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Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

Volume I: Occidental and Central Africa

WORLD CONSERVATION
MONITORING CENTRE

| 24 MAY 1993

Compiled by

World Conservation Monitoring Centre
Cambridge, UK

for

The World Bank
Washington DC, USA

The World Bank
1993

Published by The World Bank, Washington, DC, USA.

Prepared by the World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC), 219 Huntingdon
Road, Cambridge, CB3 ODL, UK.

WCMC is a joint venture between the three partners who developed The World
Conservation Strategy and its successor Caring for the Earth: TUCN-World
Conservation Union, UNEP-United Nations Environment Programme, and WWF-
World Wide Fund for Nature. Its mission is to provide an information, research and
assessment service on the status, security and management of the Earth’s biological
diversity as the basis for its conservation and sustainable use.

Reproduction of this publication for educational or other non-commercial purposes is
authorised without prior permission from the copyright holder.

Reproduction for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without the prior
written permission of the copyright holder.

Citation: World Bank (1993). Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa.
Volume I: Occidental and Central Africa. Compiled by the
World Conservation Monitoring Centre for The World Bank,
Washington, DC, USA.

Printed by: The Burlington Press, Cambridge, UK.
Cover illustration: Nairobi City Skyline with Kongoni and Grant’s Gazelles, RIM
Campbell.

Available from: The World Bank, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433,
USA.

This publication has been prepared for Bank use. The views and interpretation herein
are those of the authors and should not be attributed to the World Bank, to its
affiliated organisations or to any individual acting on their behalf.

The designations of geographical entities in this book, and the presentation of the
material, do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of
WCMC or other participating organisations concerning the legal status of any country,
territory, or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers
or boundaries.

The views of the authors expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those
of WCMC or other participating organisations.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

ARPA MEME US rs fol of Gat ober a tay satin oth Fis Nol «i ios. wae nmpieestetiolte ls tel eueaienton clare iii
Section I
VOLE ULC tO), ae SoA ee Pe er Sot br Ae 8 Vv
ieicpan ecologically sensitive area?: 0. 6 ee es ele ee oles xiii
Conceptual framework for designation and

classification of ecologically sensitive areas .............2.2204. xix
Categories and management objectives of protected areas............. XXV
Developing guidelines on the relationship between various

types of Bank projects and ecologically sensitive areas .......... XXVil
Minimum quality standards for ecologically sensitive areas............ XXxil
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World Bank Wildlands Operational Policy Note No. 11.02

Wildlands: Their Protection and Management in

Economic Development with Annexes ..........5-25+-+.+-+.2%. xli
Section II
Information Sources
OCCIDENTAL AND CENTRAL AFRICA
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ECOLOGICALLY SENSITIVE SITES IN AFRICA

PREFACE

During the last two decades, there has been growing evidence that
environmental degradation in its many forms constitutes a threat of growing
significance to economic development. In addition, the rapid evolution of the
environmental agenda has led to an increased understanding of the interdependence
among economic activities and their environmental consequences, both within and
between countries. The economic and physical interdependence between nations is
illustrated by the emergence of new kinds of environmental problems, such as the
deterioration of the ozone layer, the greenhouse effect, tropical deforestation, and the
transboundary movement of hazardous wastes.

The Bank has been active in the field of environmental protection and, in the
last decade, has financed numerous projects containing environmental components as
well as several free standing environmental projects, which have had solely
environmental objectives, such as reforestation, watershed management and pollution
control. Through the introduction on new directives on environmental assessment,
environmental action plans, forestry policy, the global environmental facility,
resettlement, indigenous people and wildlands, the Bank has definitely distinguished
itself as a leader in environmental protection.

Despite the above efforts, it became evidently clear that the Bank’s
response did not match the changing realities in the degree of effort devoted to
environmental matters or in the approaches actually used. This combined with a few
well publicised cases in which World Bank projects actually had some negative
environmental consequences - such as contributing to the destruction of tropical rain
forests and posing threats to wildlife populations, indigenous people, and established
human settlements, prompted the Bank to rethink and adjust its policies toward
environmental management. In its recent reorganisation, the Bank management
decided to bring environmental concerns more systematically into the mainstream of
its operation by establishing a Vice Presidency on Environmentally Sustainable
Development.

This new action reiterates the Bank’s commitment to bringing environmental
issues into the mainstream of the lending operations and policy work. Partly influenced
by global events such as the Rio Summit and from the Bank’s own experience in
environmental work, there continues to be a general consensus on five priority areas
which will require the Bank’s special attention and also the attention of its member
countries. These include destruction of natural habitats; land degradation; degradation
and depletion of fresh water resources; urban, industrial, and agricultural pollution;
and degradation of the “global commons". Although these five areas have been
addressed in the Bank’s operations through various country focused environmental
action plans, through coverage of environmental issues in country economic and sector
work, and through actual lending operations, there has been expressed concern by task

managers on the availability of environmental information on which to base certain
decisions.

This publication is made in response to requests from task managers in the
Africa region who wanted to know the location and properties of the ecologically
sensitive sites in Africa to which they could refer while implementing Bank projects
in the region. This publication is also made to assist task managers to comply with the
Bank’s Operational Policy Note No. 11.02 on "Wildlands: Their Protection and
Management in Economic Development". The publication has been compiled by the
World Conservation Monitoring Centre, UK in collaboration with the Africa
Environment Division of the Technical Department at the World Bank. It contains the
most up-to-date available data and we hope it will find wider application beyond the
Bank’s operations.

Walter Lusigi
Senior Ecologist
World Bank
Environment Division
Technical Department
Africa Region

SECTION I
ECOLOGICALLY SENSITIVE SITES IN AFRICA

A summary of key issues

INTRODUCTION

The challenge facing nations today is no longer deciding
whether conservation is a good idea, but rather how it can
be implemented in the national interest and within the means
available to each country. (WCED, 1987)

In order to achieve sustainable development, environmental
protection shall constitute an integral part of the development
process and cannot be considered in isolation from it.
(Principle 4, Rio Declaration on Environment and
Development, UNCED 1992)

Environmental concerns are much in the news. Drought, poacher wars and civil strife
are evident in many African countries, and a general feeling of malaise affects much
of the continent. As a result, the natural and semi-natural ecosystems of Africa are
having increasing stresses put upon them, and ecologically sensitive areas are being
degraded through mismanagement, rather than conserved through effective
management. This has serious implications for human well-being, as a wide range of
benefits can result from investment in conserving ecologically sensitive areas. The
value of such benefits will vary considerably from area to area and resource to
resource, but most will fall into one or other of the following categories:

Fixation of solar energy through photosynthesis, transfers energy through green
plants into natural food chains, providing the support system for species which
are harvested

Maintenance of evolutionary processes and genetic variability

Maintenance of water cycles, including recharging groundwater, protecting
watersheds, and buffering extreme water conditions (such as flood and drought)

Regulation of climate, at both macro- and micro-climatic levels (including
influences on temperature, precipitation, and air turbulence)

Production of soil and protection of soil from erosion, including protecting
coastlines from erosion by the sea

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

>» Storage, cycling and buffering of essential nutrients, including carbon, nitrogen,
and oxygen

> Absorption and breakdown of pollutants, including the decomposition of organic
wastes, pesticides, and air and water pollutants

> Provision of direct support to local communities through sustainable resource use

>» Provision of recreational-aesthetic, socio-cultural, scientific, educational,
spiritual, and historical values

Because the benefits of conservation are so important to society, the rate of natural
habitat loss (see Table 1) and threats to species in Africa (see Table 2) is a source of
great concern throughout the world.

Many development plans fail to recognize that retention of natural systems may
constitute the optimal use of certain areas, in economic as well as ecological terms.
Instead of conserving the rich resources of forest, wetland, and sea and managing
them on a sustainable basis, current processes of development are depleting many
biological resources at such a rate that they are rendered essentially non-renewable,
thereby potentially reducing the benefits to society in the longer term. Experience has
shown that market forces alone will often lead to such over-exploitation, largely
because many of the costs are external and simply ignored.

Since biological resources will be inadequately conserved by market forces alone,
given current means of assessing costs and benefits, effective government intervention
is required to meet the conservation needs of society. Environmental management
measures available to governments for promoting conservation include:

> establishing national parks and other types of protected area

> promoting citizen awareness and action through public education and supporting
non-governmental conservation organizations

>» modifying resource exploitation through legal or administrative means

>» implementing international conservation conventions, particularly the Convention
on Biological Diversity

> establishing government departments or ministries responsible for environmental
matters

> implementing special action to conserve threatened species and habitats

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

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Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

Table 2 Numbers, by country, of endemic and threatened mammals and birds

Known Endemic | Threatened | Threatened
species species ee endem omies

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Angola
Benin
Botswana
Burkina Faso

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Cote d’lvoire
Djibouti
Equatorial Guinea
Ethiopia
Gabon
Gambia
Ghana
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Kenya
Lesotho
Liberia

Libya
Madagascar
Malawi

Mali
Mauritania
Mozambique
Niger
Nigeria
Rwanda
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Somalia
Sudan
Swaziland
Tanzania
Togo
Tunisia
Uganda
Zaire
Zambia
Zimbabwe

Data from: World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1992. Global Biodiversity Status
of the Earth’s Living Resources. Chapman and Hall. 594pp.

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Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa
>» building information gathering and monitoring capabilities as the basis for
improved resource planning
» establishing special training programs for government officials

> promoting integrated rural development schemes which incorporate conservation

» developing ex situ facilities for preserving threatened genetic resources, in
support of in situ conservation programs

However, conservation actions have been underway in Africa many years, yet natural
habitats are still being lost at a rapid rate. Experience has taught the hard lesson that
traditional protected areas will be unable to conserve most biological resources by
themselves. Additional approaches to conservation are required to more effectively
integrate protected areas within the broader processes of land-use planning, and to
bring about policy shifts in a wide variety of sectors which have impacts on
ecologically sensitive areas.

This has been the message of a number of reports and meetings in recent years, and
is clearly stated within the articles of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Article 8 of the Convention deals specifically with in situ conservation. It calls on
contracting parties to:

» establish a system of protected areas where special measures are needed to
conserve biodiversity

> develop guidelines for the selection, establishment and management of such areas
» manage biodiversity both within protected areas and in the wider landscape

> promote the protection of ecosystems, natural habitats and the maintenance of
viable populations of species

> promote environmentally sound and sustainable development in areas adjacent
to protected areas

» restore degraded ecosystems and promote the recovery of threatened species
>” control or eradicate alien species that threaten indigenous biodiversity
» respect and maintain the knowledge and practices of indigenous and local

communities, including the equitable sharing of benefits arising from the
utilization of such knowledge and practices

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

» develop appropriate environmental legislation

These measures are all highly pertinent to the identification and conservation of
ecologically sensitive areas, and one of the top priorities in promoting sustainable
development must be to encourage countries to ratify the convention. The first step
in implementation is to undertake a comprehensive national assessment of the status
of, and threats to, the country’s biodiversity, its utilization and management, the
economic benefits it provides and the costs of its effective management. This process
includes the identification of ecologically sensitive areas, both within and outside
existing protected area systems. The management of these areas to maintain their
ecological integrity, and thus to maximise their potential economic benefits, is then
prescribed in the national biodiversity strategies and action plans countries are called
upon to produce under Article 6 of the Convention.

Particularly important therefore is the development of management programs using a
broad systems approach based on an increasingly sophisticated ecological
understanding of ecosystem productivity, processes, and dynamics. Integrated rural
development can draw on national conservation strategies, river basin development
strategies, environmental impact assessment, Geographic Information Systems and
other technologies to promote environmentally sound management of large ecosystems
containing both natural and transformed habitats. While such programs can make
important contributions to conservation of biodiversity, they also contribute indirectly
through stabilizing resource use in areas which are not biologically diverse. These
activities focus upon maintaining, or restoring, natural ecosystems so that the
ecological and hydrological processes which they support are maintained, and the
benefits which they provide to human society are made available on a sustainable
basis.

By managing these ecosystems sustainably and stabilizing land-use, the root cause of
many human population movements can be addressed, with biological diversity being
a beneficiary. For example, in many parts of Africa, forests are being lost because
of slash and burn agriculture. In most areas, the expansion of this agricultural
practice is a consequence of non-sustainable resource use and declining agricultural
productivity in other ecosystems which the rural poor have been forced to abandon.
By focusing attention on restoring formerly productive agro-ecosystems, and by
maintaining the ecological and hydrological processes which maintain the productivity
of these systems, agricultural pressure on the marginal lands can be reduced and they
can be allocated to activities which are more conducive to the conservation of
biological diversity.

It is apparent that mechanisms need to be developed for identifying ecologically
sensitive areas in a systematic manner and establishing minimum quality criteria for
managing such areas. To enhance its contribution to sustainable development, the
World Bank requires guidelines for rapid identification of ecologically sensitive areas,
and needs to develop means of promoting special measures that could be incorporated

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

in project planning and implementation to maintain the ecological integrity of such
areas. The aim of this report is to assist in this process.

However, no simple recipe exists for determining how resources should be used.
Ecological, social, political, economic, and technological factors all enter into the
decision. Each of these factors can change over time, and because the factors are
inter-related, a change in one can affect all the others. Therefore, while this
discussion will concentrate on ecological factors, it will consider the others as well.
In the final analysis, guidelines need to be applied by people exercising their best
judgement given the current state of knowledge. The dynamic state of development
in the Africa region is likely to continue, and building the capacity to adapt to constant
change will require concerted action.

This section of the report is based on material drafted by Jeffrey A.
McNeely, Chief Conservation Officer at IUCN - The World Conservation
Union. The section was originally drafted in December 1991, and then
revised in early 1993 by Robin Pellew and Jeremy Harrison of the World
Conservation Monitoring Centre to take account of subsequent
developments.

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Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

WHAT IS AN ECOLOGICALLY SENSITIVE AREA?

Introduction

While many natural habitats are being converted into uses -- such as agriculture,
aquaculture, or forestry -- which yield greater productivity to humans (at least
in the short term), the natural value of some areas is so significant that they need
to be converted with great care, or even left in their natural state. Areas of
significant value in their natural state can be termed Ecologically Sensitive Areas
(ESAs) (see Box 1). They may contain unique features, maintain key natural
processes, support rare plants or animals and their habitats, or provide important
breeding areas for wildlife. Some ESAs are natural, while others have been
significantly altered by certain human activities. In terms of management, some
ESAs will prosper through "benign neglect" while others will require intensive
management to restore or maintain their natural values.

Box 1: Ecologically Sensitive Areas

Criteria for ecologically sensitive areas would include:

@ provide protection of steep slopes, especially in watershed areas,
against erosion
support important natural vegetation on soils of inherently low
productivity that would yield little of value to human communities if
transformed
regulate and purify water flow

provide conditions essential for the perpetuation of species of medicinal
and genetic conservation value

maintain conditions vital for the perpetuation of species that enhance
the attractiveness of the landscape or the viability of protected areas
provide critical habitat that threatened species use for breeding, feeding
or staging

Source: McNeely et al. 1990

2 one
1.2 In order to ensure effective management of ecologically sensitive areas, and to

avoid inappropriate conversion, it is essential that criteria are developed which
can be used to guide decisions on whether an area can be converted freely to
alternative uses, can be converted to only certain uses (such as forest
production), or should not be converted at all.

xiii

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

1.4

ies)

1.6

A useful scale for seeking an answer is the ecosystem, a community of
organisms interacting with the local living and non-living elements of the
environment and forming a system in which life-sustaining processes are
maintained. The ecosystem involves the accumulation, circulation, and
transformation of matter and energy through such biological processes as
photosynthesis and decomposition. The processes often work though the means
of water, which provides a means of transfer and storage of energy and materials
used by living organisms within the ecosystem.

The boundaries of an ecosystem are often identified by changes in vegetation,
soil, or landscape form. The scale of the ecosystem depends on the purpose of
analysis; a small mountain pond is an ecosystem, and so is the mountain on
which it is located. Almost all ecosystems are connected with others of various
scales. Protected areas with artificial boundaries may be whole or partial
ecosystems, depending on the size of the area and the form of the boundary; a
protected area surrounded by forest is a much different ecosystem to a similar
one surrounded by agricultural land.

Some ecosystems are relatively robust and resist permanent damage, while others
are very sensitive to disturbance and may require long periods to recover from
disruption. Grasslands naturally subject to periodic fires, are robust, while
mature tropical rain forests may be easily disturbed and require decades or even
centuries to recover. Particularly sensitive ecosystems include those which lie
on geologically unstable substrata, such as steep slopes subject to landslides, and
those which are dependent on influences from outside the system, such as
estuaries and deltas. Ecosystems need to be classified according to their
sensitivity to certain kinds of treatment by people, and the most useful indicators
of sensitivity need to be identified.

People have shown the capacity to convert almost any piece of natural habitat
into agricultural land which can produce a crop for at least a few growing
seasons. But areas which are inappropriate to such use quickly degrade into
wastelands, such as the great expanses of Imperata grasslands found in much of
tropical Asia; worse, inappropriate conversions of watersheds, such as through
illegal logging, can contribute to very high human costs downstream through
floods, erosion, siltation, and other external factors.

Logically, an objective survey of all remaining natural habitats should first be
conducted to ascertain which have the highest value in their present state, and
the least value if transformed. In practical terms, and as a working rule of
thumb where complete information is not yet available, it may be best to accept
the rationale behind the process of selection of protected areas already followed.
This would mean that first priority ESAs should include areas which are already
given legal protection (though recognizing that not all areas given legal
protection really qualify as an ESA); second priority ESAs should include all

xiv

Dot

2.2

2.3

2.4

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

areas which have been proposed for protection; and third priority ESAs should
be all other areas where natural habitat remains.

Legally protected areas

Areas which have been given legal protection preventing conversion to other
uses should be among those not considered for alteration or conversion; their
contribution to development is through maintaining their relatively natural state.
In fact, the World Bank’s policy on wildlands (World Bank, 1986) expressly
prohibits the use of IBRD funds to convert legally protected areas to any other
uses except under the most stringent and exceptional conditions.

As development has accelerated in the past few decades, the governments in the
region have recognized the importance of legally protected areas as part of the
overall pattern of land use, though of course the effectiveness of such legal
regimes varies widely. Many of these areas have been established in the past
30 years (see Fig. 1), and over that period administration and management of
protected area systems has also changed in many countries. WCMC (1992)
summarises how each of the national protected area systems is set up in Sub-
Saharan Africa, and Lusigi (1992) discusses many of the challenges and issues
facing protected areas management in Africa.

However, it would be a mistake to consider that once an area is legally
established, then all threats have been removed. In fact, virtually all protected
areas in the Africa have an uneasy relationship with the people living around
them. The reasons for this are apparent: the local people pay most of the costs
of conservation by not being able to harvest resources as they might wish, while
the bulk of the benefits go to the nation at large or even to the international
community. Governments need to seek additional means of redressing this
imbalance, by ensuring that the costs of conservation are shared more widely,
and that more of the benefits are delivered to the local communities.

Protected areas within the wildlife sector are often augmented by a range of
designated areas established and managed by other sectors (such as forestry or
fisheries) with management objectives which support a nature conservation
function. The World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC) has carried out
research on areas within the forest sector, and is working on a series of reports
which will show the extensive nature of their contribution in some countries.
Review of the conservation value of some of these areas on the ground may be
a valuable next step (the development community is currently funding such a
study in Sri Lanka).

In addition to being protected under national legislation, some areas are given

further protection under international legislation, notably the Convention on
Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar, 1971) and the Convention

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

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3.4

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (Paris,
1972). The list of areas given such protection expands each year as the States
Party add areas to the list. Areas currently given such protection are identified
and described in later sections.

While not a convention, the Biosphere Reserve programme of Unesco also has
considerable relevance to the region. As part of UNESCO’s Man and the
Biosphere Programme (MAB), a biosphere reserve is established to conserve
representative natural areas throughout the world, and to use these areas to
further understanding of the interaction between man and nature. Biosphere
reserves ideally take an existing protected area as the core, then incorporating
land around the core with varying degrees of human intervention are permitted.
Biosphere reserves in Africa are also listed in later sections.

Other critical habitats

While many countries in Africa have an impressive record on establishing
protected areas, there are many gaps in coverage, with many ESAs of high
priority for conservation yet to receive any effective management. The regional
systems review carried out by IUCN (IUCN/UNEP, 1986) identifies a number
of important sites, as does the action plan for protected areas in Africa (IUCN,
1987) and in the African Biodiversity Review prepared by IUCN (Stuart and
Adams, 1990). Many of these unprotected ESAs may in fact deserve higher
attention than the existing protected areas, because they are more liable to
alteration to inappropriate uses, and a number are identified in the body of this
report.

