Breathing New Life Into 5 Kigali Wetlands To Enhance Climate Resilience and Quality of Life
Walking through Nyandungu Eco-Park in Kigali, Rwanda, it’s difficult to imagine that just a few years ago, industrial machinery and bedraggled grasses stood where lush trees and flowers now grow. Like in many wetlands across the city, the incursion of polluting industry and human activity slowly degraded the Nyandungu wetland. As toxic runoff and debris killed vegetation and clogged waterways, Nyandungu ceased to perform the vital functions of a wetland: absorbing excess stormwater and providing a heathy habitat for local flora and fauna.
But in 2016, the City of Kigali and the Rwanda Environmental Management Authority (REMA) launched an ambitious plan to rehabilitate Nyandungu into a functional wetland and a public recreational park. Both the city and REMA were motivated by the recognition that continued degradation of Kigali’s wetlands would exacerbate the city’s vulnerability to climate risks. Urban wetlands play a critical role in preventing floods, filtering pollutants out of local waterways and are home to unique biodiversity. As Kigali faces impacts of climate change, “wetlands have the potential to contribute to building a resilient city, especially through flood control and other ecological functions,” said Christelle Ishimwe, Wetland Restoration Project Manager at REMA.
Through a multi-year, $5 million project, REMA cleared Nyandungu wetland of polluting industrial activities, allowing its native fig forest and waterways to regenerate naturally. Around 150 Kigali residents were employed to plant over 17,000 indigenous trees and vegetation from a diverse range of species, which now provide a habitat for local fauna. Since Nyandungu Urban Wetland Eco-Tourism Park (commonly known as Nyandungu Eco-Park) opened in 2022, over 6,000 people have visited each month to run or cycle along the recreational trails, learn about the ecosystem at the educational visitor’s center or find respite from the heat among the trees or at the cafe.
Not only has restoration of Nyandungu wetland been a resounding success in and of itself — it also served as positive proof that a similar approach could benefit Kigali’s other struggling wetlands.
In 2024, Kigali officially broke ground on an effort to rehabilitate five other wetlands across the city, spanning nearly 500 hectares. Funded by the Global Environment Facility and facilitated through the World Bank’s Second Rwanda Urban Development Project (RUDPII), the Nordic Development Fund and the Government of Rwanda, this wide-ranging, $27 million project is projected to benefit over 220,000 Kigali residents through improved flood resilience, enhanced natural ecosystems and a dramatic expansion of publicly accessible green space.
Drawing from the foundational experience of restoring Nyandungu, Kigali is taking a thoughtful approach to restoring the next phase of wetlands. Considering the local context and conditions of each area, the city is working to ensure that each wetland is brought back to full functionality, while layering in amenities and features that meet the needs of surrounding communities. “With rehabilitation works underway, the wetlands are expected to gradually recover,” Ishimwe said. “Restoration involves nature-based solutions that integrate communities, including the development of public and recreational facilities such as walkways, cycling lanes and botanical gardens, to help reconnect people with nature.”
Gikondo wetland, the largest and most degraded of all the sites, will primarily serve as a conservation and recreation area. It will act as both a catchment area for runoff from surrounding communities and as a pollution filter for the water supply.
At a higher altitude in the city, Rwampara wetland will be restored to absorb and slowly release the large amount of rainwater it collects. Alongside its essential flood management function, Rwampara will also become a Rwandan cultural hub, featuring a local restaurant, Rwandan shops and educational center. Downhill from Rwampara and home to the flood-prone river of the same name, Nyabugogo wetland will feature a restored riverbank, a new lake for recreation and increased water storage. These improved waterways will offer healthier and more supportive environments for birds and amphibians.
In restoring Kibumba wetland, the city wanted to create a family-friendly, educational and recreational facility. Replete with small ponds and a river, Kibumba will be a place where children and families can learn about aquatic life and even try their hand at fishing. To invite visitors in, a green corridor with walking and cycling paths will connect the wetland to the surrounding areas. The restored Rugenge-Rwintare wetland will offer bamboo groves for gathering and relaxing, and new walkway and cycling paths.
While collaborating with the city to restore these wetlands, UrbanShift found it essential to consider the needs of surrounding communities and understand how restoration efforts will impact them. Many residents depended on the polluting industries for their livelihoods. To combat this challenge, the project set up a livelihood transition plan for affected residents to pursue new opportunities. “For example, some affected people are being organized into cooperatives to strengthen collective capacity. Once they develop business plans, they can receive financial support through the livelihood restoration plan to launch or expand enterprises,” Ishimwe said. “This approach fosters job creation, access to small grants and credit, and ensures long-term sustainability of their businesses and livelihoods.
As the city navigates heavy, unpredictable rains and other challenges, the all-Rwandan crews of contractors work persistently to restore Kigali’s wetlands. Once finalized, the city will be home to six thriving, functional green spaces that will benefit residents and the environment alike.
Cover photo: Formerly degraded wetlands will soon welcome visitors for recreational and educational opportunities—while alleviating flood challenges for the city. Photo: REMA
