YA
Yemi Adeyemi
Emerging Steward · Lagos Lagoon Community Programme · Year 1
7
Observations
3
Badges earned
+0.4
BIS contribution
12
Days active
Your 5-stage stewardship journey
Stage 1 · Observer — Learn to see
Explore your local bioregion. Learn what BIS means. Submit your first observation. Complete 2 guided lessons.
Stage 2 · Sensor — Record what you notice
Submit 5 verified observations. Learn to identify ecological signals vs noise. Connect with a mentor steward.
3
Stage 3 · Analyst — Understand patterns
Submit 10 total observations. Identify a trend in your bioregion's BIS over 30 days. Join your first community discussion.
4
Stage 4 · Advocate — Share your findings
Write a bioregion report. Present findings to 5+ community members. Mentor a new observer.
5
Stage 5 · Steward — Lead regeneration
Lead a community restoration project. Verify 3 other stewards' observations. Achieve 1+ BIS point contribution.
Badges Earned
First Observer
Vegetation Spotter
Water Watcher
Pattern Finder
Trend Analyst
Community Voice
Full Steward
Your Mentor
Connected by the Lagos Lagoon Community Programme
KO
Kolade Okafor
Senior Land Steward · Lagos Lagoon · 4 years experience · 284 verified signals
Available for questionsNext session: Mon 2pm
Explore a bioregion:
Lagos Lagoon, Nigeria
Southwest Nigeria · West African coast · Urban wetland ecosystem
BIS Score
38.4
The Lagos Lagoon is a 208km² coastal wetland that millions of Lagosians depend on for food, transport, and livelihoods. It is home to over 150 fish species, vast mangrove forests, and migratory birds that travel from as far as Europe. But the lagoon is under pressure. Rapid urban expansion, plastic pollution from 20+ million residents, and the decline of mangrove cover have pushed its BIS score to 38.4 — below the sustainability threshold of 50. The good news: nature is resilient. Community fishing cooperatives have reduced trawling in key spawning zones, and a mangrove restoration programme planted 80,000 seedlings in 2024.
208
km² area
150+
fish species
38.4
BIS score
61%
mangrove remaining
20M+
people nearby
↓
BIS trend
Main threats
Plastic pollution — 42 tonnes enter the lagoon weekly from urban runoff
Mangrove loss — urban expansion has removed 39% of original mangrove cover since 1985
Overfishing — trawling pressure exceeds sustainable yield by ~34% in southern zones
Warming — sea surface temperatures +1.1°C above 1990 baseline reduces spawning success
Submit an Observation
Your eyes on the ground matter. Simple observations help build the Lagos Lagoon BIS score.
Tips for good observations
You don't need to be a scientist — just curious
Note the time and date — ecological patterns are time-sensitive
Be specific about where — even approximate locations help
A photo on your phone helps verification, but isn't required
"I'm not sure" is a valid answer — don't guess if you don't know
Repeated observations in the same spot over time are especially valuable
Total Observations
7
3 more to reach Stage 4
Verified by Experts
6
86% verification rate
BIS Contribution
+0.4
pts to Lagos Lagoon BIS
Current Lagoon BIS
38.4
Your work is making a difference
2
Mangrove zone observations
contributed to restoration map
contributed to restoration map
3
Fish population sightings
added to species database
added to species database
2
Pollution alerts
triggered community clean-up
triggered community clean-up
Your Activity
Observation: dead fish near Apapa dock → verified, BIS –0.1 flagged for response2 days ago
Observation: healthy mangrove new growth in Zone C → verified, BIS +0.24 days ago
Badge earned: Water Watcher (3rd observation about water quality)5 days ago
Observation: plastic waste near Five Cowrie Creek → triggered community clean-up1 week ago
Stage 2 completed — 5 total observations reached10 days ago
First mentor session with Kolade Okafor — wetland ecology intro12 days ago
Joined Lagos Lagoon Emerging Steward Programme14 days ago