Even if they are not yet protected, habitats can also be considered ecologically
sensitive areas if they meet the criteria identified in Box 3. The identification
of such ESAs outside of existing protected areas ideally requires considerable
research and information, but the pace of development is such that it will
inevitably prove necessary to take some relatively arbitrary decisions on the
limited information available. In making such decisions, use should be made of
all available information, including both national and international reviews.

Threatened species are of particular concern to both governments and the general
public. Many such species are protected under national legislation, and in
addition many African countries are members of international conventions which
provide protection to threatened species. It is widely accepted that the best way
to conserve species is through protecting their habitats while simultaneously
controlling exploitation. Critical habitats of threatened species are particularly
important ESAs.

Potential ESAs can also be identified from digitized data on the distribution of
key species using a Geographic Information System (GIS). By overlaying such

XVii

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

4.1

4.2

4.3

distribution data onto habitat maps, sites of particular species richness can be
identified. These should then be priority areas for ground surveys. The
application of information technology in this way enables proactive conservation
planning to maintain the ecological integrity of such areas before they are
disturbed by unsustainable management practices.

Information on the status and distribution of both habitats and species is central
to the study of biodiversity conservation within a country, and a key part of both
protected area systems reviews and the development of the national biodiversity
strategies necessary for implementation of the Convention on Biological
Diversity. Information is often widely distributed, and effort is required to bring
the information together, and to develop research and monitoring programs to
support biodiversity conservation. A range of international organizations,
including UNEP and WCMC are in a position to support such activities.

Areas to be rehabilitated

Many ESAs have already been over-exploited, with resulting degradation. These
areas need to be rehabilitated so that they can once again make important
contributions to sustainable development. Since tropical forests often grow on
soils which are poor in cations or suffer from other deficiencies, attempts at
agriculture are often followed rather quickly by abandoned fields and degraded
vegetation. As a result, large areas of Africa are covered by devastated
landscapes which are productive only for grazing at a very low stocking density.
With proper economic incentives, such areas can be made productive again,
either for agriculture, forestry, or conservation of biological diversity.

It may be more expensive in the short run to reconstitute damaged ecosystems
than to conserve new lands (and is certainly more expensive to reconstitute
damaged ecosystems than it is to exploit new ones), but it will often be as
economically efficient in the long run to rebuild degraded local ecosystems
rather than to exploit (and degrade, requiring rebuilding) other more remote
land, which may itself be sensitive to degradation.

Given the right circumstances it is also possible to develop ecologically sensitive
areas from lands which previously had no particular value, through careful
development of new habitats. This may have economic as well as ecological
benefits.

XVili

1.1

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR DESIGNATION AND
CLASSIFICATION OF ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS

Introduction

Conservation of biological resources has become an important item on every
country’s development agenda. Conservation in the modern sense is part of
development. As defined by the World Conservation Strategy, it means: "The
management of human use of the biosphere so that it may yield the greatest
sustainable benefit to present generations while maintaining its potential to meet
the needs and aspirations of future generations. Thus conservation is positive,
embracing preservation, maintenance, sustainable utilization, restoration, and
enhancement of the natural environment" (IUCN, 1980).

Conservation of biological resources is not a new idea. Farmers have always
had the sense to avoid eating the seeds for growing next year’s crop, to select
the seeds which have the most favourable characteristics, and to plant a wide
variety of crops. Herders don’t slaughter their breeding stock, and they select
the individuals for breeding which are the easiest to manage, have the most
meat, or display other desirable traits. For most of human history, the natural
world has been protected from the most disruptive human influences by
cultural/ecological factors such as taboos preventing over-exploitation, tribal
warfare which kept wide areas as wilderness "buffer zones" between groups,
land ownership by ancestors or lineages rather than individuals, relatively sparse
human populations, and so on.

But during the last few generations, economic growth based on the conversion
of fossil fuels has spurred such rapid expansion of human numbers that new
approaches to conservation are required. One such approach has been the
establishment within the past 100 years of explicit government policies aimed at
ensuring that wild living resources are conserved, usually through the
designation of particular ecologically sensitive areas as national parks or other
sorts of protected areas. Today, all but a small handful of countries have
national parks and national legislation promoting conservation (see Fig. 2).
Most governments have established wildlife management agencies, joined
international conservation conventions, and built environmental considerations
into the national education system. Non-governmental organizations are active
throughout the region in promoting public awareness of conservation issues,
including those dealing with biological diversity.

The conservation movement has been ied by naturalists. While their
contributions have been fundamental, they are unable to address fully the basic
problems of conservation because the limiting factors are not biological, but
rather political, economic, and social. The decisions affecting the natural

xix

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

Fig.2 Percentage of each country within protected area system
(source: WCMC)

Mauritania
Liberia

Sierra Leone
Guinea

Djibouti

Somalia

Lesotho
Guinea-Bissau
Equatorial Guinea
Mozambique

SSE Fo] Po Pe

1.6

1.7

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

environment are influenced by pressures and incentives that go far beyond the
relatively straight-forward technical considerations of what might in theory be
best for the ecologically sensitive areas, and consider in addition questions of
social equity, political possibility, and technical feasibility.

Advice on delivering conservation action needs to be sought from development
practitioners, engineers, politicians, rural sociologists, agronomists, and
economists. In the last analysis, local resource users are the ones who make
local-level decisions, and their decisions are affected above all by enlightened
self-interest. Those seeking to conserve ESAs need to be able to identify
legitimate self-interests of rural people, and design ways of ensuring that the
interests of ESAs and community self-interest coincide. Development aid
agencies, including the Bank, therefore have an important role to play.

It has become apparent that a sectoral approach to managing ESAs is unlikely
to be successful, even in the short run. While government institutions
responsible for wildlife and protected areas need strengthening, even the most
successful conservation programs will fail unless they are supported by
appropriate developments in other sectors. Progress in sustainable approaches
to forestry, agriculture, rural development, international trade, energy,
population, national security, and other areas are so essential to the success of
efforts to conserve ESAs that they deserve as much attention as the traditional
conservation-related sectors.

The need for a broad based multi-sectoral approach to conservation is clearly
identified in both the Global Biodiversity Strategy ((UCN/UNEP/WRI, 1992)
and the Convention on Biological Diversity. Under the convention, countries
will be required to prepare national biodiversity strategies and action plans, and
to report on their implementation. These plans will need to focus on
biodiversity outside the confines of protected areas, and address the fundamental
requirements of reconciling the pressures of human development with
conservation of ESAs in the wider landscape.

Criteria for designating and managing Environmentally Sensitive Areas

In planning a system to protect ESAs for supporting national development goals,
criteria for selection and management are essential. Criteria will enable a
relatively systematic comparison of different sites; help communicate to
decision-makers why certain areas or policy initiatives are important; help focus
research on the most important questions; promote the drawing of boundaries for
the ESA by specifying the features which need special management; and
facilitate public information programs.

In seeking to identify which sorts of protective regimes are most appropriate for
each major ESA (including, but not limited to, designation as a protected area),

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

local social, political, and economic factors need to be considered along with the
ecological ones. The following set of criteria are presented in rough descending
order of importance, though modifications will be required for adapting to each
particular situation. Each criterion is presented as an ideal against which each
site can be considered. No site can be expected to meet the ideal, but the
criteria can provide a basis for comparing sites against each other. In some
cases, it may be appropriate for planning purposes to assign numerical scores to
the various criteria, with relatively higher scores being assigned to the first four
criteria.

Criteria which determine the importance of the site to human society

Economic benefit. The site provides obvious long-term economic
benefits, such as watershed protection or tourism (even though their initial
establishment might involve short-term economic disruptions).

Diversity. The site has a great variety of species and ecosystems, and is
sufficiently large to contain viable populations of most species; it contains
a variety of geomorphological features, soils, water regimes, and
microhabitats.

Critical habitat, international. The site is essential to the survival of one
or more threatened species which occurs in no other country, contains the
only example of certain types of ecosystems, or contains landscapes of
outstanding universal value.

Critical habitat, national. The site is essential to the survival of one or
more species which are threatened nationally or internationally, or
contains the nation’s only example of certain types of ecosystems. The
ecological functioning of the area is vital to the healthy maintenance of
a natural system beyond its boundaries (such as habitat for migratory
species, an important catchment area for lowland irrigation systems,
protection of the coast against typhoons, etc.).

Cultural diversity. The site supports populations of indigenous people
who have developed mechanisms for living in a sustainable balance with
the natural ecosystems, and whose continued presence in the ESA would
help ensure that the diversity of the area is maintained.

Urgency. Action is required quickly at the site in order to avert an
immediate threat (though it should be realized that this is often a "damage
control" action; it is usually best to protect far in advance of threat).

Criteria to determine additional elements which enhance the value of the
site

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

Demonstration. The site demonstrates the benefits, values, or methods
of protection, and can show how to resolve conflicts between natural
resource values and human activities.

Representativeness. The site is representative of a habitat type, ecological
process, biological community, physiographic feature, or other natural
characteristic.

Tourism. The site lends itself to forms of tourism compatible with the
aims of conservation; this criterion is often related to those of economic
benefit and social acceptance.

Landscape. The site has features of outstanding natural beauty; these are
usually also unique, easily destroyed, and attractive to tourists and any
alteration would significantly reduce the area’s amenity value.

Recreation. The site provides local communities with opportunities to
use, enjoy, and learn about their natural environment.

Inventory and Monitoring. The site can serve as a non-manipulated area
against which to measure changes occurring elsewhere; it can form the
basis for assessing any ecological change. It can also serve as the site for
detailed inventory of biodiversity to provide a baseline for long-term
monitoring. Research has been carried out over a long period in the site,
and major field studies have been carried out to provide a strong
foundation on which new research can build. The site represents
ecological characteristics of regional value so research can yield
arguments that can have impacts far beyond the protected area.

Awareness. Education and training within the site can contribute
knowledge and appreciation of regional values. The site can serve to
exemplify techniques or scientific methods, making it particularly
important for education purposes.

Criteria to help determine the management feasibility of a site

Social acceptance. The site is already protected by local people; or
official protection by the government (particularly against outside
exploitation) would be welcomed.

Opportunism. Existing conditions or actions at the site lend themselves
to further action (such as the extension of an existing protected area or

establishment of a buffer zone around an existing park).

Availability. The site can be acquired easily, through inter-departmental

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

3:2

3:3

3.4

transfer, easements, or other legal forms of control.

Convenience. The site is accessible to researchers or students for
scientific and educational uses.

An expanded approach to protecting ecologically sensitive areas

The best-known method of managing ESAs is through national parks, but many
other types of reserves can also make contributions to both conservation and
development, providing a range of management "tools" (Box 2). Ten years ago,
the leading professionals in the field of national parks management, meeting in
Bali, Indonesia, asserted that while national parks must be as carefully protected
as ever, they must be supplemented by a range of other categories of protected
areas in order to fully meet the social and economic development needs of
modern society.

In the Bali Declaration (in McNeely and Miller, 1984), these authorities pointed
out that protected areas are an indispensable element of conservation because
they maintain those essential ecological processes that depend on natural
ecosystems; they preserve the diversity of species and the generic variation
within them, thereby preventing irreversible damage to our natural heritage; they
maintain the productive capacities of ecosystems and safeguard habitats critical
for the sustainable use of species; they provide opportunities for scientific
research, education, training, recreation, and tourism; and they provide
opportunities for the sustainable use of their natural resources for the benefit of
local communities.

Since 1970, the world’s networks of protected areas have expanded in extent by
more than 80 per cent, around two-thirds of which are in the Third World
(IUCN, 1990). The IUCN review of the protected areas of Africa suggested that
the total expanse of protected areas in Africa needs to be increased at least three
times, if the protected areas are to be effective in delivering nature’s benefits to
people. But given the pressures on the land today, these additional protected
areas will need to be of a new type, far more flexible in their management than
the traditional national parks. They may in fact merit a new term such as
"Sustainably Managed Areas", or "Managed Resource Protected Areas”.

New approaches to linking protected areas to surrounding lands are required if
the appropriate benefits are to flow to society. While the specifics will vary
from case to case, the major generalization is that local support for protected
areas must be increased through such measures as education, revenue sharing,
participation in decisions, complementary development schemes adjacent to the
protected area, and, where compatible with the protected area’s objectives,
access to resources. In short, economic incentives should be used to encourage
people to behave according to their own enlightened interest, and sound

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

Box 2: Categories and management objectives of protected areas

While all protected areas control human occupancy or use of resources to some extent, there
is wide variation in the degree of such control. Different protected areas are established for
different purposes, and therefore have different management objectives. The following
categories, which were first defined by IUCN in 1978, are currently under review. As a
result of this review, it is likely that categories VI-VIII will be removed, and replaced with
a new category VI - "Sustainably Managed Area" or "Managed Resource Protected Area".

I Scientific reserve/strict nature reserve. To protect nature and maintain natural
processes in an undisturbed state in order to have ecologically representative
examples of the natural environment available for scientific study, environmental
monitoring and education, and for the maintenance of genetic resources in a
dynamic and evolutionary state.

National park. To protect relatively large natural and scenic areas of national or
international significance for scientific, educational, and recreational use, under
management by the highest competent authority of a nation.

Natural monument/natural landmark. To protect and preserve nationally significant
natural features because of their special interest or unique characteristics.

Managed nature reserve/wildlife sanctuary. To ensure the natural conditions
necessary to protect nationally significant species, groups of species, biotic
communities, or physical features of the environment when these require specific
human manipulation for their perpetuation.

Protected landscapes. To maintain nationally significant natural landscapes
characteristic of the harmonious interaction of man and land while providing
opportunities for public enjoyment through recreation and tourism within the
normal life-style and economic activity of these areas.

Resource reserve. To protect the natural resources of the area for future use and
prevent or contain development activities that could affect the resource pending the
establishment of objectives based on appropriate knowledge and planning.

Natural biotic area/anthropological reserve. To allow the way of life of societies
living in harmony with the environment to continue undisturbed by modem
technology.

Multiple-use management area/managed resource area. To provide for the
sustained production of water, timber, wildlife, pasture, and outdoor recreation,
with the conservation of nature primarily oriented to the support of the economic
activities (although specific zones can also be designed within these areas to achieve
specific conservation objectives).

Adapted from: IUCN (1990)

government policies should be designed to ensure that conservation is indeed in
their self-interest. Such approaches were extensively discussed at the IV World
Congress on National Parks and Protected Areas, held in Caracas, Venezuela,

XXV

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

3.3

3.6

in 1992, and the Caracas Action Plan (IUCN, 1992) calls for new and innovative
programs of integrated planning and cooperative management.

Another theme of the World Parks Congress held in Caracas, 1992, was the
contribution made by other sectors. Strictly protected areas are unlikely to ever
cover more than about five percent of Africa. Since permanent agriculture
seldom covers more than a quarter of a nation’s land area, ample land exists for
forestry, shifting cultivation, grazing, and other uses which may, with proper
management, contribute to conservation of biological diversity.

By themselves protected areas will never be able to conserve all, or even most,
of the species, genetic resources, and ecological processes they were established
to protect; these areas are just too small to support viable populations of wildlife
if the areas are isolated from the surrounding lands. Far greater expanses are
required for conservation than modern societies can afford to remove from direct
production. The best answer to this dilemma is to select and manage protected
areas to support the overall fabric of social and economic development, not as
islands of anti-development, but rather as critical elements of regionally
envisioned harmonious landscapes. Through a planned mix of national parks
and other categories of ESAs, amidst productive forests, agriculture, and
grazing, conservation can serve human communities and safeguard the
well-being of future generations of people living in balance with their local
ecosystems.

Improvements in conservation over the coming decades will be of three main
types:

> the establishment and improved management of categories of protected
areas where some kinds of human use are tolerated or even encouraged

> the establishment of new types of protected areas in degraded landscapes
which have been restored to productive use for conservation

> management regimes in non-protected areas which bring sustainable
benefits from harvesting biological resources to local communities

and will be founded on a rapidly improving information base to support
management decisions.

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

DEVELOPING GUIDELINES ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN

VARIOUS TYPES OF BANK PROJECTS AND ECOLOGICALLY
SENSITIVE AREAS

While many development projects have led to the abuse of ESAs, in fact a positive
relationship between development projects and ESAs would be of benefit to both the
project and the ESA. A series of guidelines can be developed for each major type of
development project which would illustrate how the project can contribute to the
viability of the ESA. The following examples indicate the sorts of guidelines which
might be appropriate.

Wai

1.3

Water resources development projects

Natural vegetation cover on water catchments regulates and stabilizes water
run-off. Deep penetration by tree roots or other vegetation makes the soil more
permeable to rainwater so that run-off is slower and more uniform than on
cleared land. As a consequence, streams in forested regions continue to flow in
dry weather and floods are minimized in rainy weather. Water resources
development projects -- dams, irrigation systems, urban water supply, and others
-- depend on watershed protection to such an extent that many valuable reserves
in these ESAs have been established by drawing support from the development
projects involved; irrigation and energy agencies can therefore make powerful
potential allies for protected areas which protect watersheds.

In many cases, the total costs of establishing and managing reserves which
protect catchment areas can be met and justified as part of the hydrological
investment. Guidelines should be developed to specify how the potential positive
relationship between watershed protection and water resources development
projects can be converted into reality.

One of the objectives of water resources development projects should be
improved integration in the management of such resources. Guiding principles
of integrated river basin management (Dugan, 1990) include:

a) The hydrological balance of the basin should be quantified, including
measures of both water quantity and quality, and incorporating surface,
upderground and coastal waters.

b) The values of all the major ecosystems in the basin should be identified,
as well as the full range of biophysical processes upon which they
depend.

c) The products and services taken from each part of the system should be
inventoried and the minimum requirements for the sustenance of these

XXVii

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

features determined.

d) The short and long term impact on the environment of planned changes
to the system should be determined, and appropriate compensatory
measures should be implemented as required.

1.4 The establishment and management of protected areas in coastal and marine

Dal

ESAs is still in its infancy, with most such areas being merely an extension
seaward of existing terrestrial protected areas. Many critical habitats in the
coastal zone need protection so that they can provide services to mankind on a
continuous basis; these services include support for fish breeding, shoreline
protection, and sustainable harvesting of construction materials.

Virtually all wetland habitats are important for fisheries, but of particular
relevance are inland floodplains which are often affected by development
projects. Dams, irrigation systems, and other measures affect both inland and
coastal wetlands important for fisheries, and alternative means of managing these
systems need to be developed, along with guidelines to assessment of potential
impacts on both environmental and socio-economic grounds.

Tourism development projects

Natural areas -- mountains, rivers, wetlands, forests, savannas, coral reefs,
deserts, beaches -- are major attractions for tourists. Tourism can bring
numerous socio-economic benefits to a country, in terms of creating local
employment, stimulating local economies, generating foreign exchange,
stimulating improvements to local transportation infrastructure, and creating
recreational facilities. Positive effects on the environment often derive from
these socio-economic benefits. Such positive effects may include:

> encouraging productive use for conservation objectives of lands which are
marginal for agriculture, thereby enabling large tracts of land to remain
covered in natural vegetation

> promoting conservation action by convincing government officials and the
general public of the importance of natural areas for generating income
from tourism

> increasing awareness amongst local communities of the benefits from
conservation, including the economic opportunities it can generate

> stimulating investments in infrastructure and effective management of
natural areas

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

2.2 These benefits can provide incentives for effective management of the natural

2:3

2.4

areas which are tourist destinations, which in turn enhances the quality of the
natural resources that attract tourists. Properly planned and managed tourism
in natural areas is both non-polluting and renewable, and numerous examples
exist where tourism has provided powerful incentives for conserving biological
resources.

However, biological resources can also be damaged by inappropriate tourism
developments. McNeely and Thorsell (1987) have outlined the positive and
negative impacts that tourism can have on such resources and recommend that
the guiding principle for tourism development in natural areas should be to
manage the natural and human resources so as to maximize visitor enjoyment
while minimizing negative impacts of tourism development.

Four general principles are relevant for linking investments in tourism with
conservation of ESAs:

> Planning for tourism development must be integrated with other planning
initiatives, particularly in national parks and other natural areas which are
potential tourist destinations.

> Tourism authorities working with protected area managers should
determine the level of visitor use an area can accommodate with high
levels of satisfaction for visitors and few negative impacts on the
environment (the carrying capacity), and ensure that this level is not
exceeded.

> For each major tourist destination based on the attractions of biological
diversity, a management plan should be developed to specify objectives
for both tourism and resource management and to determine how
sufficient income from tourism can be provided to the natural area to
provide an incentive for improved management.

> National policy should require environmental impact assessments (EIA)
for all tourism development projects or programs, and specify the ways
and means that the tourism development can provide economic benefits
to both the local people and the natural areas which are the primary
toyrist destinations.

