The Coppename Monding Nature Reserve (

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

: Natuurreservaat Coppenamemonding) is a

protected area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...

and nature reserve in

Suriname Suriname (; srn, Sranankondre or ), officially the Republic of Suriname ( nl, Republiek Suriname , srn, Ripolik fu Sranan), is a country on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north ...

. The reserve is located near the mouth of the

Coppename River The Coppename is a river in Suriname (South America) in the district of Sipaliwini, forming part of the boundary between the districts of Coronie and Saramacca. Course The Coppename river begins in the Wilhelmina Mountains. Its tributaries are ...

. The reserve measures 12,000 hectares, and has been a protected area since 1961. This

wetland A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The ...

s area is an important habitat for breeding birds, and attracts

heron The herons are long-legged, long-necked, freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae, with 72 recognised species, some of which are referred to as egrets or bitterns rather than herons. Members of the genera ''Botaurus'' and ''Ixobrychus ...

scarlet ibis The scarlet ibis (''Eudocimus ruber'') is a species of ibis in the bird family Threskiornithidae. It inhabits tropical South America and part of the Caribbean. In form, it resembles most of the other twenty-seven extant species of ibis, but its ...

es, and

semipalmated sandpiper The semipalmated sandpiper (''Calidris pusilla'') is a very small shorebird. The genus name is from Ancient Greek ''kalidris'' or ''skalidris'', a term used by Aristotle for some grey-coloured waterside birds. The specific ''pusilla'' is Latin fo ...

s. Almost 400,000 birds were counted during a survey in 2004. The reserve has been placed on the

Ramsar list of wetlands of international importance This is the list of Wetlands of International Importance as defined by the Ramsar Convention for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural, scientif ...

on 22 July 1985.

Overview

The estuary of the Coppename River was listed on the Police Penal Code of 1915 as an area of special interest. In 1953, it became a game sanctuary, and in 1961, it became a protected area under the Nature Preservation Law. Coppename Monding consists of

mangrove A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows in coastal saline water, saline or brackish water. The term is also used for tropical coastal vegetation consisting of such species. Mangroves are taxonomically diverse, as a result of convergent evoluti ...

forests and mudflats, and is important for

waterfowl Anseriformes is an order of birds also known as waterfowl that comprises about 180 living species of birds in three families: Anhimidae (three species of screamers), Anseranatidae (the magpie goose), and Anatidae, the largest family, which in ...

s and migratory birds. It consists of about 50 kilometres of coast. The southern part of the reserve contains grass swamps. The reserve is managed by (Stichting Natuurbehoud Suriname).

Accessibility

The reserve is a restricted area, and can be accessed by boat from the village of Boskamp.

References

Bibliography

*{{cite web, last1=Ouboter, first1=Paul E., year=2001 , url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262972705_Directory_of_protected_areas_of_Suriname , title=Directory of protected areas of Suriname, publisher=IBER Nature reserves in Suriname Ramsar sites in Suriname Saramacca District Protected areas of Suriname