wosiwosi village will have a negative impact on the entire ecosystem, threatening the existing ecotourism that employs local populations, as well as revenues for Longido, Monduli, and Ngorongoro District Councils, and the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA). This negative impact on the entire Lake Natron ecosystem further risks the investment already made by tour companies, which have invested in lodges, campsites, and hotels in the Lake Natron area.
Furthermore, Lake Natron is a major tourist destination, intricately connected to other popular tourism hotspots, such as the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the Serengeti National Park. Negative impacts on any part of this interconnected ecosystem would have catastrophic ripple effects, damaging not only the entire Lake Natron ecosystem but also the existing tourism activities across the region, tarnishing Tanzania’s international reputation as a leader in conservation and a prime ecotourism destination.
Importantly, Lake Natron is the key breeding site for the entire East African Lesser Flamingo population. Therefore, dredging for soda ash here would directly threaten this iconic wildlife spectacle in the region. Such a decline would result in significant revenue losses for national governments, local communities, tour operators, and related businesses across East Africa, undermining the ‘Royal Tour’ campaign and broader regional tourism strategies.
A Sustainable Alternative for Soda Ash Mining: The Engaruka Basin
Recognising the need for soda ash in industry, a better alternative exists. The Tanzanian government is already developing a soda ash project at Engaruka Basin, 58 km southeast of Lake Natron, which has significant brine reserves. Focusing on the Engaruka Basin will help Tanzania meet its industrial requirements without endangering Lake Natron’s fragile and sensitive ecosystem and biodiversity, the existing flourishing ecotourism, or local livelihoods, while also upholding its international environmental obligations, especially those outlined in the Ramsar Convention.
Nature Tanzania commends the Government of Tanzania.
Nature Tanzania stands firmly with the Government of Tanzania in upholding the principles of the Ramsar Convention. We commend the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism and its institutions for the commitment and ongoing efforts in the conservation and protection of wetlands, including Ramsar Sites. We also commend the commitment and efforts of the Ministry of State, Vice-President’s Office – Union and Environment in wetland conservation and management.
Specially, Nature Tanzania strongly supports the ‘Royal Tour’ Campaign, led by President H.E. Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, which aims to attract tourists and generate sustainable income for communities, government, and the private sector.
We urge the Government to halt the proposed soda ash mining project to protect Lake Natron’s ecology, ensuring the future of Lesser Flamingos, long-term socio-economic benefits, and continuing to position Tanzania as one of the leaders in conservation and Ramsar commitments.
Protecting Lake Natron Ramsar Site aligns with our shared vision for sustainable development, safeguarding its vital flamingo breeding grounds and supporting local communities through thriving ecotourism. Let us choose a future where nature and people truly prosper together.