In short, tourism and conservation of ESAs can be natural partners, and each
can benefit from the other if both are properly managed. Sufficient resources
must be devoted to managing the natural areas, but it is often difficult to
convince the governments who are responsible for budgets to allocate sufficient
funds for this purpose. It is in the interest of both tourism and conservation that
governments be so convinced.

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Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

3.1

3.3

Agricultural development projects

In addition to the water resource management benefits of ESAs, other positive
linkages can also be formed. For example, good soil protection by natural
vegetation cover and leaf litter can preserve the productive capacity of the
reserve itself, prevent dangerous landslides, safeguard coastlines and riverbanks,
and prevent the destruction of coral reefs and freshwater and coastal fisheries by
siltation.

Linkages between conservation and agriculture are also important in
industrialized countries. Under regulations adopted by the European
Community, EC Governments may define certain areas of the farmed
countryside as "Ecologically Sensitive Areas." Such areas are important in
environmental terms, and their continued environmental protection depends upon
the survival of the traditional forms of farming which give rise to their
environmental qualities. Within ESAs, farmers are paid grants to encourage
them to continue to farm in a traditional way; ESA payments, therefore, can
involve limitations on the amount of fertilizer which can be used, restrictions on
changes of agricultural land use and controls over the dates at which meadows
are cut for hay; they may also include positive payments to encourage practical
conservation, such as woodland management or the restoration of archaeological
features.

A group of US-based NGOs called the "Committee on Agricultural Sustainability
for Developing Countries" (CASDC) has suggested a series of criteria for
developing sustainable farming systems. Such systems are required if pressures
on marginal agricultural lands are to be reduced, thereby enabling such lands
(which are often ESAs) to be devoted to conserving natural ecosystems and the
benefits they provide. Sustainable farming systems:

a) Maintain and improve soil productivity, quality, and tilth.

b) Augment the potential for achieving the highest possible efficiency in the
use and conservation of basic farm resources (soil, water, sunlight,
energy, and farmers’ time).

c) Incorporate as much biological interaction as possible, including such
processes as mulching, the use of nitrogen-fixing plants, the use of
agroforestry techniques, and the use of inter-cropping and crop rotations
to control pests and weeds.

d) Minimize the use of external inputs which damage the environment and
endanger human health (some chemical fertilizers; non-selective pesticides
and herbicides; and some forms of energy), maximizing instead the use
of available, affordable, renewable, and environmentally benign inputs.

3.4

4.1

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

e) Avoid the contamination of groundwater by using only those fertilizers,
pesticides and herbicides that do not penetrate below the plants’ growing
zone and then only in controlled doses.

f) Meet the needs of farm families for energy to work their land, cook, and
heat from readily available and affordable energy sources.

g) Meet the needs of farm families for cash income, including from off-farm
sources.

h) Are adaptive, so that even as society evolves and communities change,
they will strengthen communal cooperation, protect rural survival
systems, through community support and sharing allow farm families to
keep going in difficult times (famine, drought, and natural or political
disasters), and make possible effective local management of
community-controlled common property resources (ponds, woodlots,
grazing lands, irrigation systems) in ways that permit equitable sharing
of benefits.

Many of the conventional agricultural, water resources development, and
forestry projects of the Bank can contribute to the conservation of ESAs by
focusing attention on linkages between the ESA and the surrounding lands. To
reduce inappropriate pressures on ESAs, the basic criteria of sustainability must
be developed and applied to all kinds of farming systems, from the intensive
mono-cropping systems to animal husbandry to agroforestry to the vast numbers
of mixed systems used by small farmers throughout the region. Therefore, Bank
projects in agriculture need to support work on the continuing evolution of the
concepts and practices of sustainability, provide encouragement and incentives
for the adoption of sustainable agricultural systems (many of which are discussed
in McNeely, 1988), and ensure that farmers receive their fair share of the
benefits from conserving ESAs.

Linkages with other sectors

Other types of projects for which such considerations can be developed include
livestock development, cottage industries, aqua-culture, land classification and
titling, reforestation, rangeland management, and mangrove management. While
some guigelines will be common to all types of project, others win be specific
to certain sectors (such as aqua-culture, forestry, or livestock development). For
each type of project, guidelines should be developed for application in the design
and implementation of the project. Such guidelines should not focus simply on
mitigation, but be far more positive in linking development with conservation by
showing the mutual benefits that can follow from enhanced consideration of how
conservation can support development.

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

MINIMUM QUALITY STANDARDS FOR ECOLOGICALLY SENSITIVE

1.1

AREAS

General considerations

Protected ESAs will succeed in realizing their conservation objectives only to the
extent that the areas themselves are effectively managed, and to the extent that
the management of the land surrounding them is compatible with the objectives
of the protected areas. IUCN has conducted considerable work in this field (see
for example Kelleher and Kenchington, 1990; MacKinnon et al., 1985; Oldfield,
1988; Poore, 1992; Poore and Sayer, 1987), which can provide the basis for
developing such quality standards. General considerations which need to be
incorporated in development projects include:

The acceptance of protection depends on putting a sufficient economic
value on natural resources and biological diversity and, often, on
demonstrating that such areas bring a positive benefit to the local
communities around them. Examples may be provided by the role of
ESAs as sources of water and products, their maintenance of regional
climatic conditions, and their support for tourism.

Each ESA, or regional set of ESAs, should have a management plan
which establishes the objectives of management, the obstacles to
achieving the objectives, the steps required to overcome the obstacles, the
resources required, and the costs and benefits of achieving the objectives.

Management of an ESA and that of the adjacent land must be planned
together, since few protected areas are self-contained entities. The
establishment of "buffer zones" (better referred to as "zones of
influence") in which human activities including uses of natural resources
in adjacent land are compatible with the conservation of natural
ecosystems within protected areas, are often vital to the integrity of the
latter.

The management context and likely ecological resilience of the area in the
face of climatic trends and human pressures need critical review, taking
into account the likely trend in human numbers in the area in question.

Certain "keystone" and critical species will be used as diagnostic
indicators of the adequacy of the protected area system, it being assumed
that if habitats capable of assuring the survival of viable populations of
these are protected, the lesser known species will also be safeguarded.

XXXii

2.1

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

A conscious relationship needs to be established between in situ and ex
situ approaches to conservation and these methods need to be integrated
into over-all regional development; the potential contribution of the
general managed landscape to conserving biological diversity should not
be under-estimated.

The national infrastructure needs to be so designed as to ensure that the
protected area system designed to manage ESAs is properly evaluated as
a national asset and that adequate resources are deployed in its
management.

The project must gather baseline data on key ecological, economic and
social parameters, so that its long-term effects can be monitored.

A major effort is needed to raise public consciousness, enlist the aid of
professionals in the field (e.g. in universities, museums and professional
networks), and educate local communities about the value of the ESA to
the region.

Economic factors

Decisions about the identification and management of ESAs, including
consideration of alternative land uses, must be based on analysis of costs and
benefits, and their distribution. Realizing that change is a constant factor in land
use, these economic factors require continual review. It is apparent, then, that
economics must be an important foundation of all programs for enhancing the
contributions of ESAs to society.

As a basis for applying economic incentives and calculating benefits and costs
of various management options for ESAs, governments need to estimate the
economic contribution that ESAs make to the national economy. This requires:

ensuring that national accounting systems make explicit the trade-offs and
value judgements regarding impacts on biological resources that may not
be measured in monetary terms

conducting research on methodologies for assessing the cross-sectoral
impacts -- positive and negative -- of resource utilization

collecting information on the physical properties of resources in specific
environments and for specific uses

developing methodologies for assigning values to non-marketed biological
resources, appropriate to the needs of the country

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

2.4

> estimating the economic productivity of various ecosystems, with various
types of inputs

The sustainable levels of production of economic benefits from ESAs --
including goods such as fish, timber, wildlife, and medicinal plants, and services
such as supply of clean water, tourism, and recreation -- should be estimated,
and demands upon benefits planned within those limits. This should be reflected
in the prices of forest products and other biological resources.

The review and formulation of all national policies which have a direct or
indirect bearing upon ESAs and the biological resources they contain must
therefore:

> estimate the relevant benefits which ESAs can produce

b treat ESAs as reservoirs of capital resources and invest accordingly in
preventing the depletion of their productivity

> ensure that the objectives of sustainable utilization are met

> address the basic needs of the local people who depend on the ESAs for
their continued prosperity

National policies for managing ESAs

The incentives which are required to bring the benefits of ESAs to the
community require commensurate policies at the national level. A national or
regional conservation strategy can be an effective means of reviewing such
policies, and determining what shifts are required to achieve national objectives
for conserving the productivity of biological resources. Major policy
components of the required integrated action might include the following
considerations:

a) Sufficient data needs to be compiled from a wide range of sources to
enable ESAs to be identified objectively, and to help define the most
appropriate management regimes for these areas.

b) | The many economic and financial benefits of integrated rural development
linked with conservation of ESAs and the biological resources they
contain need to be quantified and brought to the attention of policy
makers.

c) Both conflicts and potential for cooperation between the various activities

of agriculture, fisheries, forestry, conservation and rehabilitation need to
be identified in integrated plans and programs.

XXXIV

3.2

3:3

3.4

3:5

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

d) Institutional reform and improvement is often a prerequisite to good
design and implementation of integrated sectoral development plans and
programs.

e) Legislation consonant with the socio-economic patterns of the target group
and the natural resource needs to be formulated, both to institute
disincentives and to ensure that incentives carry the power of law.

f) Policies and legislation in other sectors need to be reviewed for possible
application to conservation of biological resources and community
involvement in such work.

g) Effective incentives need to be devised to accelerate integrated
development in and around ESAs, aimed at narrowing any gap between
what the individual sees as an investment benefit and what the
government considers to be in the national interest.

h) The rural population needs to be involved in the design and follow-up of
plans and projects regarding ESAs, not simply their implementation.

Systems of incentives for improving the contribution of ESAs to rural
development can be designed in a large number of ways, and numerous options
exist for coordinating these incentives with other national policy objectives. In
designing systems of incentives, governments should compare several options,
with estimated costs and benefits, for each of the various national objectives
being addressed. Systems of incentives need to be supported by suitable
machinery for implementing the system, including regulation, enforcement,
monitoring, and feedback.

All government sectors which depend on the productivity of ESAs should design
policies to encourage the sustainable use of these resource systems, possibly as
part of the process of preparing a national conservation strategy. In addition,
other sectors which have major impacts on ESAs, such as transport, highways,
and the military, should ensure that their policies do not unnecessarily deplete
biological diversity.

Coordination and control of natural resource use in and around ESAs, in
particular to*introduce systems of incentives which involve several sectors, may
require the creation of new agencies with wide-ranging authority over certain
aspects of the operations of implementing ministries within a particular region.

Based on the best available information, governments should establish national
objectives for the management of ESAs. Drawing on the latest advances in
conservation biology, governments need to state, as a matter of public record,
what proportion of the current land and water area is intended to be legally

XXXV

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

4.1

4.2

protected for conserving biological resources. Such policy objectives can often
be incorporated as part of a national protected area system plan or a national
conservation strategy; on the basis of such national objectives, governments can
measure the costs and benefits of implementing conservation programs
effectively.

Data needs

In order to identify ESAs and to develop informed policies on their management,
governments should build the capacity to assess the status, trends, and utility of
their biological resources. This capacity should include:

a) National compilations of the flora and fauna (at least higher plants and
vertebrates) contained within the nation, in addition to the more usual
assessment of stocks of timber, fish, and minerals.

b) Where these compilations do not yet exist, development projects might
require that rapid appraisal methods be employed -- perhaps through the
use of indicator species which can provide the optimal return on
investment of field time -- to ensure that biological resources are being
given an appropriate level of priority.

c) Institutionalized biological surveys, perhaps carried out by university
departments of biology, to determine what species occur where and in
what numbers, and how these parameters change over time.

d) A national program for monitoring the status and trends of biological
resources, linked to international systems such as UNEP’s Global
Environmental Monitoring System and the World Conservation
Monitoring Centre.

e) Regular publication of the available information on status and trends of
biological resources, and the various forces which are affecting these
trends.

These efforts will help governments to recognize the consequences of their
development activities on the biological resources of the nation, and help identify
external effects of development projects on biological resources. However,
in-depth assessments are time-consuming, and action should not be delayed until
"all" the information is available; instead, some rapid initial assessments need
to be done. Development assistance agencies may be willing to assist in such
efforts.

XXXVi

5.2

3:3

5.4

2 i)

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa
Policies on mitigating measures

ESAs, by definition, make their most important contributions to sustaining
society by remaining relatively unaltered by human action; the goods and
services they provide depend on natural ecological processes, so any forms of
development should be aimed at enhancing rather than reducing their natural
productivity.

In cases where objective and competent analysis dictates that public works are
required in or near an ESA, environmental impact assessments should be
conducted to ensure that the intrusion is made with the minimum detrimental
impact on the natural systems in the ESA, and that appropriate mitigating
measures are incorporated in the project. An independent decision-making
process which has the confidence of the public may be required to ensure that
all factors have been given sufficient consideration.

Since public works in or near an ESA can significantly increase the value of the
ESA (for example, through maintaining low sedimentation rates in reservoirs),
sufficient investments should be made in improving the management of the ESA
so that it can make the most productive contribution. This may require measures
to share the costs of improved management on a sustained basis.

In some cases, where a development project must intrude on an ESA, equivalent
areas may be added to other parts of the ESA, or the value of the ESA lost to
the project can be invested in other parts of the national ESA system. In this
regard, full consideration should be given toward enhancing investments in ESAs
which have been degraded through inappropriate uses.

Any mitigating measures which are proposed should be incorporated in the
management plan for the ESA, and contribute to regional land-use objectives.

XXXVii

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa
CONCLUSIONS

The governments of many of the countries of Africa have recognized the importance
of Ecologically Sensitive Areas to their development programs, even if they have not
used this exact term. However, few nations have been able to invest sufficiently in
a systematic approach to designating and managing their ESAs, nor in conducting the
economic analysis which would demonstrate the value of such areas to national
development.

ESAs are important for social, economic, political, and ethical reasons, and they can
make important contributions to sectors ranging from forestry to tourism to rural
development. However, many ESAs are being abused rather than nurtured, and a
number of general policy changes are required to enable ESAs to be identified, and
for the most appropriate management regimes to be implemented.

Each country will have its own particular opportunities and constraints and no set of
guidelines or criteria will automatically provide the right answers. Each country will
need to design its own approaches to ESAs, and the Bank should stand prepared to
provide whatever assistance might be requested.

XXXVili

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa
REFERENCES

Dugan, Patrick J. 1990. Wetland Conservation: A review of current issues and
required action. TUCN, Gland, Switzerland. 96pp.

Eagles, Paul F.J. 1984. The Planning and Management of Environmentally Sensitive
Areas. Longman, London and New York. 160pp.

IUCN. 1980. World Conservation Strategy: Living Resource Conservation for
Sustainable Development. TUCN UNEP-WWF, Gland. 44pp.

IUCN. 1987. Action Strategy for Protected Areas in the Afrotropical Realm. TUCN,
Gland. 51pp.

IUCN. 1990. 1990 United Nations List of National Parks and Protected Areas.
IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. 284pp. [Compiled by the
World Conservation Monitoring Centre]

IUCN. 1992. IV World Congress on National Parks and Protected Areas, 1992,
Caracas, Venezuela. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.

TUCN/UNEP. 1986. Review of the Protected Areas System in the Afrotropical.
IUCN, Gland, Switzerland. 259pp.

IUCN/UNEP /WRI. 1992. Global Biodiversity Strategy: Guidelines for Action to
Save,Study and Use Earth’s Biotic Wealth Sustainably and Equitably. World
Resources Institute, Washington, DC, USA. 250pp.

Kelleher, Graeme and Richard Kenchington. 1990. Guidelines for Establishing
Marine Protected Areas. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority/IUCN
Commission on National Parks and Protected Areas. 64pp.

Lusigi, Walter J. 1992. Managing Protected Areas in Africa. UNESCO - World
Heritage Fund, Paris, France. 200pp.

MacKinnon, J.R., K. MacKinnon, G. Child, and J. Thorsell. 1986. Managing
Protected Areas in the Tropics. TUCN, Gland. 295pp.

McNeely, Jeffrey A. 1988. Economics and Biological Diversity: Developing and
Using Economic Incentives to Conserve Biological Diversity. IUCN, Gland,
Switzerland. xv + 200pp.

McNeely, J.A. and K.R. Miller (eds.). 1984. National Parks, Conservation, and
Development: The Role of Protected Areas in Sustaining Society. Smithsonian
Institution Press, Washington, D.C. 838pp.

McNeely, J.A. and J.W. Thorsell. 1987. Guidelines for Development of Terrestrial
and Marine National Parks for Tourism and Travel. World Tourism
Organization, Madrid. 29pp.

McNeely, Jeffrey*A., Kenton R. Miller, Walter V. Reid, Russell A. Mittermeier and
Timothy B. Werner. 1990. Conserving the World’s Biological Diversity.
IUCN, Gland, Switzerland; WRI, CI, WWF-US, and the World Bank,
Washington, D.C. 193pp.

Nelson, J.G. et al. 1988. The ABC resource survey method, the ESA concept and
comprehensive land use planning and management pp. 143-175 in Moss,
Michael R. (ed.). Landscape Ecology and Management. Polyscience
Publications Inc., Montreal, Canada.

XXXiX

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

Oldfield, Sara. 1988. Buffer Zone Management in Tropical Moist Forests. IUCN
Tropical Forest Paper 5:1-49.

Poore, Duncan (Ed.). 1992. Guidelines for Mountain Protected Areas. YUCN,
Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. 56pp.

Poore, Duncan, and J. Sayer. 1987. The Management of Tropical Moist Forest
Lands: Ecological Guidelines. TYUCN, Gland. 63pp.

Siegfried, W.R. and B.R. Davies. 1982. Conservation of Ecosystems: Theory and
Practice. SANSP 61:1-97.

Stuart, Simon N. and Richard J. Adams. 1990. Biodiversity in Sub-saharan Africa
and its Islands: Conservation management and sustainable use. Occasional
Papers of the IUCN Species Survival Commission No. 6. YUCN, Gland
Switzerland. 242pp.

Usher, Michael B. 1986. Wildlife Conservation Evaluation. Chapman and Hall,
London. 394pp.

WCED (World Commission on Environment and Development). 1987. Our Common
Future. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.

WCMC. 1992. Protected Areas of the World: A review of national systems. Volume
3: Afrotropical. YUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. xxii +
360pp. [Compiled by the World Conservation Monitoring Centre]

WCMC. 1992. Global Biodiversity: Status of the Earth’s living resources. Chapman
and Hall, London. xx + 594pp.

World Bank. 1986. Wildlands: Their Protection and Management in Economic
Development. World Bank, Washington, D.C. 220pp.

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

OPERATIONAL POLICY NOTE NO. 11.02

WILDLANDS: THEIR PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT
IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Table of Contents

Page
DEACON ERO CALL CINE) SPW ELH See MAL Bis (Sy Ti se Le Le ee xlii
ee MOAMEON 14 GRO a Rae Ab xlii
PIA TRIC MEINE SIL P MMR A: raya, 2) tals Miadeltg SRE ha Seba ieee ine xliii
Bamieonmenval Services!) 0. SSP ee wl MRE OR ARS xliii
WildlanidstofSpecialli@oncern i. Scar cele ne 08 Sela tes le alaeee xliv
THE BANK’S INVOLVEMENT TO DATE ................ xliv
“E70 |UD | Gre 0 (0 a eee eset ahi xliv
WESSONSPICCATTIEY a ayeu. cette Rome rae en LS Gy lhe Suladdei aa Nenlepar ey attests xlvi
POETeY GUIDANCE. int fe OS eS ee SE xlvii
4.1 Types of Projects Needing Wildland Management
RE COHIAGNEMES AME Tew ee Seen Ve nos tr wie sa taiha he, slo ane aT Ree ar aan Malye xl viii
4.2 Types of Wildland Management Components.............. xlix
DESIGN OF WILDLAND MANAGEMENT AREAS ............ li
SaieDesion Considerations; . . 2.8.5 6 sh ew die 2 ee ee eles Reale a Hi
Se2e Manarement Categories . 0. 2... be cee oe he a lene lii
S30 Personnel and Training Needs .. 2... 05. ee ee ee eke lit
5.4 Equipment, Infrastructure, and Budgetary Needs ...........-. hii
pseiMandvement Plans 2.2 se ee oe ee liv
eon Legal!Gonsiderations....). 0.0 oe eG ee be ele eee liv
e
ANNEXES
1 Categories of Wildland Management ....--..---.-- +--+ +s+-: lv
2 Some Tropical Wildlands of Special Concern ......-...---- Ivit
3 MhesProject Cycle 2.029 V se Og re Oa hie ie ele meee lix
4 Physical Inputs Required in Most WMAs .......----+-+>> Ixi
3) Wildland Survey and Management Form .....-..---+++-> Ixii

xli

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa
1. INTRODUCTION

1. The maintenance of specific natural land and water areas in a state virtually
unmodified by human activity, hereafter termed wildland management, is an important
subset of the broad environmental concerns addressed in OMS 2.36, "Environmental
Aspects of Bank Work". The conversion of wildlands to more intensive land and water
uses (through land clearing, inundation, plantations, or other means)! continues to
meet important development objectives, and is an element of certain World Bank-
supported projects. At the same time, wildlands are rapidly diminishing in many Bank
member countries. The remaining wildlands can often contribute significantly to
economic development, particularly in the longer term, when maintained in their
natural state. The Bank’s policy therefore is to seek a balance between preserving the
environmental values of the world’s more important remaining wildlands, and
converting some of them to more intensive, shorter term human uses.

