Freetown, Sierra Leone — Alarmed by recent satellite imagery, Freetown’s mayor has issued a dire warning about the rapid erosion of the city’s vital wetlands.
New Google Earth comparisons reveal that Aberdeen Creek, once spanning 537 acres in January 2017, has diminished to just 458 acres as of February 2025. This 79-acre decline signals an urgent environmental crisis unfolding at the heart of Freetown.
The mayor cautioned that ongoing construction within protected wetlands and the Western Area National Park is accelerating the degradation.
The loss of mangroves and forest cover is more than aesthetic—it threatens biodiversity, undermines fish spawning grounds, and jeopardizes critical water catchment areas.
“These ecosystems are not optional extras,” she emphasized. “They are foundational to our survival and the future of our city.”
Calling for immediate intervention, the mayor urged authorities and urban planners to halt development in these sensitive zones and safeguard Freetown’s natural infrastructure before it’s too late.