2. The Bank already has considerable experience of wildland management in Bank-
supported projects. This OPN codifies existing practices and provides operational
guidance concerning conservation of wildlands.? For a more detailed discussion of
wildland management, see the Bank’s Technical Paper: Wildlands: Their Protection
and Management in Economic Development’ which amplifies each section of this
OPN. The Office of Environmental and Scientific Affairs in the Projects Policy
Department (PPDES) is available to advise and assist staff on issues of wildland
management.

2. JUSTIFICATION

3. There are two principal justifications for wildland management. First, wildlands
serve to maintain biological diversity (i.e., the full range of the world’s biota).

Conversion here applies to permanent fundamental alteration of the natural
ecosystem. Temporary modification by such means as highly selective, long
rotation logging usually creates fewer relevant effects.

Other conservation activities (designed to protect the environment, but not
necessarily to preserve biological diversity) are discussed elsewhere, e.g., in the
1978 Forestry Sector Policy Paper.

: Available from the Office of Environmental and Scientific Affairs.

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

Second, wildlands provide environmental services important to society. In addition,
certain wildlands are essential for maintaining the livelihood of tribal peoples,
discussed in OMS 2.34.

2.1 Biological Diversity

4. Wildland management is necessary to prevent the untimely and often irreversible
loss of a large proportion of the world’s remaining biota, including the more visible
plant and animal species. Because their wildland habitats are today rapidly
disappearing, a large and growing number of biotic forms face extinction.
Appropriate, low-cost wildland management measures can greatly reduce current
extinction rates to much lower (perhaps almost "natural") levels, without slowing the
pace of economic progress. By preserving the integrity of the biotic community and
its plant and animal species, wildlands are important for the replenishment of
surrounding degraded or abandoned areas.

5. Preserving biological diversity is important to development because of the
economic potential of species that are currently undiscovered, undervalued, or under-
utilized. Many previously unknown or obscure, and often threatened, species have
turned out to have major economic benefits. But less than 20 per cent of the world’s
plant and animal (largely invertebrate) species have ever been inventoried, and even
fewer screened for possible human uses. They therefore present valuable development
opportunities if they are not irreversibly destroyed. In addition, there are important
scientific, aesthetic, ethical, and practical reasons to avoid or minimize the extinction
of the remaining biotic stock. While some species can be conserved ex situ (such as
in zoos or seed banks), wildland management is the only technically and economically
feasible means of preserving most of the world’s existing biological diversity.

2.2 Environmental Services

6. In addition to maintaining biological diversity, many wildlands also perform
important "environmental services", such as improving water availability for irrigated
agriculture, industry, or human consumption; reducing sedimentation of reservoirs,
harbors, and irrigation works; minimizing floods, landslides, and coastal erosion (and
possibly droughts in some regions); improving water quality; and providing essential
habitat for economically important fishery species. Despite their economic value and
importance in meeting human needs, such environmental services are not always
accorded adequate*attention because they are usually public goods that tend to be
poorly understood, undervalued, or even overlooked. When environmental services
are lost due to wildland elimination, remedial measures are almost always far more
expensive than prior maintenance. While many environmental services can also be
maintained by establishing more intensive water and/or land use systems (e.g., bio-
oxidation sewage treatment, tree plantations), wildland management is frequently more
cost-effective.

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa
2.3 Wildlands of Special Concern

7. Wildlands of special concern are areas that are recognized to be exceptionally
important in conserving biological diversity or perpetuating environmental services.
They can be classified into two types. First are wildlands officially designated as
protected areas by governments, sometimes in collaboration with the United Nations
or the international scientific community. These are National Parks, Biosphere
Reserves, World Heritage Natural Sites, Wetlands of International Importance, areas
designated for protected status in national conservation strategies or master plans, and
similar "wildland management areas" (WMAs), i.e., areas where wildlands are
protected and managed to retain a relatively unmodified state (Annex 1).

8. Second are wildlands as yet unprotected by legislation, but recognized by the
national and/or international scientific and conservation communities, often in
collaboration with the United Nations, as exceptionally endangered ecosystems, known
sites of rare or endangered species, or important wildlife breeding, feeding, or staging
areas. These include certain types of wildlands that are threatened throughout much
of the world, yet are biologically unique, ecologically fragile, or of special importance
for local people and environmental services. Wildlands of special concern often occur
in tropical forests, Mediterranean-type brushlands, mangrove swamps, coastal
marshes, estuaries, sea grass beds, coral reefs, small oceanic islands, and certain
tropical freshwater lakes and riverine areas. Within the spectrum of tropical forests,
lowland moist or wet forests are the most species-rich and often the most vulnerable.
Wildlands of special concern also occur in certain geographical regions (Annex 2) that
have been reduced to comparatively small patches and continue to undergo rapid
attrition. As a result, these regions harbor some of the most threatened species in the
world.

3. THE BANK’S INVOLVEMENT TO DATE
3.1 Existing Record
9. During the last 15 years, the World Bank Group‘ has assisted with financing of

upwards of 40 projects with significant wildland management components. Most of
them have involved establishment or strengthening of WMAs. Bank-supported

Includes the International Development Association (IDA) and the International
Finance Corporation (IFC)

xliv

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

WMaAs include national parks, nature reserves, wildlife sanctuaries, and those forest
reserves managed primarily for their watershed or biological values, rather than for
wood harvest. Other wildland management components of Bank projects have involved
management of wildlife and the humans that utilize it, including anti-poaching
measures, management of water flows frora reservoirs to maintain wildlife habitat, and
relocation of certain species. In still other cases, the location of projects has been
changed to avoid important wildland areas.

10. Wildland management components have two principal objectives: first, to
prevent, minimize, or partially compensate for wildland elimination, thereby
conserving biological diversity; second, to preserve or improve the environmental
services provided by wildlands, thereby enhancing the project’s economic or social
benefits. Most Bank-supported projects emphasize one or the other objective, however
some Bank projects have wildland components seeking both objectives. °

11. Costs of wildland management components in Bank projects have typically been
low. They have normally accounted for less than three per cent of total project costs,
and in half of the cases for less than one per cent. In many instances, it is difficult to
separate out the cost of the wildland component because of its integration with other
components.

12. In one case, wildland management was the sole objective, so accounts for 100
per cent of project costs. At the other extreme, a large number of Bank projects have
achieved significant wildland management objectives at zero additional cost. For
example, manipulation of a hydroelectric project’s water release schedule costs little
or nothing, even though it provides major downstream benefits for wildlife, as well
as for people and cattle.

$ re ae eee ee Se ees eee ree

; For example, the establishment of the Dumoga-Bone National Park in the
Indonesia Irrigation XV project helps ensure a more reliable water supply while
reducing sedimentation of valuable irrigation works; at the same time, it helps ensure
that a significant portion of the project area remains in its natural state, despite
surrounding developments.

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

13. Wildland management components require additional Bank staff time and can
increase project complexity, but they have rarely caused significant delays at any stage
of the project cycle. Moreover, the failure to incorporate adequate wildland
components can result in much greater delays and complexity later on. Furthermore,
the failure to incorporate adequate wildland components can substantially reduce
project benefits and might result in project failure. As wildland management
components within Bank-supported projects become more routine, the additional staff
effort required to manage them successfully is expected to decrease further.

14. The Bank’s track record in implementing wildland management components is
encouraging. According to project completion reports or environmental post-audits,
implementation of only three out of 43 wildland components has been markedly slower
than for most other project components. In at least four cases, the wildland component
has been imlemented with less difficulty than other project components.

3.2 Lessons Learned

15. A number of important lessons have emerged from the Bank’s experience with
wildland management to date. First, wildland management components should be
routinely and systematically incorporated into certain types of Bank projects (outlined
in Section 4.1). Up to now, this has not always been done, and some projects which
would have benefitted from wildland components have not included them.

16. Second, wildland components should be incorporated as early as possible within
the project cycle (Annex 3) to minimize costs and facilitate implementation. While
inclusion of wildland components in later stages of the project cycle may at times be
necessary because of unforeseen circumstances, it is more effective and less costly to
incorporate them as early as possible in the project cycle.

17. Third, meeting wildland management goals requires effective management "on
the ground", not simply on paper. Colonists and resource extractive companies have
rapidly moved into such "paper parks" (parks existing only on a legal document or
map, rather than on the ground) unless they were inaccessible for other reasons. The
wildland management objectives have to be translated into specific measures with a
budget for their implementation. These measures include hiring and training of
personnel, provision of necessary infrastructure and equipment, development of a
scientifically sound management plan for each particular wildland, and a policy
environment - legal, economic and institutional - which supports the wildland
preservation objective. The mere declaration of intent to protect wildlands or wildlife,
or even the designation of WMAs on a map, does not ensure effective management
unless specific supporting measures are implemented.

18. Fourth, the multiple objectives of wildland management are most successfully

attained if the WMA is carefully designed. For example, a WMA cannot preserve
biological and genetic diversity, evolutionary processes, and environmental services

xlvi

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

if it is too small. While some Bank-supported WMAs clearly appear sufficiently large
to accomplish most or all of their objectives, others are so small that their ability to
conserve biological diversity or provide environmental services or other benefits is
questionable. Besides size, the specific location and shape of a WMA can be important
factors in determining its success. Appropriate WMA design features are best
determined for each case by a conservation specialist.

19. Finally, the success of a WMA, as of other project components, is contingent
upon government commitment. This, in turn, often depends upon the degree of
financial support provided by the Bank. Most of the Bank-supported wildland
components have provided some direct support to establishing or strengthening
WMaAs. However, in some cases, the costs of the WMA establishment were assumed
entirely by the Government, and the Bank took no specific measures to ensure the
continued availability of such financing. By taking measures to ensure counterpart
financing, or by providing the financing itself, the Bank can help ensure the
availability of the relatively modest sums necessary for WMA establishment and
continuation.

20. Financial support is usually not sufficient, however. It is often also necessary to
maintain dialogue with governments, affected local people, and environmental
advocates about the importance of conservation and the benefits of WMAs (tourism,
watershed protection, etc.) and to include local people in the planning and benefits.
Government commitment to the WMA is fostered by such dialogue, by supervision,
by monitoring of national legal provisions, and by loan conditionality. In addition, two
complementary and parallel activities contribute to WMA success: (1) rural
development investments that provide farmers and villagers in the vicinity of the
WMaA an alternative to further encroachment, and (2) coherent national and sectoral
planning and policies that promote wildland conservation.

4. POLICY GUIDANCE

21. The Bank’s general policy regarding wildlands is to seek to avoid their
elimination and rather to assist in their preservation. Specifically, (1) the Bank
normally declines to finance projects involving conversion of wildlands of special
concern (as defined in Section 2.3), even if this conversion occurred prior to the Bank
being invited to consider financing. (2) When wildlands other than those of special
concern may beconfé involved, the Bank prefers to site projects on lands already
converted (e.g., logged over, abandoned, degraded, or already cultivated areas)
sometime in the past, rather than in anticipation of a Bank project. Deviations from
this policy must be explicitly justified. (3) Where development of wildlands is
justified, then less valuable wildlands should be converted rather than more valuable
ones. (4) When significant conversion (e.g., 100 sq. kms., or a significant proportion
of the remaining wildland area of a specicfic ecosystem, if smaller) of wildlands is

justified, the loss should be compensated by inclusion of wildland management

xlvii

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

components (see Section 4.2 below) in the project concerned, rather than in some
future project. This component should directly support preservation of an ecologically
similar area.° This policy pertains to any project in which the Bank is involved,
irrespective of whether the Bank is financing the project component that affects
wildlands.

22. The success of projects that do not eliminate any wildland often depends on the
environmental services provided by wildlands. In such cases, the Bank’s policy is to
include a project component to conserve the relevant wildland in a WMA, rather than
leaving its preservation to chance. In areas without remaining wildlands, alternative
conservation measures may be needed to provide similar project benefits. In other
cases, where the wildlands do not directly benefit or serve the objectives of the
project, the project may be improved by supporting management of wildlands to
provide socio-economic benefits in the general project area (see paragraph 6). Projects
with wildland management as the sole objective should also be encouraged.

4.1 Types of Projects Needing Wildland Management Components

23. Based upon these criteria, projects with the following aspects should normally
contain wildland components:

a. Agriculture and livestock projects involving: wildland clearing, wetland
elimination,’ wildland inundation for irrigation storage reservoirs; watershed
protection for irrigation; displacement of wildlife by fences or domestic
livestock; fishery projects involving: elimination of important fish nursery,
breeding, or feeding sites; overfishing or introduction of ecologically risky

. The policy in the 1978 Forestry Sector Policy Paper states ".... in countries
where there are no adequate natural resource conservation programs, the Bank
will not support projects that might result in disintegration of a habitat not
elsewhere represented in the country and not under suitable protection (as in
national parks and wildlife reserves)."

Wetlands (such as ponds, marshes, swamps, flood plain forests, estuaries,
mangroves) can be eliminated inadvertently through water diversions upstream
or deliberately through drainage, diking, or filling.

exotic species within aquatic wildlands; forestry projects involving: access

roads, clear-felling or other intensive logging of wildlands, wildland
elimination.*®

xl viii

4.2

24.

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

Transportation projects involving: construction of highways, rural roads,
railways, or canals which penetrate wildlands, thus easing access and facilitating
spontaneous settlement; channelization of rivers for fluvial navigation; dredging
and filling of coastal wetlands for ports projects.

Hydro projects involving: large-scale water development, including reservoir,
power, and water diversion schemes; inundation or other major transformation
of aquatic or terrestrial wildlands; watershed protection for enhanced power
output; construction of power transmission corridors.’

Industry projects involving: chemical and thermal pollution which may damage
wildlands’®; wildland loss from large-scale mining; wildland conversion for
industrial fuels or feedstocks.

Types of Wildland Management Components

The most effective type of wildland management component is support for the

conservation of ecologically similar wildlands in one or more WMAs." In cases
where a WMA already exists in the same type of ecosystem that is to be converted by
a Bank-supported project, it may be preferable, for administrative or biological
conservation” reasons, to enlarge the existing WMA, rather than to establish a new
one. The government’s wildland agencies, local university wildlife departments, and
various international organizations can often advise in such judgements.

Plantations of fast-growing tree species are often an important complement to
more direct wildland management activities by reducing the economic pressures
for cutting the remaining forest wildland. They should be sited preferentially on
already deforested land. Reforestation and land rehabilitation are covered in the
1978 Forestry Sector Policy Paper.

mee? Industrial pollution control is discussed in the Bank’s Environmental

Guidelines available from PPDES.
See Section 5 for technical guidance on establishing a WMA.
Biological conservation is usually more effective in one large WMA than in

several small ones comprising the same total size and encompassing the same
types of natural habitats.

xlix

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

25. A wildland management component could also involve the creation of wildlife
habitat, in addition to or rather than preservation of already existing habitat. For
example, marginal land on the fringes of irrigation projects could be converted to
wildlife reserves by taking advantage of the water supply created by the projects.
Natural depressions or seasonal swamps could be exploited by diverting water from
the canal systems (probably a very small part of the total supply). Such reserves attract
significant numbers of migratory and residential waterfowl with minimal additional
project costs and land."

26. A useful option is to improve the quality of management of existing WMAs.
Many WMAs in Bank member countries receive insufficient on-the-ground
management, due to lack of adequately paid staff, training, staff housing, other
infrastructure, equipment, spare parts, fuel, or a well-developed management plan
through which efficient resource allocation decisions can be made. Small components
can often help correct these deficiencies. In countries where effective management is
clearly lacking, it is generally preferable to improve the management of existing
WMaAs than to create new units "on paper", thereby further over-extending the limited
capabilities of the responsible agencies. Whenever a new WMA is established as a
project component, provisions are needed to ensure effective management. Since many
wildland agencies (e.g., departments of national parks or wildlife) are not as
operationally effective as necessary, institutional strengthening (particularly support
for training) should be an important element of Bank-supported wildland management
components.

27. The establishment or strengthening of WMAs is particularly effective when the
Government includes these wildland areas in a national conservation or land use plan.
A growing number of Bank member governments have undertaken some type of
systematic land use planning for wildland management. Such planning can take various
forms, ranging from "master plans" for a system of national parks and other WMAs,
to "National Conservation Strategies" which address wildland management as only one
component of a broad range of natural resource planning concerns, and in which
policy intervention such as economic incentives are used to influence resource
utilization. Bank assistance with such planning efforts greatly strengthens wildland
management at the national level. When member governments agree to develop
appropriate land use plans, it is important for the Bank to refrain from supporting
projects which involve eliminating wildlands and run counter to these plans.

The Wildfowl Trust, Slimbridge, England, has set up such reserves on 5-8
sq. km.

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

28. In those relatively few Borrower countries in which wildland elimination
pressures are still minor,’ the requirement of a compensatory wildland component
can be interpreted more flexibly to involve measures other then the establishment or
strengthening of one or more WMAs. Such alternative options include careful project
siting to avoid converting the more environmentally sensitive wildlands, support for
research on and management of particularly sensitive species, support for land use
planning efforts, or institutional strengthening of the government’s wildland
management agency, and training in ecology, biological conservation, and wildland
management.

5. DESIGN OF WILDLAND MANAGEMENT AREAS
5.1 Design Considerations

29. WMA design features include size, shape and siting. Because an optimal design
may vary greatly in different ecosystems, it is best determined in each case by a
conservation specialist.

30. The size of a compensatory WMA should be sufficient to maintain the biological
diversity or other important values present in the area to be converted. A WMA which
is large enough to encompass a viable population of the largest local predator (e.g.,
eagle, tiger), or the seasonal territories and migration routes of the largest local
herbivore, will most likely preserve all other pertinent ecological values. These
objectives would most likely be achieved in a WMA larger than 1,000 sq. kms. Many
values are conserved in moist forest WMAs of 500 sq. kms, although possibly not all
in perpetuity. Interim WMAs of less than 100 sq. kms can be useful short-term
expedients for subsequent expansion into surrounding degraded areas. In general, the
larger the WMA, the greater the number of ecological interdependencies and gene
pools that will be preserved. Both are necessary to a healthy and self-perpetuating
ecosystem. It is recognized that conflicting pressures for more intensive land use often
make the establishment of large WMAs difficult. In any case, compensatory WMAs
should be no smaller than the wildland area converted by the project.

'¢ Wildland elimination pressure may still be minor because of low human
population densities and growth rates, little economic demand for agricultural
land, timber, or other resources, or because a substantial proportion of each
remaining wildland ecosystem in a country has been set aside in WMAs which
receive good on-the-ground protection and have strong policy support from the
Government.

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

31. The optimal shape of a WMA will depend upon its objectives. A more circular
shape may preserve more biological diversity than other shapes of the same area.
Shape is also determined by the location of centres of endemism and other wildlife
resources. Boundaries are more effective when they coincide with natural surficial
features, such as a river or watershed.

32. To ensure that the compensatory WMA is ecologically similar to the area to be
converted, it is obviously necessary to site the WMA in the same ecosystem as the
area to be converted. Moreover, siting the WMA some distance away from the
converted area (separated by a managed buffer zone for example) helps reduce
pressures for encroachment upon the WMA from people living in the converted area.

5.2 Management Categories

33. A variety of different use related categories can be used in establishing WMAs.
The choice of category depends upon the particular objectives being accorded priority
for management. The categories listed in Annex 1 indicate the variety of WMAs
appropriate under different circumstances.

5.3 Personnel and Training Needs

34. The need for well-trained personnel in the proper management of WMAs cannot
be overemphasized. Without adequate numbers of such trained people, WMAs cannot
effectively serve their intended national or societal functions. Bank-supported wildland
project components should therefore provide for staffing levels and training activities
that ensure competent management of WMAs. The appropriate number and types of
WMaA personnel depend upon the category of WMA, its size, and its intensity of
management. The minimum adequate permanent staff size for a "modest to average"
WMA is usually about eight.

5.4 Equipment, Infrastructure, and Budgetary Needs

35. Designation of WMAs on a map in no way ensures that they will be managed
to provide their greatest possible benefits to society. Effective on-the-ground
management requires a variety of physical inputs. In Bank-supported WMAs, efforts
should be made to ensure that these inputs are provided as a project component in
adequate supply and on a timely basis. Annex 4 contains a basic checklist of the
physical inputs that are typically needed for effective WMA management. Some types
of WMAs will require a variety of additional inputs, according to specific management
objectives.

36. The budgetary requirements for establishing and operating WMAs will vary
according to size and the amounts of needed infrastructure, equipment, and personnel.
The comparatively large (3,200 sq. kms.) Dumoga-Bone National Park, financed by
the Indonesia Irrigation XV Project, cost roughly US$ 1 million for establishment and

lil

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa
initial operating costs; most smaller WMAs can be expected to cost considerably less.

37. In some instances, establishment or enlargement of WMAs may require
additional funds for purchasing land from private or tribal owners. It may at times also
be necessary to resettle and compensate people living within the boundaries of a
newly-established WMA." Usually, however, WMAs are established on wholly
government-owned properties on which people have not settled.

38. The largest recurrent cost of WMAs is usually staff salaries. It is important to
maintain salaries at levels that encourage high productivity and a degree of
permanence, and discourage corruption.'® Spare parts for machinery, while usually
a relatively small budget item, are also a vital recurrent expenditure. Without a
reliable supply of spare parts for often remote WMA areas, necessary equipment will
often lie idle or may become cannibalized to provide spare parts. In some cases,
salaries, spare parts, fuel, and other recurrent costs can be fully or partly met by fees
collected from tourists, persons engaged in some form of harvesting, or scientific
researchers.'’ Otherwise, small annual outlays from the national or other government
budget will be needed.

15 See OMS 2.33 for guidelines regarding involuntary resettlement and OMS 2.34
for guidelines regarding tribal people in Bank-financed projects. In many cases,
indigenous hunter-gatherer societies are as much a part of the "natural"
environment as the wildlife, and can safely remain in the park as caretakers as
long as traditional ways of life are continued.

‘© High productivity also depends upon these important components: 1)
environmental education for an understanding of the importance of the WMA;
2) pride in the WMA and the role of those who protect and support it; and 3)
self-interest through some direct accrual of benefits of the WMA (aesthetic,
recreational, moral, etc., as well as economic).

17 The proportion of recurrent costs that can be recovered in this manner varies
greatly in different WMAs, from 0 to 100 per cent.

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa
5.5 Management Plans

39. Wildland management areas typically need well-developed management plans to
ensure efficient allocation of the scarce financial and skilled human resources devoted
to their management. A management plan is a written document which guides and
controls the use of the resources of a WMA and directs the design of subsequent
programs of management and development. A thorough management plan will:

(a) Describe the physical, biological, social, and cultural features of the
WMaA within a national, regional, and local context;

(b) Identify those items of particular concern from which the objectives for
managing specific areas of the WMA are derived;

(d) List in chronological order the activities to be carried out to realize the
proposed management programmes.

40. Preparation and implementation of management plans are carried out by the
government wildland agency. Project staff should ensure that Bank-supported WMAs
either have adequate management plans or will develop them early in the project.
Some parts of a management plan can be completed in a few days, while others may
take years to refine. While a longer-term management plan is being developed as soon
as possible after loan signing, an "interim management plan" or "operational plan"
may be used. PPDES can be of assistance in these matters.

5.6 Legal Considerations

41. The success of a WMA may depend upon how its design fits into an overall
national legal framework concerning natural resources management in general and
wildland management in particular. To maintain their legitimacy in the eyes of policy-
makers and local populations, WMAs must have a firm legal foundation. National
legislation, sometimes accompanied by a specific Presidential designation, is often
needed to establish a WMA. Depending upon the particular situation, such legislation
needs to establish precise WMA boundaries; specific management zones within the
WMA, including buffer zones; a central management authority (at the national or sub-
national level) with unambiguous responsibilities; and a mechanism to channel local
participation in WMA management decisions. Bank staff should ensure that Bank-
supported WMAs are established and managed within a compatible legal and policy
context.

June 2, 1986

liv

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa
ANNEX I

Categories of Wildland Management®

1 Scientific or Strict Nature Reserves represent the most restrictive WMA
category, intended to maintain representative samples of natural ecosystems in an
undisturbed state for scientific research, environmental monitoring, education, and
preservation of biological diversity. Tourism, recreation, and most other human uses
are usually not permitted.

2 National Parks are usually relatively large areas where native plant and animal
species (and often outstanding geological or other scenic features) are of special
interest. Controlled tourism and scientific research are permitted; more intensive
human uses usually are not.

3 Natural Monuments are often smaller WMAs intended to protect highly
localized species, ecosystems, or geological formations. Tourism and scientific
research are permitted to the extent that they are compatible with preservation of the
unique natural features.

4 Managed Nature Reserves or Wildlife Sanctuaries protect rare plant or animal
species, or large concentrations of resident or migratory wildlife. Manipulation of
vegetation and other intensive management may be done to improve the habitat for
species of special concern. Tourism, research, and occasionally limited livestock
grazing or fuelwood collection are permitted, when these activities are compatible with
wildlife management objectives.

5 Tribal Peoples Reserves are relatively unmodified natural areas in which
indigenous tribal peoples or vulnerable ethnic minorities (see OMS 2.34) continue to
practice traditional, low-intensity forms of land use such as hunting and gathering or
nomadic pastoralism. Settlement or potentially disruptive resource utilization by
outsiders is not permitted.

6 Protected Landscapes are areas which have often been significantly modified
by people, but which still contain important wildland resources. Traditional land uses,
including fishing, grazing, and some agriculture, are often permitted to accommodate
the needs and interests of local populations. Land use control is often at the local
government level.

18 Recognizing that different countries use different names for various types of
WMaAs, the standardized system of WMA nomenclature developed by the
International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN)
is used here to facilitate comparisons and reduce confusion.

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

7 Resource Reserves are “interim” WMAs. They are typically fairly extensive
areas which are not yet heavily settled, but which may be under relatively recent
pressure for colonization, timber or mineral extraction, or other intensive uses. This
WMaA category is designed to restrict such uses until a land use plan or other
management guide is issued to channel further development in an environmentally
suitable manner.

8 Multiple Use Management Areas are intended to allow sustainable production
of such economic goods as water for downstream uses; timber (obtained through low-
intensity logging); fuelwood; wild fruits, herbs, gums, or other plant products;
wildlife; fish; grazing; and outdoor recreation. Included in this category are most
"forest reserves" and "protection forests," including those established largely for
watershed catchment protection. Within these WMAs, management is primarily
oriented to the sustaining of these economic activities, although special zones may also
be designated within these areas to achieve more specific conservation objectives, such
as preservation of biological diversity. These WMAs are generally large and capable
of sustaining these types of economic activities without degradation or elimination of
the wildland resource. Generally, these wildland areas do not possess nationally unique
or exceptional natural features.

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa
ANNEX II

Some Tropical Wildlands of Special Concern’’

Eastern Africa

Madagascar: significant proportions of the northern and eastern moist forests.
Ethiopia: much of the remaining highland forest.

Tanzania: Usambara, Pare, and Uluguru Mountains.

Rwanda: mountain forests along the Zaire and Uganda borders.

Kenya: Kakamega, Nandi, and Arabuko-Sokoke forests.

OA RWNHN eK

Western Africa

6 Cameroon: particularly Cameroon Mountain and the moist forested area
extending into Gabon, and to the vicinity of the Cross River in southeastern
Nigeria, including the Oban Hills.

7 Ivory Coast: southwestern forests (including the Tai forest), and adjacent parts
of Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Kast Asia and Pacific

8 The Malay Peninsular (including parts of Thailand): Lowland forests, especially
along the northwestern and eastern coasts.

9 Indonesia: much of the remaining lowland forests of Kalimantan, Sumatra,
Sulawesi (especially the two southern peninsulas), and many smaller islands
(e.g., Siberut).

10 Philippines: much lowland forest on all larger islands.

South Asia
11 Sri Lanka: the coastal hills of the southwest and the Sinharaja forest of the "wet
zone."

12 India: most of the forests remaining on the Western Ghats.
13. Burma: the untouched teak forests in the northern regions.

Latin America and Caribbean

14 Ecuador: lowland coastal forest

15 Mexico: Lacandon forest in Chiapas.

16 Honduras-Nicaragua border: Mosquitia forest.

17. Panama: Darien province.

18 Colombia: the Choco region adjacent to Darien province.

19 Brazil: coastal forests of the "Cocoa Region" in the southeastern extension of
Bahia between the coast and 41°30’W longitude, and between 13°’ and 18°15’S
latitude, and an outiier near Linhares, Espiritu Santo.

20 Brazil: parts of the eastern and southern Amazon region.

19 This list is by no means to be interpreted as comprehensive.

lvii

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa
Tropical Aquatic Areas

Amazon River and associated wetlands (including varzea forests) (Brazil, Peru,
Colombia, Ecuador, and Bolivia.)

Orinoco River and Delta (Venezuela and Colombia).

Purari River (Papua New Guinea).

Musi River (Sumatra, Indonesia).

Lake Malawi (Malawi), and other Rift Valley Lakes.

Lake Toba (Sumatra, Indonesia).

Sudd Swamp (Sudan).

Pantanal Swamp (Mato Grosso, Brazil).

Lake Atitlan (Guatemala).

—

Oonorntnnh wd

lviii

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa
ANNEX III

The Project Cycle

Responsibility for implementing wildland management projects or components rests
primarily with regional operations staff, with advice and operational support provided
by PPDES, as detailed for all environmental work in OMS 2.36. At identification,
projects being considered are reviewed by regional staff in conjunction with PPDES
to identify, as early as possible, the need to avoid converting a wildland tract or to
preserve such a tract as part of the project. To determine whether a proposed project
will develop or be in close proximity to ennvironmentally important wildlands, Bank
staff can consult those government agencies with jurisdiction over wildland
management authority. PPDES maintains contacts with such agencies and will assist
upon request. Additional sources of information on ecologically important wildlands
are computerized data bases maintained by some non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) and several published directories, available from PPDES. In this manner, it
will often be possible to learn quickly whether a proposed project site contains existing
or proposed WMAs; known endangered species; major wildlife or fish breeding,
feeding, or staging areas; important watershed catchments; or living resources of
major importance to local people. If none of these mechanisms reveal the existence
of ecologically important wildlands in the project area, a brief pre-project field survey
is necessary since many important wildlands are not yet identified. This field survey
should be undertaken by relevant specialists from the government’s environmental
ministry, wildlife agency, national university, or similar institution. This brief survey
indicates the nature and extent of impacts on critical wildlands that would result from
the implementation of the project and puts the information in a national context. The
results should be recorded on the form provided in Annex 5.

During preparation, project staff (or their consultants) may assist the Borrower or
project sponsor in carrying out the necessary environmental studies, including those
pertaining to wildlands. PPDES can recommend consultants or other experts who can
identify important wildland areas, carry out necessary field surveys, or help design
appropriate wildland management project components. At the completion of any
necessary studies, the Project Brief (see OMS 2.13) should highlight whether the
project involves the conversion or disintegration of a relatively unmodified ecosystem
and include alternative suggestions for achieving the goals of the government. If
conversion is justified, the Brief should outline why, together with the wildland
management components needed.

As part of appraisal, project staff assess the planned wildland management and other
environmental measures, as specified by OMS 2.20. The Staff Appraisal Report
specifically describes any planned wildland management measures, including budgets
and agency responsibilities. While PPDES is available for consultation and assistance
at any stage of the project cycle, it is also responsible for reviewing projects at the
Yellow Cover stage (see OMS 2.00). In addition to the Staff Appraisal Report, the

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Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

President’s Report (see OMS 3.02) also notes any significant environmental --
including wildland management -- issues and mitigatory measures. Once wildland
measures are identified as necessary, timely action should be ensured by conditionality
such as loan effectiveness of disbursement. Since wildland management must be done
in perpetuity to be effective, the loan agreement should specify long-term measures
which the Borrower has agreed to implement.

Supervision missions should routinely review implementation of the wildland
component with the Borrower. Such aspects are handled as for environmental issues
in general (see OMS 2.36). Implementation of important wildland components should,
as a general principle, be well underway before a project’s major land clearing or
construction works are allowed to proceed.

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa
ANNEX IV

Physical Inputs Required in Most Wildland Management Areas
Headquarters building and guard posts at entry points.
Staff housing

Visitor information center, including educational and interpretive exhibits where
appropriate.

Research facilities, including laboratory and housing for scientists.

Roads and trails (amount will vary according to intensity of management
desired).

Fencing and signs, adequate to ensure proper demarcation and to control access.

Communications, internal and external to the WMA: radio, walkie-talkies, mail,
and telephone (where appropriate).

Electricity, gas, or other energy systems.

Sewage and waste systems.

Four-wheel drive, motor bikes, or other vehicles.

Boats, outboard motors, and docking facilities, where needed.
Appropriate tools, maintenance equipment, and spare parts.
Fuel.

Management-oriented publications: maps, species lists, pamphlets for visitors,
etc.

Ecologically Sensitive Sites in Africa

ANNEX V

Wildland Survey and Management Form”
(Sample only)

Name of Project:
Expected Appraisal (or other) Date:

Date of this Survey: Surveyor: Affiliation:

Methodology(ies) (circle one):
Site inspection/Library research/Both/Other(specify)

1 Specific subcategory(ies) of ecosystem that proposed project will affect: (e.g.,
tropical semi-evergreen moist forest, salt-marsh, wet savanna)

2 Important environmental and biological features of ecosystem(s): (e.g., water
catchment area for large agricultural valley and habitat for the endangered
mountain gorilla)

3 Projected general impact type on ecosystem(s) of proposed project: (e.g.,
deforestation, flooding, draining)

4 Proportion (%) of the region’s remaining ecosystem(s) (as in #1 above) to be
converted (and/or impacted, if different): (e.g., this project will flood about 10%
of this country’s remaining lowland riparian swamp forest.)

5 Estimated annual rates of attrition of affected ecosystem(s) in this country and
historical trend of this rate: e.g., The current annual rate of attrition of (semi-
montane forest) is 3% a year. This rate was 0.5% in 1975 and 1% in 1980.)

Maps and more complete reports used or available can be appended or cited.

20 This type of information is expected as part of identification, and can be used
for the project brief. This form can be completed by the government’s
environmental ministry or wildlife agency, or by the project pre-feasibility
team’s wildlands specialist.

SECTION I

OCCIDENTAL AND CENTRAL AFRICA

Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Céte d’Ivoire, Equatorial
Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Togo

ANNOTATED LIST OF SITES

Within each country, sites are divided into four subsections, according to the degree
of protection they appear to enjoy.

INTERNATIONALLY DESIGNATED PROTECTED AREAS These are
the World Heritage sites, Biosphere Reserves and Ramsar sites within each
country.

NATIONALLY PROTECTED AREAS Excluding those in the above section,
these include all nationally designated protected areas having objectives which
qualify them for IUCN Management Categories I-VII (see below).

OTHER MANAGED AREAS In this section are other designated sites which
have a nature conservation function (including forest reserves and other IUCN
Management Category VIII sites), as well as some well managed private
reserves.

UNPROTECTED SITES This section includes sites where there is no
officially recognised protection status. Three types of site are included:
proposed protected areas, where implementation is either being studied or is
under way; recommended sites, where protection has been recommended by an
individual or group but where implementation is yet to be initiated; and other
sensitive sites which have been recognised as valuable wildlands.

In some countries, the political situation may have caused management to lapse, and
in these and other cases information on the current status of the site can be hard to
obtain. The annotated list is based on the information available.

The protected areas information shown on the maps for each chapter have been
classified by management authority; i.e the forestry sector, wildlife sector or additional
sector (e.g. Presidential reserve). Information concerning the location of all numbered
sites was not available. Hence some sites numbered on the lists do not appear on the
maps.

This list has been prepared as a desk study, and is based on available
information. It should be taken as a guide rather than a definitive
study.

Information Sources

The World Conservation Monitoring Centre gathers, analyzes and disseminates
information on the status, security and management of the Earth’s biological diversity
as a service to the international community. The information presented in this
publication has been drawn from WCMC’s databases and geographical files which
have been developed in collaboration with numerous national and international
sources. These data, which have been gathered over a number of years, are held
within tabular databases, paper files and geographic information systems (GIS) at the
Centre. WCMC relies on its own and its sponsors’ worldwide network of contacts, as
well as published and unpublished literature, to provide accurate information and an
efficient service to its users.

The protected areas listings in the country chapters have been downloaded from the
WCMC Protected Areas Database which contains over 32,000 records. The WCMC
maintains these data in collaboration with the IUCN Commission on National Parks
and Protected Areas, the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme, the World
Heritage Convention and others. This desk study has concentrated heavily on these
data and on the extensive conservation library held at WCMC.

Much of the information WCMC holds has a spatial element and since 1989 WCMC
has been operating a GIS. A substantial amount of data on threatened habitats,
protected and unprotected sites and other related subjects have now been assembled.
The digital spatial data run in parallel with the supporting structured data, and the
locational or boundary information shown on the maps within the country chapters are
updated as new data are acquired. The spatial data are maintained within the Centre’s
GIS in ARC/INFO format and are available to all parties concerned with
environmental conservation, via the WCMC Biodiversity Map Library (BML). The
BML has been designed and implemented to enhance the Centre’s information service
providing a method for maintaining the environmental data in a structured and easily
accessible manner. The information shown on the maps in this book are stored in the
BML.

The following text was originally drafted in December 1991 by James
Culverwell and Hilary Tye, and updated in 1993 by James Culverwell
and Harriet Gillett. Maps were prepared by Mary Edwards. Final copy
was prepared by Harriet Gillett with assistance from Mark Lewis.
Secretarial support was provided by Veronica Greenwood, with
assistance from Deborah Rothera. Clare Billington and Jerry Harrison
were responsible for overall coordination.

BENIN
INTERNATIONALLY DESIGNATED PROTECTED AREAS

Pendjari Biosphere Reserve IUCN Categories II and IX
This biosphere reserve of 880,000ha includes Bouclé de Pendjari National Park (a
core area of 275,500ha), Pendjari and Atakora hunting zones and also the Arly
Reserves in Burkina Faso. It is part of a larger, international contiguous complex of
reserves which totals nearly 4,000,000ha. This relatively flat, low-lying area is
important for its wide variety of habitats typical of West African savanna. This is due
to its situation at the transition between Sudan and Guinea types of savanna. Gallery
forest occurs along rivers. Many West African savanna species occur here, including
several threatened animals such as leopard, African wild dog, cheetah, elephant and
Nile crocodile. However, fire and gradual climatic desiccation have devastated habitats
and severely depleting animal populations, which have also suffered from poaching
and increased pressure from cattle grazing. However, the area is now being
successfully rehabilitated with the assistance of international aid, and appears to be
well managed (S.J.G.Hall, pers.comm., 1993; IUCN/UNEP, 1987; Maché and Touré,
1990).

NATIONALLY PROTECTED AREAS

Atakora Hunting Zone IUCN Categories VIII and Ix
Pendjari Hunting Zone IUCN Categories VIII and IX
These reserves of 122,000ha and 200,000ha respectively, are both part of the
Pendjari Biosphere Reserve complex, managed for sport hunting as part of a buffer
zone to Bouclé de Pendjari National Park. This is part of a larger, international
contiguous complex of reserves which totals nearly 4,000,000ha. They support Sudan
savanna, interspersed with gallery forest and marshland around pools. The fauna is
characteristic of West African savanna and includes buffalo, elephant, hippopotamus
and several primate species. Poaching, cattle grazing and habitat degradation are
problems (IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

W du Benin National Park IUCN Category lI
This protected area of 568,000ha is part of an international park shared with Burkina
Faso and Niger, totalling 1,023,000ha within an international complex of reserves of
nearly 4,000,000ha. The complex is an important area for the conservation of West
African savanna species. In Benin there are extensive savanna-covered plains with
scattered lakes, marshlands and riverine forest, plus part of the Atacora mountains.
The international park contains the most important savanna elephant population in
West Africa and many other species also occur, including lion, leopard, cheetah,
hippopotamus and Nile crocodile. Buffer zones surrounding the park are managed for
sport hunting, but poaching remains a problem and there is a need for coordinated
policies and anti-poaching measures between the three countries involved. There is
also continual human encroachment by subsistence farmers and nomadic pastoralists,
resulting in degradation of vegetation and grazing competition with wild ungulates.
Staffing is insufficient to prevent habitat destruction. However, this park is also

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

included in the habitat rehabilitation scheme centred on Pendjari. Plans to mine
phosphates could also affect the park (IUCN/UNEP, 1987; Maché and Touré, 1990;

Sinsin and Heymans, 1988).
OTHER MANAGED SITES

Agoua Classified Forest
Established in 1953 75,300ha.

Agrimey Classified Forest
Established in 1945; 2800ha

Atcherigbe Classified Forest
Established in 1942; 3150ha

Atlantique Classified Forest
Established in 1953; 900ha

Bassila Classified Forest
Established in 1943; 2500ha

Bellefoungou Classified Forest
Established in 1943; 1300ha

Birni Classified Forest
Established in 1943; 3200ha

Boko Classified Forest
Established in 1952; 300ha

Bonou Classified Forest
Established in 1946; 197ha

Dan Classified Forest
Established in 1942; 1237ha

Dassa-zoume Classified Forest
Established in 1945; 2645ha

Djigbe Classified Forest
Established in 1942; 4300ha

Djona Hunting Zone

IUCN Category VIII

This reserve covers 188,000ha of Sudan savanna interspersed with gallery forest and
marshes around pools. It is on the edge of an international contiguous complex of
reserves which totals nearly 4,000,000ha. The fauna includes buffalo, elephant,

Benin

hippopotamus, topi, kob and several primate species. Poaching is a problem and
grazing of domestic cattle also occurs (IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

Dogo Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1955; 31,850ha

Donga Classified Forest IUCN Category VII
Established in 1943; 250ha

Gougoun Classified Forest IUCN Caiegory VIII
11°35’N, 3°18’E (approx.) 1950 73,200ha (Stuart et al., 1990)

Guene Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1942; 1300ha

Itchede Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1945; 191ha

Kétou Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
7°24’N, 2°33’E (approx.) 1945 11,000ha (Stuart et al., 1990)

Kibibo Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Ko Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
L’Albori Supérieur Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
256,000ha

La Lama Nord/La Lama Sud Classified Forests IUCN Category VIII

6°50’N, 2°13’E Established in 1942, these areas cover 6500 and 9750ha respectively
(Stuart et al., 1990).

La Sota Classified Forest IUCN Category Vili
Established in 1947; 53,000ha (Stuart et al., 1990)

Logozohe Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1942; 1200ha

Mekrou Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Mont Kouffe Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

8°45’N, 2°06’E Established in 1949, this area of 180,300ha is an important central
forest reserve, the development of which might involve integrated rural development
programmes. Red river hog and Maxwell’s duiker occur, as might the bongo, which
is currently considered to be extinct in Benin (Stuart et al., 1990).

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

N’Dali Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1942; 107,500ha

Ouari Maro Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
9°09’N, 2°25’E Established in 1946 and covering an area of 107,500ha, this is an
important central forest reserve, the development of which might involve integrated
rural development programmes. The restricted and possibly endangered red river hog
occurs in low densities (Stuart et al., 1990).

Ouedo Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1944; 586ha

Oueme Boukou Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1954; 20,500ha

Oueme Supérieur Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
9°35’N, 2°30’E Established in 1954, this forest reserve covers 177,542ha. It is an
important priority for conservation, the development of which might involve integrated
rural development programmes (Stuart et al., 1990).

Ouenou-Benou Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1943; 30,000ha

Pahou Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1940; 76Sha

Penessoulou Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1942; 5470ha

Sakarou Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1954; 240ha

Sakete Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1946; 60ha

Savalou Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1945; 1015ha

Seme Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1943; 1290ha

Serou Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1946; 498ha

Soubroukou Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1946; 84ha

Benin

Tchaourou Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1942; 1100ha

Tchaourou Gokana Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1948; 2000ha

Toui Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1942; 29,030ha

Tozoun Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1942; 66ha

Trois Riviéres Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1949; 259,500ha (Stuart er al., 1990)

UNPROTECTED SITES

Coastal Swamp Forests
Identified as being of particular biological importance, none are currently protected.
The sitatunga may survive (Stuart et al., 1990).

Djessin Biosphere Reserve Proposed
10,000ha

Lake Ahéme

6°24’N, 1°59’E Surrounded by predominantly freshwater marshes, this lake in the
extreme south-west of the country is of importance for waterfowl and waders
(Altenburg, 1987).

Lake Nokoué

6°25’N, 2°27’E Surrounded by brackish freshwater marshes and some mangroves
north of Cotonou, this lake is of importance for waders and waterfowl (Altenburg,
1987).

Pobé Forest Recommended
7°00’N, 2°42’E Situated in the south of the country, this important forest has been
severely degraded by timber clearing and exotic plantations (IUCN, 1987; Stuart et
al., 1990).

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

BENIN - PROTECTED SITES

National/international designations

Name of area and Management Year
map reference (see Fig. 1.1) area (ha) notified

Classified Forests

1 Agoua 75,300 1953
2 Agrimey 2,800 1945
3 Atcherigbe 3,150 1942
4 Atlantique 900 1953
5 Bassila 2,500 1943
6 Bellefoungou 1,300 1943
7 Birni 3,200 1943
8 Boko 300 1952
9 Bonou 197 1946
10 Dan 237 1942
11 Dassa-zoume 2,645 1945
12 Djigbe 4,300 1942
13 Dogo 31,850 1955
14 Donga 250 1943
15 Gougoun 73,200 1950
16 Guene 1,300 1942
17 Itchede 191 1945
18 Kétou 11,000 1945
Kibibo
19 Kilir 50 1943
Ko
20 L’Alibori Supérieur 256,000 1955
21 La Lama Nord 6,500 1946
22 La Lama Sud 9,750 1942
23. +a. Sota 53,000 1947
24 Logozohe 1,200 1942
25 Mekrou 9,320 1950
26 Mont Kouffe 180,300 1949
27 N’Dali 4,721 1942
28 Ouari Maro 107,500 1946
29 Ouedo 586 1944
30 Oueme Boukou 20,500 1954
31 Oueme Supérieur 177,542 1954
32 Ouenou-Benou 30,000 1943
33 Pahou 765 1940
34 Penessoulou 5,470 1942
35 Sakarou 240 1954
36 Sakete 60 1946

Benin

protected ecologically sensitive sites

Fig 1.1 Benin

Forestry Sector

Conservation / Protection Areas

T
ra

Wildlife Sector

f&3 Conservation areas

10°

ry
WORLD CONSERVATION

MONITORING CENTRE
1
=

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

BENIN - PROTECTED SITES (cont.)

National/international designations

Name of area and Management Year
map reference (see Fig. 1.1) area (ha) notified
37 Savalou 1,015 1945
38 Seme 1,290 1943
39 Serou 498 1946
40 Soubroukou 84 1946
41 Tchaourou 1,100 1942
42 Tchaourou Gokana 2,000 1948
43 Toui 29,030 1942
44 Tozoun 66 1942
45 Trois Riviéres 259,500 1949
Hunting Zones

46 Atakora 122,000 1980
47 Djona 188,000 1980
48 Pendjari 200,000 1980
National Parks

49 Boucle de la Pendjari 275,500 1961
50 W du Benin 568,000 1954
Reforestation Areas

51 Abomey 173 1945
52 Barage de Natitingou 345 1952
53 Kandi 250 1942
54 Kouandi 250 1942
55 Natitingou 203 1946
56 Parakou 256 1949
57 Taneka 1,090 1951

Biosphere Reserves
Réserve de la Biosphere
de la Pendjari 880,000 1986

BENIN - UNPROTECTED SITES

Name of area and
map reference (see Fig. 1.2)

Coastal Swamp Forests
Djessin Biosphere Reserve
Lake Ahéme

Lake Nokoué

Pobé Forest

Management
area (ha)

10,000

Benin

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

Fig 1.2 Benin: unprotected ecologically sensitive sites

= Sess SS io

is 2 oo 4°

e@ Unprotected Sites
12° 12
le K
f- 10° 40°
laa 9°
8° B°
7° 3 oo
g Por to-Novo
LOWITORING CENTRE z SK ce 0) 50 100km
es
1 25 3 4°
! ae = es Ie

CAMEROON
INTERNATIONALLY DESIGNATED PROTECTED AREAS

Bénoué National Park IUCN Categories II and IX
This park of 180,000ha is a biosphere reserve lying on the Bénoué plain at the foot
of the Adomaoua plateau, and including Mount Garoua (1100m). It is notable for
being located at a biogeographical transition area between the Sudanian and Guinean
savannas and supports a rich wildlife typical of the area, including threatened species
such as elephant, leopard, black rhinoceros, giant eland and Nile crocodile. The major
threats are poaching and bushfires; the park is surrounded by a hunting zone. The
local people collect firewood and some cultivation takes place (UCN/UNEP, 1987).

Dja Forest and Faunal Reserve IUCN Categories IV, IX and X
This biosphere reserve and World Heritage site covers 526,000ha of fairly flat terrain
with a series of rounded hills. The area is notable for being situated at the transition
between the forests of south-west Cameroon and those of the Congo Basin, in a region
which has not been commercially logged; the dense evergreen rain forest has been
little disturbed. The fauna is very diverse and supports a number of threatened species
such as lowland gorilla, chimpanzee, elephant and leopard; Bates’s weaver, endemic
to southern Cameroon, occurs. A number of pygmies live within the reserve, and they
are allowed to hunt traditionally. Hunting by modern methods needs controlling, and
subsistence farming is encroaching into the area. Investigation of calcareous deposits
on the south-east border may lead to open cast mining. The Trans-African highway
may be routed near the reserve (IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

Waza National Park IUCN Categories II and IX
This 170,000ha park and biosphere reserve lies in the Chad Depression, a level area
with no perennial rivers. Part of it was once covered by Lake Chad, and there are
areas of sand dunes and rock outcrops rising to over 500m. Vegetation includes a wide
range of savanna types, with varying densities of trees. The fauna is rich and varied,
including giraffe, elephant, lion, leopard, cheetah, aardvark and ostrich. Lack of water
is considered to be a major problem, particularly in recent years of drought. The
construction of the Maga Dam (25km south of the park) and irrigation dykes along the
Logone River have prevented periodic flooding and reduced the overall carrying
capacity of the park. Poaching is a problem, particularly from Nigeria and Chad, and
habitat alteration has occurred through burning and damage by elephant. Some
important dry season wildlife watering and grazing areas are outside the park. A few
villages exist within the park itself (UCN/UNEP, 1987).

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

NATIONALLY PROTECTED AREAS

Bouba Ndjidah National Park IUCN Category II
Covering 220,000ha plus a contiguous hunting zone of 212,600ha, this park consists
mainly of a peneplain with a few rocky outcrops. Savanna and woodland predominate.
The park was established to protect populations of black rhinoceros, giant eland and
primates. The mammalian fauna is similar to that occurring in Waza National Park,
but exists at a lower density; threatened species such as elephant and cheetah occur.
There is a buffer zone in which agriculture and hunting are controlled, and poaching,
particularly from neighbouring Chad, takes place (UCN/UNEP, 1987).

Douala-Edea Faunal Reserve IUCN Category IV
Situated on the sandy coastal plain at the mouth of the Sanaga river and bounded
inland by an escarpment, this protected area covers an area of 160,000ha. Vegetation
consists of coastal evergreen forest, and mangrove forest occurs along the shore. Soils
are poor and tree regeneration rates slow, so the reserve is particularly vulnerable to
logging. Few trees of commercial value grow here, and disturbance has been limited.
The reserve supports at least eight primate species, and the threatened fauna includes
black colobus Colobus satanas, mandrill Mandrillus sphinx, chimpanzee, elephant and
manatee Trichechus senegalensis. Poaching is a potential problem from the
rapidly-expanding settlements nearby (UCN/UNEP, 1987).

Faro National Park IUCN Category II
This park covers an area of 330,000ha, and includes a plateau and mountainous
massifs. Sudanian savanna and woodland predominate, and gallery forest occurs along
river courses. The fauna is rich and diverse (33 mammal species), and includes
threatened species such as cheetah, black rhinoceros and elephant. There is some
poaching, and bush fires are a managerial problem (IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

Kalamaloue National Park IUCN Category II
This park covers an area of 4500ha on the border with Chad. It is situated on the
floodplain of the Chari River, which retains some water even in very dry years.
Vegetation includes open Balanites aegyptiaca savanna, with a more dense savanna
in wetter areas. Population densities of a number of animals are relatively high due
to the perennial availability of water; elephant and Nile crocodile occur. The small
size of the park, coupled with the intensive grazing of domestic animals in surrounding
areas and poaching, threatens its integrity. Periodic overgrazing by elephants has also
greatly modified the habitat. A road bisects the park, but there are plans to divert it
(IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

Kimbi Faunal Reserve IUCN Category IV
Covering an area of 5625ha, this reserve is notable for being in a transitional area
between rain forest and savanna, and supports a large area of gallery forest. A wide
variety of mammals occur, including buffalo, baboon and chimpanzee. The reserve
is small and elongated, has few staff, and poaching is a problem (UCN/UNEP,
1987).

Cameroon

Korup National Park IUCN Category II
This park of 125,900ha is contiguous to Ejagham Forest Reserve and Cross River
National Park in Nigeria, and is situated on a sandy, flat coastal plain. It is vegetated
with medium-altitude Biafran evergreen forest, one of the most florally diverse forest
types in Africa; many plants have high levels of defensive chemicals thought to be
associated with poor soils. Having never been logged, the forest is relatively
undisturbed. The fauna is rich and diverse, with 40 mammal species including 14
primates. Threatened animals include drill, Preuss’s red colobus Procolobus [badius]
pennanti preussi, black colobus Colobus satanas, Preuss’s guenon Cercopithecus
preussi, elephant and leopard. The grey-necked picathartes Picathartes oreas occurs.
Numbers of park staff are low, and poaching of large mammais occurs from both the
Nigerian side and Cameroonian sides; the present hunting level may be too great for
populations to be sustained. A buffer zone and rural development schemes are being
established in an attempt to relieve pressure on the park ((UCN/UNEP, 1987).

Mbi Crater Faunal Reserve IUCN Category IV
The reserve covers 370ha on the steep sides of an extinct volcanic crater, breached by
a stream and containing a crater lake. The crater rim is grass-covered, but some marsh
and lowland rain forest occur. The area supports a number of mammal species,
including rock hyrax and several primates and ungulates. The reserve is very small,
poaching occurs, and there is some grazing of cattle (UCN/UNEP, 1987).

Mozogo-Gokoro National Park IUCN Category I
This small park of 1400ha comprises a shallow basin situated between mountains.
Much of the area is still covered with dry woodland savanna dominated by Acacia
albida, as the area has been protected from fire for 30 years. A variety of animals,
including several primate species, inhabit the area. However, the reserve is very
small; indiscriminate burning and the cutting of fuelwood are continuing threats
(IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

Santchou Faunal Reserve IUCN Category IV
7,000ha

OTHER MANAGED SITES

Bambuko Forest Reserve
4°13°N, 9°11’E This forest reserve covers 26,677ha and is the only protected area
on Mount Cameroon (Gartlan, 1989; Stuart, 1986).

Bandjoukri Hunting Reserve
58,780ha

Banyang Mbo Forest Reserve

5°20’-5°34’N, 9°26’-9°45’E Covering 38,500ha east of Ejaghem, the vegetation of
this reserve consists chiefly of coastal Biafran forest, rich in species of
Caesalpiniaceae. The fauna is similar to that occurring in Korup National Park, and

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

includes forest elephant, buffalo and chimpanzee. Atlantic coastal forest endemics such
as drill Mandrillus leucophaeus and red-eared guenon Cercopithecus erythotis
camerunensis occur (Gartlan, 1989).

Barombi Mbo Forest Reserve IUCN Category VIII
4°40’N, 9°23’E This 885ha lowland rain forest reserve, situated a few kilometres
north-west of Kumba, includes the picturesque crater lake of Lac Barombi, home to
11 endemic cichlid and one endemic catfish species. Chimpanzees and the threatened
bare-necked rockfowl Picathartes oreas occur in the forest surrounding the lake. There
is agricultural encroachment into the area, but the local people revere the lake.
Treatment of the lake to eradicate bilharzia may have had adverse effects (BBC, 1990;
Gartlan 1989; IUCN, 1987; Stuart et al., 1990).

Bel Eland Hunting Reserve
26,000ha

Bois des Singes Recreation Forest Reserve
25ha

Bonepoupa Forest Reserve IUCN Category VIII
4°07’-4°20’N, 10°01’-10°11’E This reserve was established in 1948. Covering
20,000ha of Atlantic coastal forest north-east of Douala, it is home to the red colobus
monkey. The area is hunted (Gartlan, 1989; Stuart et al., 1990).

Boune Dje Hunting Reserve
97,040ha

Campo Faunal Reserve IUCN Category IV
This reserve of 300,000ha includes coastal plain and low hills covered primarily with
dense tropical forest. The fauna is varied. .. 1 includes several threatened species such
as elephant, gorilla and grey-necked re. sowl. However, a 27-years old logging
concession has resulted in considerable environmental degradation. Heavy poaching
of larger mammals occurs, and the human population within the reserve is increasing
(IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

Cobas Hunting Reserve
50,000ha

Dendeng Forest Reserve
Improved protection of this forest reserve is required (Stuart et al., 1990).

Densa Hunting Reserve
70,480ha

Djibao Hunting Reserve
64,600ha

Cameroon

Dobinga Hunting Reserve
44,600ha

Ejagham Forest Reserve

5°19’-5°50’N, 8°50’-9°08’E Established in 1934, this forest reserve covers an area
of 74,85lha immediately to the north of Korup National Park. The topography is
primarily low relief in the south, becoming hillier in the north. The forests are
principally Guineo-Congolian, characterised by the high number of representatives of
the family Caesalpiniaceae. The area is considered to be one of the most important
areas for primate conservation in Africa; larger mammals occurring include forest
elephant, leopard, chimpanzee, drill, Preuss’s colobus, collared mangabey, the rare
red-eared guenon, and duiker Cephalophus sylvicultor. It also supports the two very
rare toad species, Bufo superciliaris and Nectophryne afra. Dwarf crocodile occur, and
the avifauna includes the threatened bare-necked rockfowl (Collar and Stuart, 1988;
Gartlan 1989; Stuart et al., 1990).

Elephants Hunting Reserve
17,000ha

Faro Coron Hunting Reserve
56,860ha

Faro Ouest Hunting Reserve
125,950ha

Fungom Forest Reserve

6°48’N, 10°05’E (centre) Situated near the Nigerian border north of the Bamenda
Highlands, this fairly remote area of relatively rugged terrain covers approximately
60,000ha. Improved protection is required (Stuart et al., 1990).

Grand Capitaine Hunting Reserve
29,360ha

Hippopotame Hunting Reserve
46,950ha

Kalfou Faunal Reserve
1933 4000ha (Stuart et al., 1990).

Kourouk Hunting Reserve
95,000ha

Lac Barombi Forest Reserve - see Barombi Mbo Forest Reserve
Lac Balombo Mbo - see Barombi Mbo Forest Reserve

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

Lac Ossa Faunal Reserve
1968 4000ha (Stuart et al., 1990)

Landou Hunting Reserve
38,370ha

Logone Birni Hunting Reserve
80,000ha

Manehas Forest Reserve

Situated about 7km to the north-east of Mount Kupé, this forest reserve covers almost
600ha on the lower slopes of the Kupé massif at an altitude of between about 600m
and 1000m.

Mayo Duele Hunting Reserve
64,600ha

Mayo Louti Forest Reserve
This 1500ha forest reserve supports dry forest, and important populations of antelope
and other larger mammals (Stuart et al., 1990).

Mayo Oldiri Hunting Reserve
46,940ha

Mayo Oldiri Nord Hunting Reserve
60,000ha

Mayo Oldiri Sud Hunting Reserve
38,370ha

Mayo Sala Hunting Reserve
38,000ha

Mbembe Forest Reserve

6°52’N, 10°42’E Situated on the Nigerian border north of the Bamenda Highlands,
this 40,000ha forest reserve includes gallery forest and some rugged hills reaching
over 1000m altitude. Improved protection is required (Stuart et al., 1990).

Metchié Forest Reserve

5°02’N, 10°05’E This forest reserve is located in the valley of the Metchié river
about 20km north-west of Bafang, separated by the Metchié River from Santchou
Faunal Reserve. It includes both flat valley floor and more rugged terrain (IGN
Yaoundé 1:200,000 topographic map).

Cameroon

Mount Kilum Forest Reserve (Mount Oku)

6°12’N, 10°32’E Established in 1983, this forest reserve covers 11,400ha in the
north of the Bamenda Highlands. It includes the areas above Verkovi and Wvem
(Ngongba High Forest), the forest above Simonkov and Tadu, and forests to the south-
west and north-west of the lake. This is the second highest mountain in West Africa,
with deep dissected valleys, grassy plateaus and a shallow caldera lake. Open forest
occurs from about 2100m to the summit at 3011m, but burning, and grazing by stock
have degraded many areas. It supports 6900ha of the finest example of Podocarpus
and Arundinaria bamboo forest in West Africa. Fauna includes Bannerman’s turaco
and the banded wattle-eye (endemic to the Bamenda Highlands), the rare Preuss’s
guenon and several very rare amphibians. It is a vital catchment area, with a high
surrounding human population. Uncontrolled fires are a major problem, as are roads,
livestock and soil erosion. There is good tourist potential (Collar and Stuart, 1988;
Frame 1987; Gartlan, 1989; IUCN, 1987)

Ndock Hunting Reserve
181,120ha

Ngoro
27,000ha

Nta Ali Forest Reserve

§°21-5°38’N, 9°20’-9°32’E Covering 31,500ha adjacent to Banyang-Mbo Forest
Reserve, this forest is considered to be of biological interest. Its highest point is
Mount Nta Ali at 1202m. Sub-montane, Atlantic coastal and lowland evergreen forests
occur, supporting forest elephant, buffalo, blue duiker and Cephalophus dorsalis,
bushpig and at least eight primate species, including chimpanzee and Preuss’s (red)
colobus. The reserve is only 15km from Mamfe, and is subjected to hunting (Gartlan,
1989; Stuart et al., 1990,).

Pangar-Djerem

This 480,000ha area is contiguous with the eastern side of Mbam et Djerem National
Park (proposed). Both areas are similar, but because of human activity Mbam ei
Djerem supports less forest. These reserves are unusual in being situated in a
transitional zone between forest and savanna. The fauna is one of the richest in
Cameroon, and includes threatened species such as chimpanzee, elephant and possibly
gorilla. Poaching on a professional basis occurs, particularly in the Pangar-Djerem
sector which will now not be proposed as a national park because of this
(IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

Rhinoceros Hunting Reserve
72,510ha

Riviere Mawne Forest Reserve

5°45’-6°03’N, 9°24’-9°32’E Established in 1956, this reserve covers 44,900ha of
principally southern coastal forest at elevations between 500m and 1000m. Seven

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

primate species including chimpanzee occur, as well as forest elephant, buffalo, and
blue, Cephalophus silvicultur and C. dorsalis duiker. The reserve is hunted over, and
is the source of many locally-utilised forest products; the surrounding human
population is fairly large (Gartlan, 1989).

Riviere Mokoko Forest Reserve IUCN Category VIII
4°25’N, 9°03’E Established in 1952, the reserve covers an area of 9100ha adjacent
to and west of Bambuko Forest Reserve on Mount Cameroon. The forests,
principally lowland evergreen rain forests, include gallery and Atlantic coastal forests.
Primates that occur include potto, angwantibo, putty-nosed guenon Cercopithecus
nictitans, red-eared guenon C. erythrotis, collared mangabey Cercocebus torquatus and
drill. The area is of biological interest (Gartlan, 1989; Stuart et al., 1990).

Rumpi Hills Forest Reserve

4°50’N, 9°06’E Situated in south-west Cameroon, north-west of Mount Cameroon
and east of Korup National Park, this extensive reserve covers about 44,300ha of
relatively low, undulating hills between 1200m and 1800m in elevation, covered in
well-preserved moist forest with montane elements. Three threatened and four near-
threatened bird species occur, including the pigeon Columba albinucha, otherwise only
known from Uganda and Zaire. The rare red-eared guenon Cercopithecus erythrotis
and Preuss’s guenon C. preussi, the endemic chameleon Chamaeleo eisentrauti and
the very localised toad Werneria tandyi are also found here. The hills are an important
water catchment (Collar and Stuart, 1988; Gartlan, 1989; Stuart et al., 1990).

Sadje Hunting Reserve
26,660ha

Sanaga Faunal Reserve
3°35’N, 9°41’E Mangroves worthy of protection occur around the mouth of the
Sanaga River (Stuart et al., 1990).

Takamanda Forest Reserve

5§°59’-6°21’N, 9°11’-9°30’E Established in 1934, this 67,599ha forest reserve is
situated in the Cross River area between Mamfe and the Nigerian town of Obudu.
Primarily vegetated with rain forest and patches of Cameroon Highland montane
vegetation, the forests contain many endemic plants, some of which are undescribed,
and numerous endemic animals. Larger mammals in the reserve include elephant,
leopard and about 12 species of primates, the latter including Preuss’s monkey,
chimpanzee and an isolated and possibly taxonomically distinct population of northern
gorilla. Illegal hunting of gorillas takes place, and uncontrolled fires occur. There is
a proposal to create a park on the Nigerian side of the border (Frame 1987; Gartlan,
1989).

Tatou Hunting Reserve
20,000ha

Cameroon

Tcheboa Hunting Reserve
160,800ha

Vogzom Hunting Reserve
85,000ha

Waimba Hunting Reserve
26,200ha

UNPROTECTED SITES

Adamaoua Plateau

This extensive upland area, reaching over 1500m in altitude, is an extension of the
western Cameroon mountain chain inland from the Bamenda Highlands. It is of
biological interest, but habitats are severely fragmented. An isolated population of
mountain reedbuck occurs (Stuart et al., 1990).

Bafia Faunal Reserve Proposed
42,000ha

Bakossi Peninsula Mangroves

4°32’N, 8°35’E This is an extensive area of mangroves at the mouth of the estuary
of the Rio del Rey and Akwayafe River, which marks the border with Nigeria. The
Bakossi Peninsula covers approximately 40,000ha within this much larger complex
(IUCN 1987).

Bakossi Mountains

4°50’-5°20’N, 9°30’-9°46’E Covering about 50,000ha, these mountains range
between 1000m and 1819m. Two forest reserves: Mungo River Forest Reserve and
Bakossi Forest Reserve are marked in this area on the IGN 1:200,000 topographic
map. The vegetation consists of species-rich submontane forest with several endemics;
secondary forest exists around villages. Rare birds such as Malaconotus gladiator and
Lioptilus gilberti occur; larger mammals include drill, red-eared nose-spotted monkey,
l’Hoest’s monkey and chimpanzee (Gartlan, 1989; Stuart et al., 1990).

Bakundu South Forest
4°28’N, 9°21’E This rain forest is heavily hunted and logged (Frame, 1987).

Bamboutos Forests

5°40’N, 10°05’E These montane forests occur up to 1500m in the Cameroon
Highlands 20-80km west and south of Bamenda, and include Bamboutos Forest
Reserve. They are important in protecting the remaining areas of forest in an area
where, due to clearance for agriculture, forests have been largely reduced to those in
river valleys. There is a very high level of bird and vascular plant endemism, and the
surrounding areas are densely populated, resulting in pressures to clear the remaining
forests (Frame, 1987; Stuart, 1986).

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

Bamileke Plateau
Areas around Foto, Bangwa and Petit Diboum, although fragmented, are important
for amphibian conservation (Stuart et al., 1990).

Boumbabek Faunal Reserve Proposed
2°08’-2°58’N, 14°43’-15°16’E This important forest in the remote south-east covers
about 233,000ha at elevations between 300m and 700m. Consisting primarily of mixed
evergreen and semi-deciduous transitional forests, it supports a full complement of
forest fauna including elephant, buffalo, bongo, bushbuck, giant forest hog, bushpig
and leopard, as well as gorilla, collared mangabey and chimpanzee (Gartlan, 1989;
Stuart et al., 1990).

Lac Lobeke Faunal Reserve Proposed
2°15’N, 15°40’E Established in 1974, this important 43,000ha forest is in the remote
south-east of the country. The creation of a larger protected area of 92,000ha has been
recommended, which would link it with the Dzanga-Ndoki National Park in the
Central African Republic. Primarily supporting a mixed transitional evergreen and
semi-deciduous forest, it is home to a wide variety of forest fauna including elephant,
buffalo, sitatunga, six duiker species, chevrotain, giant forest hog, bushpig, leopard,
antbear, giant pangolin, nine diurnal primate species and particularly high densities of
bongo and pygmy antelope (Gartlan, 1989; Stuart et al., 1990).

Mandara Mountains
Situated in the extreme north of the country, these mountains are known to support
rare plant species. Mountain reedbuck possibly occur (Stuart et al., 1990).

Manne River
This area should be accorded protected status (Stuart et al., 1990).

Mbam et Djerem Faunal Reserve Proposed
This reserve covers 353,180ha, and has been proposed as a national park. It is
contiguous with the western side of Pangar-Djerem Hunting Reserve; both areas are
similar, but Mbam et Djerem supports less forest due to human activity, although it
is less heavily hunted than the latter reserve. These reserves are situated in a
transitional zone between forest and savanna. The fauna is one of the richest in
Cameroon, and includes threatened species such as chimpanzee, elephant and possibly
gorilla. Professional poaching occurs, particularly to the east of the Pangar river
(IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

Mount Cameroon

4°01’-4°25’N, 8°59’-9°22’E Situated near the coast 45km west of Douala, this is the
highest mountain and only active volcano in West Africa. It is particularly important
as one of the few sites in tropical Africa supporting a full continuum between lowland
and montane forest. Forest occurs at elevations from close to sea-level to about
2000m, covering about 175,000ha. Montane grassland occurs at higher elevations. The
mountain is a major centre of endemism, and an important locality for Preuss’s

Cameroon

guenon, red-eared nose-spotted monkeys, chimpanzees, drill and elephant. The
endemic Mount Cameroon francolin, three species of threatened and four near-
threatened bird species occur. The skink Panaspis gemmiventris, the toads
Didynamipus sjoestedti and Werneria preussi, and the very rare tree-frog Hyperolius
krebsi occur. Fire is thought to be partly responsible for maintaining the forest-
grassland boundary, and illegal cutting of timber and hunting occur. Only Bambuko
Forest Reserve on the north-west side is in any way protected. A proposal has been
made to protect Mount Etinde (Little Mount Cameroon), where montane rain forest
occurs at an unusually low elevation (Collar and Stuart, 1988; Frame 1987; Gartlan,
1989; Stuart, 1986).

Mount Kupé

4°48°N, 9°42’E Situated in south-west Cameroon, this is the first major peak
(2,064m) inland from Mount Cameroon. A small area is marked as a forest reserve
on the official maps of the region. Its flanks are forested from elevations between
900m to the summit at 2064m, covering an area of 2000ha and including transitional
lowland-montane forest, with montane forest near the peak. Tree species include
Carapa grandiflora, Cephaelis mannii, Dicranolepis vestita and Ficus mucuso, with
Podocarpus latifolius and Philippia mannii on the summit. It is the principal (and
perhaps the only) locality for at least 15 species of plant. Over 190 bird species occur,
including the endemic Mount Kupé bush shrike; three threatened and three near-
threatened bird species also occur. The mountain also supports an endemic skink.
Primates include the rare red-eared guenon Cercopithecus erythrotis and drill. Threats
to the area include clearance for agriculture and cutting of trees, as the surrounding
area is densely populated; a local taboo which, until now, helped preserve the forest,
is diminishing in importance (Collar and Stuart, 1988; Frame, 1987; Gartlan, 1989;
IUCN, 1987; Stuart, 1986).

Mount Manenguba

5°01’N, 9°50’E Situated in the western Cameroon mountain chain north-east of
Mount Kupé, this is an extinct volcano reaching 2411m, with two crater lakes. Less
than 1000ha of dry, stunted montane forest remain and grassland now covers most of
the mountain, with little forest remaining on the lower slopes. One vulnerable and one
near-threatened bird species occur, including Bannerman’s weaver Ploceus
bannermani, as do two localised species of rodents, an endemic chameleon, five
endemic frogs and two very localised toads. Human pressures in the area are severe;
firewood collection occurs and habitat fragmentation is taking place (Collar and Stuart,
1988; Frame, 1987; Stuart, 1986; Stuart et al., 1990).

Mount Nlonako

4°53’N, 9°55’E Lying to the south-east of Mount Manenguba, about 2000ha of this
1825m granite mountain is covered in closed canopy forest transitional between
montane and lowland forests. An area of 3500ha is recommended for protection.
Three threatened and two near-threatened bird species occur. There has been some
deforestation, particularly on the lower slopes, but the rugged terrain affords a
measure of protection (Collar and Stuart, 1988; Frame, 1987; Stuart, 1986).

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

Nanga-Eboke Faunal Reserve
16,000ha

Ngoro Faunal Reserve
27,000ha

Nki Faunal Reserve Proposed
2°07’-2°30’N, 14°09’-14°48’E This is an important area in the remote south-east,
covering about 195,000ha of evergreen and transitional rain forest; it includes the
spectacular Nki waterfall. Elephant, buffalo, bongo, collared mangabey, gorilla,
chimpanzee and leopard occur, as do long-snouted crocodile and the giant frog
Conrauana goliath. The area has been little disturbed (Gartlan, 1989; Stuart et al.,
1990).

Nyong River Swamp Forests

4°00’N, 13°10’E Situated in the Guineo-Congolian biome near Abong Mbang, these
constitute an unique and currently unprotected vegetation type (Frame, 1987; Stuart
et al., 1990).

Rio Del Rey
4°20’-4°56’N, 8°32’-9°02’E Incorporating 180,000ha of mangroves and 4000ha of
mudflats, this large estuary is of importance to waders and waterfowl, including
avocets. It is a major mangrove area, with interesting fish faunas in the brackish and
freshwater swamps. See also Bakossi Peninsula Mangroves (Altenburg 1987; Stuart
et al., 1990).

Tchabal Mbabo

7°16’N, 12°10’E Situated to the north-east of Bamenda below an elevation of 2460m,
near Gashaka-Gumti National Park in Nigeria, this is the most northerly outlier of
the western Cameroon montane forests. About 30,000ha of forest occur up to 1500m.
Currently unprotected and relatively isolated, it is home to several rare montane bird
species. The mammalian fauna is unstudied. The forests are degraded, fragmented and
disturbed, and fires are frequent (Frame, 1987; Gartlan, 1989; Stuart et al., 1990).

CAMEROON - PROTECTED SITES

National/international designations
Name of area and
map reference (see Fig. 2.1)

Faunal Reserves
Campo

Dja
Douala-Edea
Kimbi

Lac Ossa
Mbi Crater
Nanga-Eboke
Sanaga
Santchou

OMmAWINMNARWNe

Hunting Reserves
10 Bandjoukri

11 Bel Eland

12 Boune Dje

13 Cobas

14 Densa

15 Djibao

16 Dobinga

17 Elephants

18 Faro Coron

19 Faro Ouest

20 Grand Capitaine
21 Hippopotame
22 Kourouk

23 Landou

24 Logone Birni
25 Mayo Duele

26 Mayo Oldiri

27 Mayo Oldiri Nord
28 Mayo Oldiri Sud
29 Mayo Sala

30 Ndock

31 Rhinoceros

32 Sadje

33 Tatou

34 Tcheboa

35 Vogzom

36 Waimba

Management
area (ha)

Cameroon

Year
notified

1932
1950
1932
1964
1968
1964

1933

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

Fig 2.1 Cameroon: protected ecologically sensitive sites

10° 12° 14° 16°

+ 12° 12°
Wildlife Sector
£4] @ Conservation Areas
10° 10°
8° ge
r- 6° 6°
i"
L ge Yaounde 4
~
2
faves ° 2°
WORLD CONSERVATION
MONITORING CENTRE
40° 12° 14° 16°
! —— ahs eh 1

Cameroon

CAMEROON - PROTECTED SITES (cont.)
National/international designations
Name of area and Management Year

map reference (see Fig. 2.1) area (ha) notified

National Parks

37 Benoue 180,000 1968
38 Bouba Ndjidah 220,000 1968
39 Faro 330,000 1980
40 Kalamaloue 4,500 1972
41 Korup 125,900 1986
42 Mozogo-Gokoro 1,400 1968
43 Waza 170,000 1968
Protection Forests

44 Bakwery 9324

45 Barombi-Mbolake 885

46 Mbamidjin 145

47 Mont Koupe 300

48 Mont-Bamboutos 222 1948
49 Monts Ekasekas 259

50 Mouma 10,000 1936
51 Nkilzock 3,000 1936
52 Obala 23,550

Recreation Forest
53 Bois des Singes 25

Biosphere Reserves

Parc national de Waza 170,000 1979
Parc national de la Benoue 180,000 1981
Réserve forestiére et de faune du Dja 500,000 1981

World Heritage Sites
Dja Faunal Reserve 526,000 1987

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

CAMEROON - UNPROTECTED SITES

Name of area and Management
map reference (see Fig. 2.2) area (ha)

Adamaoua Plateau
Bafia Faunal Reserve 42,000
Bakossi Peninsula Mangroves
Bakossi Mountains
Bakundu South Forest
Bamboutos Forests
Bamileke Plateau
Boumbabek Forest
Lac Lobeke Faunal Reserve 43,000
Mandara Mountains
Manne River
7 Mbam et Djerem Faunal Reserve 353,180
8 Mount Cameroon
9 Mount Kupé
0 Mount Manenguba
1 Mount Nlonako

Nanga-Eboke Faunal Reserve

Ngoro Faunal Reserve
12 Nki Faunal Reserve
13 Nyong River Swamp Forests
14 Rio Del Rey
15 Tchabal Mbabo

hwWN

Cameroon

Fig 2.2 Cameroon: unprotected ecologically sensitive sites

T T
10° 12° 14° 16°

e@ Unprotected Sites

Bs
6
4°44

2 5 2

WORLD CONSERVATION
MONITORING CENTRE
19° 122 14° 16°

— aie _ 1

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
INTERNATIONALLY DESIGNATED PROTECTED AREAS

Bamingui-Bangoran Conservation Area IUCN Categories II, IV and IX
This biosphere reserve complex of 1,622,000ha comprises Bamingui-Bangoran
National Park (1,070,000ha), which surrounds Vassako-Bolo Strict Nature Reserve
(86,000ha). A number of reserves form a buffer zone: Koukourou-Bamingui Faunal
Reserve (110,000ha), Gribingui-Bamingui Faunal Reserve (438,000ha) and part of
Avakaba Presidential Park. The complex is situated in a low-lying area traversed by
three seasonal rivers; Sudano-Guinean savanna predominates. The fauna was very rich
in the past, and still includes a wide range of migratory species and threatened
animals. Black rhinoceros may have disappeared, however, and elephant numbers have
been severely reduced (Bosquet, 1986) since poaching continues uncontrolled in the
faunal reserves. Insecticides are extensively used on cotton crops outside the reserve,
and have killed many fish in the Bamingui River. Various types of cultivation occur
within parts of the peripheral reserves (IUCN/UNEP, 1987; MacKinnon and
MacKinnon, 1986).

Bamingui-Bangoran National Park IUCN Categories II and IX
This is a 1,070,000ha national park which is part of the Bamingui-Bangoran
Conservation Area (see that entry).

Basse-Lobaye Forest IUCN Category IX
This biosphere reserve covers 18,200ha on the Congo border. It includes dense humid
semi-deciduous forest, with secondary forest on abandoned farmland in some northern
parts. Various species of duiker and monkey are common, but threatened species such
as chimpanzee Pan troglodytes, leopard and forest elephant Loxodonta africana
cyclotis are rare. The area is inhabited by hunter-gatherer pygmies, but there are other
villages, around which there is considerable disturbance, on the northern edge of the
forest (UCN/UNEP, 1987; MacKinnon and MacKinnon, 1986).

Manovo-Gounda-Saint Floris National Park IUCN Categories II and X
The park covers an area of 1,740,000ha and is contiguous to Aouk-Aoukale Faunal
Reserve (330,000ha) and Ouandjia-Vakaga Faunal Reserve (130,000ha). It
comprises open plains, parts of which are seasonally flooded, and areas of more
undulating relief. Sudano-Guinean savanna woodland is the predominant vegetation
type, but a remarkable diversity of habitats are present. The park is transitional
between several biotopes, and supports the richest fauna in the country. A number of
threatened species occur, including black rhinoceros, elephant, leopard, cheetah,
African wild dog, Nile crocodile and shoebill stork Balaeniceps rex. Some 320 species
of birds have been identified. Poaching, particularly by professionals from Chad and
Sudan, has had a significant effect on numbers of rhinoceros and elephant, and has
greatly reduced giraffe and crocodile populations in the past. Cattle, mainly from Chad
and Sudan, invade the area in the dry season, a situation aggravated by drought and
Overgrazing outside the park. Staff and equipment are inadequate to prevent these

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

violations, or the illegal burning which is changing vegetation composition
(UCN/UNEP, 1987).

NATIONALLY PROTECTED AREAS

André Felix National Park IUCN Category II
This park covers 170,000ha of extensive plains with lateritic soils, covered with
wooded savanna. It is completely surrounded by Yata-Ngaya Faunal Reserve, which
forms the buffer zone. The fauna has been seriously depleted, with few surviving large
wildlife species. The buffalo population was decimated by disease in the 1960s. There
are no surveillance patrols, and poaching and cattle grazing proceed unchecked
(IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

Aouk-Aoukale Faunal Reserve IUCN Category IV
The reserve covers an area of 330,000ha contiguous to Manovo-Gounda-Saint Floris
National Park, and comprises flood plains with wooded Sudanian savanna. The fauna
is representative of this vegetation type and includes elephant, lion, giraffe and
buffalo, as well as some Sahelian species. Ostrich are also present. However, some
poaching occurs and the area is grazed by the livestock of nomadic peoples
(IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

Gribingui-Bamingui Faunal Reserve IUCN Category IV
This is a 438,000ha reserve, which is part of Bamingui-Bangoran Conservation
Area (see that entry).

Koukourou-Bamingui Faunal Reserve IUCN Category IV
This is a 110,000ha reserve, which is part of Bamingui-Bangoran Conservation
Area (see that entry).

Nana-Barya Faunal Reserve IUCN Category IV
Covering an area of 230,000ha, this reserve is situated on a flat, wooded plain of
Isoberlinia savanna. There was originally a rich Sudano-Guinean fauna with elephant,
lion, buffalo, black rhinoceros, giraffe and several ungulate species, but due to heavy
poaching and a lack of surveillance or protection, the area is now almost devoid of
large wildlife IUCN, 1990b; IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

Ouandjia-Vakaga Faunal Reserve IUCN Category IV
This reserve of 130,000ha is contiguous to Manovo-Gounda-Saint Floris National
Park (1,740,000ha), and is situated on a sandy plateau covered with Isoberlinia
wooded savanna. Wildlife is sparse, but is similar to that found in the national park;
threatened species such as elephant, black rhinoceros, cheetah, shoebill stork and
several antelope species occur. There are fishing villages along the river that runs
through the reserve, and hunting is permitted over a large part of the area. Illegal
hunters and shepherds, more particularly from Chad and Sudan, use the area and
poaching is a problem (IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

Central African Republic

Vassako-Bolo Strict Nature Reserve IUCN Categories I
This is an 86,000ha nature reserve which is part of Bamingui-Bangoran
Conservation Area (see that entry), and entirely enclosed by Bamingui-Bangoran
National Park (IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

Yata-Ngaya Faunal Reserve IUCN Category IV
This reserve of 420,000ha completely surrounds the André Felix National Park
(170,000ha). It is situated on a sandy plain with hills in the central region, and is
predominantly covered with Isoberlinia wooded savanna. Some hills are important for
endemic plant conservation. The fauna is little known, though black and white
rhinoceros possibly occur; another threatened species which inhabits the area is the
giant eland Tragelaphus derbianus. However, no infrastructure or controls have been
set up, the reserve is used by nomads, and poaching occurs in the area. About
203,000ha are leased to a hunting organisation, a condition of use being adherence to
regulations in force for the rest of the reserve (IUCN, 1990b; IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

Zemongo Faunal Reserve IUCN Category IV
This 1,010,000ha reserve consists of plains which are usually without surface water
during the dry season. The lateritic sands of the area support dense Isoberlinia wooded
savanna. The fauna is not well known but includes threatened species such as giant
eland, black rhinoceros and possibly elephant. Hunting is allowed in about 60,000ha
of the reserve, but difficulty of access prevents control of the interior, and poaching
occurs. Little wildlife remains as a result (UCN, 1990b; IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

OTHER MANAGED AREAS

Avakaba Presidential Park IUCN Category VIII
This private hunting area of 250,000ha is under the control of the president, and visits
are at his invitation. Part of the area is within the 1,070,000ha Bamingui-Bangoran
Biosphere Reserve. The reserve is situated on a floodplain and includes the permanent
50ha Lake Avakaba. Wooded savanna covers much of the area. There is some hunting
within the reserve (I(UCN/UNEP, 1987).

Badada Kere Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1952; 200ha

Bako Malikpa Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1952; 200ha

Bandengue Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
195ha

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

Banzoum Classified Forest
Established in 1950; 5600ha

Batangafo Classified Forest
Established in 1955; 17,900ha

Batouri Kadei Classified Forest
Established in 1953; 110,000ha

Batouri Sadowa Classified Forest
Established in 1952; 23,500ha

Bengue Classified Forest
Established in 1954; 80ha

Birini Classified Forest
Established in 1951; 120,000ha

Bolee Classified Forest
90ha

Botambi Classified Forest
Established in 1950; 11,700ha

Boungou Classified Forest
Established in 1952; 16,000ha

Calvaire Classified Forest
Established in 1952; 112ha

Collines de Bangui Classified Forest
Established in 1952; 195ha

Céte des Singes Classified Forest
Established in 1952; 6500ha

Disso Donago Classified Forest
Established in 1952; 7500ha

Dzanga-Sangha Special Reserve
EI 1990; 335,900ha

Herman Classified Forest
Established in 1956; 36ha

IUCN Category VIII

Landjia Classified Forest
Established in 1948; 270ha

Lole Classified Forest
Established in 1951; 1900ha

Lotomo Classified Forest
Established in 1951; 5500ha

Loumi Classified Forest
Established in 1950; 6000ha

Mobaye Classified Forest
Established in 1951; 2180ha

Mokinda Classified Forest
415ha

N’dres Classified Forest
Established in 1948; 30ha

Nan Barya Ngoudou Classified Forest
400ha

Nayomo Guimi Classified Forest
150ha

Ngotto Classified Forest
Established in 1951; 62,500ha

Ngoulo Classified Forest
Established in 1950; 150ha

Nidou Classified Forest
18ha

Ohou Classified Forest
Established in 1951; 120,000ha

Ouabere Classified Forest
Established in 1950; 330ha

Ouele Ouele Classified Forest
Established in 1952; 2200ha

Central African Republic

IUCN Category VIII

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

Pami Classified Forest
Established in 1951; 5000ha

Pamia Classified Forest
Established in 1952; 9000ha

Pande Zamaga Classified Forest

Established in 1953; 40,000ha

Paoua Classified Forest
20ha

Paya Classified Forest
Established in 1956; 3lha

Pepoulou Classified Forest
Established in 1950; 1500ha

Poto Poto Classified Forest
Established in 1951; 3500ha

Pradama Classified Forest
20ha

Sabo Classified Forest
Established in 1953; 26,000ha

Seriki Classified Forest
Established in 1952; 5700ha

Tomi Classified Forest
Established in 1952; 1800ha

Yakamele Classified Forest
Established in 1951; 3000ha

Yangana Classified Forest
Established in 1952; 6050ha

Zizi Classified Forest
Established in 1951; 10,000ha

IUCN Category VIII

Central African Republic

UNPROTECTED SITES

Bahr Oulou Faunal Reserve Proposed
An area of 320,000ha is proposed for protection, contiguous to Aouk-Aoukale Faunal
Reserve, Ouandjia-Vakaga Faunal Reserve and Manovo-Gounda-Saint Floris
National Park.

Bamingui-Bangoran Hunting Concession

7°35’N, 20°33’E (centre) Situated east of and adjacent to Bamingui-Bangoran
National Park and Koukourou-Bamingui Faunal Reserve, this area has been
suggested for protection (Stuart et al., 1990).

Bongo Sanctuary Proposed
An area of 265,000ha has been proposed as a protected area. This includes the south-
west tip of the country, projecting between Cameroon and the Congo.

Dzanga-Sangha Dense Forest Reserve

2°14’-3°16’N, 15°45’-16°33’E (approx.) Covering 335,900ha, this forest reserve lies
in the extreme south-west of CAR between Cameroon and the Congo, including the
122,000ha of Dzanga-Ndoki National Park. The southern alluvial zone is flat, but
rises to the north-west where slopes can be steep, ranging between 350m and 692m.
Vegetation types include dense evergreen and deciducus Central African rain forests,
and a transition zone. Fauna includes significant populations of lowland gorilla,
chimpanzee, forest elephant, bongo, buffalo and other species. The ae is inhabited
by the Ba Binga Aka Pygmies at a density of about 1 person/2km~. In addition to
commercial logging, there is subsistence hunting and cultivation, gathering of forest
products and limited coffee growing. There is tourist potential (Frame, 1987; IUCN,
1987).

Kaga-Bandoro Forests
6°53’N, 19°15’E Situated just to the east of Kaga-Bandoro town, these lowland
forests require protection (Stuart et al., 1990).

Kotto Forests
4°28’N, 22°06’E This is a suitable area for protection of lowland forest south of
Kembé, bounded on the south by the Oubangui River (Stuart et al., 1990).

Massif de Bangassou
4°47°N, 22°51’E Lowland forests around the town of Bangassou require protection,
especially on Mont Bangassou where a duiker survey is needed (Stuart et al., 1990).

Massif des Bongo

8°20’N, 21°55’E This mountain range in the north-east of the country has been
identified as being important for plant conservation, as endemics occur. An area of
265,000ha has been recommended for protection (IUCN, 1987; Stuart er al., 1990).

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

Mbaéré-Bodingué-Ngoto

3°45’N, 17°16’E Situated near Basse-Lobaye Forest and south of Forét de Ngoto
Reserve between the Bodingué and Mbaéré rivers, this is a suitable site for the
sustainable use of forest resources (Stuart et al., 1990).

Nana Forests
This is a suitable area for protection of lowland forests, of high biological interest
(Stuart et al., 1990).

Ouadda Forest
8°04’N, 22°24’E (Ouadda town) This is a large area of dry forest to the south of
Ouadda town (Stuart et al., 1990).

Safeca Hunting Concession
9°05’N, 22°50’E (approx.) This concession is situated between André Felix National
Park and Ouandjia-Vakaga Faunal Reserve (Stuart et al., 1990).

Sangba River Area
7°44’N, 21°00’E This enclave in the east of Bamingui-Bangoran Hunting
Concession is worthy of protection. The "Secteur Rhinoceros", covers 270,000ha
(Stuart et al., 1990).

Sangha Economique National Park Proposed
435,900ha

Central African Republic

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC - PROTECTED SITES
National/international designations
Name of area and Management Year

map reference (see Fig. 3.1) area (ha) notified

Classified Forests

1 Badada Kere 200 1952
2 Bako Malikpa 200 1952
3 Bandengue 195

4 Banzoum 5,600 1950
5 Batangafo 17,900 1955
6 Batouri Kadei 110,000 1953
7 Batouri Sadowa 23,500 1952
8 Bengue 80 1954
9 Birini 120,000 1951
10 Bolee 90

11 Botambi 11,700 1950
12 Boungou 16,000 1952
13 Calvaire 112 1952
14 Collines de Bangui 195 1952
15 Céte des Singes 6,500 1952
16 Disso Donago 7,500 1952
17 Herman 36 1956
18 Landjia 270 1948
19 Lole 1,900 1951
20 Lotomo 5,500 1951
21 Loumi 6,000 1950
22 Mobaye 2,180 1951
23 Mokinda 415

24 N’dres 30 1948
25 Nan Barya Ngoudou 400

26 Nayomo Guimi 150

27 Ngotto 62,500 1951
28 Ngoulo 150 1950
29 Nidou 18

30 Ohou 120,000 1951
31 Ouabere 330 1950
32 Ouele Ouele 2,200 1952
33 Pami 5,000 1951
34 Pamia 9,000 1952
35 Pande Zamaga 40,000 1953
36 Paoua 20

37 Paya 31 1956
38 Pepoulou 1,500 1950
39 Poto Poto 3,500 1951

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

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CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC - PROTECTED SITES (cont.)

National/international designations

Name of area and Management Year
map reference (see Fig. 3.1) area (ha) notified
40 Pradama 20

41 Sabo 26,000 1953
42 Seriki 5,700 1952
43 Tomi 1,800 1952
44 Yakamele 3,000 1951
45 Yangana 6,050 1952
46 Zizi 10,000 1951
Faunal Reserves

47 Aouk-Aoukale 330,000 1939
48 Gribingui-Bamingui 438,000 1940
49 Koukourou-Bamingui 110,000 1940
50 Nana-Barya 230,000 1960
51 Ouandjia-Vakaga 130,000 1925
52 Yata-Ngaya 420,000 1960
53 Zemongo 1,010,000 1925
National Parks

54 André Felix 170,000 1960
55 Bamingui-Bangoran 1,070,000 1933
56 Dzanga-Ndoki 122,000 1990
57 Manovo-Gounda-Saint Floris 1,740,000 1933

Private Reserve
58 Avakaba Presidential Park 250,000 1980

Special Reserve
59 Dzanga-Sangha 335,900 1990

Strict Nature Reserve
60 Vassako-Bolo 86,000 1960

Biosphere Reserves
Bamingui-Bangoran
Conservation Area 1,622,000 1979
Basse-Lobaye Forest 18,200 1977

World Heritage Sites

Parc National de
Manovo-Gounda-St Floris 1,740,000 1988

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC - UNPROTECTED SITES

Name of area and
map reference (see Fig. 3.2)

Bahr Oulou Faunal Reserve

1 Bamingui-Bangoran Hunting Concession

Bongo Sanctuary

Dzanga-Sangha Dense Forest Reserve

2
3 Kaga-Bandoro Forests
4 Kotto Forests
5 Massif de Bangassou
6 Massif des Bongo
7 Mbaéré-Bodingué-Ngoto
Nana Forests
8 Ouadda Forest
9 Safeca Hunting Concession
0 Sangba River Area
Sangha Economique National Park

Management
area (ha)

320,000

265,000

435,900

Central African Republic

;

284

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CONGO
INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED PROTECTED AREAS

Odzala National Park IUCN Categories II and IX
This protected area complex comprises a national park covering 126,600ha and a
biosphere reserve of 110,000ha, contiguous to Lekoli-Pandaka Faunal Reserve
(68,200ha) and M’boko Hunting Reserve (90,000ha). Situated on an undulating
plateau with many natural saltpans, the area is mostly covered with dense evergreen
and some secondary forest, with savanna on hilltops. The typical forest fauna includes
threatened species such as leopard, gorilla Gorilla gorilla, and chimpanzee Pan
troglodytes. The rare giant African swallowtail Papilio antimachus occurs. Poaching,
particularly of elephant, has been reported, as well as of gorilla and chimpanzee.
Some pygmies have temporary camps within the park. Lack of access, equipment and
staff (staff are stationed outside the park), means the park is not adequately patrolled.
The park has never been developed and there is no tourism, as access is fairly limited
(IUCN/UNEP, 1987; MacKinnon and MacKinnon, 1986).

Dimonika Biosphere Reserve IUCN Category IX
This reserve of 136,000ha comprises a central zone of 91,000ha, buffer zones of
20,000ha and 7000ha, and a "zone of influence" of 18,000ha. It is situated in rugged
mountain ranges parallel to the coast, and its forests protect an important watershed,
crucial to an area stretching as far as the coast. The flora is particularly interesting,
existing in a transitional zone between evergreen and semi-deciduous forest. Various
types of regenerating forest occur. The rich and varied fauna includes a number of
primates and antelopes, and several threatened species. Nearly 8000 people live near
the reserve, not including a further 664 persons resident in the buffer zone, which
suffers from human pressure as a result. An area of 23,500ha within the core area was
commercially logged until 1992. Illegal hunting by gold prospectors is known to take
place, and illegal cultivation puts constant pressure on the buffer zone (IUCN, 1989;
IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

NATIONALLY PROTECTED AREAS

Conkouati Faunal Reserve IUCN Category IV
The reserve covers 144,294ha in a low-lying coastal area, comprising sandy beaches,
areas of mangrove and several lagoons connected to the Atlantic Ocean. Scrub and
dense humid forest occur inland. The reserve supports a number of threatened
mammals, including chimpanzee Pan troglodytes, mandrill Mandrillus sphinx, manatee
and gorilla Gorilla gorilla. However, lack of finance and sufficient staff to control
poaching has led to a noticeable decline in animal numbers. There is still a significant
human population within the reserve, and timber felling is gradually reducing the size
of the forest patches. Timber exploitation was renewed in 1988, and oil and potassium
exploration are causing disturbance. It is hoped that a marine area can be added to the
reserve, but funds are lacking (IUCN, 1989; IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

Lefini Faunal Reserve IUCN Category IV
This reserve of 630,000ha is situated on the vast Bateke sandstone plateau, dissected
to depths of 200-300m by the Léfini and Nambouli rivers, forming some spectacular
canyons. Fires have reduced the formerly dense dry forest to a few isolated patches
surrounded by open grassland savanna, with some gallery forest along the rivers. The
fauna is much reduced, but still includes elephant and several duiker species and a
diverse avifauna. Poaching, particularly of lion and elephant, have caused their
disappearance from some areas; guard posts are too far apart, and staff and equipment
scarce. Five villages exist within the reserve, and plans to dam part of the Lefini
River could flood large areas (UCN/UNEP, 1987).

Lekoli-Pandaka Faunal Reserve IUCN Category IV
The reserve covers 68,200ha, and is part of a larger conservation area that includes
M’boko Hunting Reserve (90,000ha) and Odzala National Park (126,600ha).
During the long rainy season up to 60% of the reserve is flooded, and soils are subject
to landslides. An important feature is the reserve’s location in a transitional area
between the two major vegetation zones of equatorial rainforest and savanna, and there
are saltpans which attract many animals. The forest fauna includes the threatened
gorilla and forest elephant Loxodonta africana cyclotis. Poaching, particularly of
elephant and buffalo at the saltpans, and illegal fishing occur. Access is difficult, and
the Lekioli River is used for this purpose. The staff are also responsible for Odzala
National Park and no control posts exist (UCN/UNEP, 1987).

M’boko Hunting Reserve IUCN Category IV
This reserve of 90,000ha is part of a larger conservation area that includes
Lekoli-Pandaka Faunal Reserve (68 ,200ha) and Odzala National Park (126,600ha)
and comprises the upper floodplain of several tributaries of the Congo River.
Vegetation types include scattered tree savanna and dense humid equatorial rain forest,
although the forest has been reduced to relatively impoverished secondary forest in
areas where timber has been extracted. The reserve supports a number of ungulates
and some elephant. Hunting is allowed under permit, but access is difficult. Poaching
for ivory by foreigners as well as locals occurs, but there is only one staff member on
the reserve (IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

Mont Fouari Faunal Reserve IUCN Category IV
This area of 15,600ha is part of an 88,3600ha conservation area including Mont
Mavoumbou Hunting Reserve (42,000ha), Nyanga Nord Faunal Reserve (7700ha)
and Nyanga Sud Hunting Reserve (23,000ha), incorporating a seasonally flooded
plain and numerous marshes including Lac Bleu, which is fed by groundwater. Most
of the reserve is moderately wooded savanna, while a tenth of the area, including Mt
Fouari, supports a fairly dense Terminalia superba forest. Fauna includes several
duiker species, and large animals are more numerous here than in other Congo
reserves, making it popular with visitors. Poaching, the collection of forest products
and periodic fires are threatening the ecosystem (IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

Congo

Mont Mavoumbou Hunting Reserve IUCN Category IV
This reserve of 42,000ha is part of an 88,300ha conservation area that includes
Nyanga Nord Faunal Reserve (7700ha), Nyanga Sud Hunting Reserve (23,000ha)
and Mont Fouari Faunal Reserve (15,600ha). The dominant feature is Mount
Mavoumbou, which forms the southern boundary. Most of the area is vegetated by
wooded savanna, but isolated forest patches occur. Larger mammals are similar to
those in Mont Fouari Faunal Reserve and include elephant, buffalo and several
ungulate species. Poaching, the collection of forest products, encroachment of
cultivation and indiscriminate fires threaten the integrity of the reserve, which enjoys
limited surveillance. Guard posts have been abandoned (IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

Nyanga Nord Faunal Reserve IUCN Category IV
This 7700ha reserve is part of an 88,300ha conservation area including Mont
Mavoumbou Hunting Reserve (42,000ha), Mount Fouari Faunal Reserve
(15,600ha) and Nyanga Sud Hunting Reserve (23,000ha); it is separated from
Nyanga Sud by the Nyanga River. Notable landforms are the narrow Mitsoubou
Gorge and the deep Lac Tsoubou. Much of the area is vegetated with tall-grass
savanna in low-lying areas, with shorter grass on slopes and limited areas of gallery
forest. Larger mammals that survive in the reserve include several antelope species,
but poaching and periodic fires are a problem (IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

Nyanga Sud Hunting Reserve IUCN Category IV
This reserve covers an area of 23,000ha, and is part of an 88,300ha conservation area
with Nyanga Nord Faunal Reserve (7700ha), Mont Mavoumbou Hunting Reserve
(42,000ha) and Mont Fouari Faunal Reserve (15,600ha) and separated from Nyanga
Nord by the Nyanga River. Nearly all the reserve is well-wooded savanna, with areas
of secondary forest noted for stands of Terminalia superba. Larger mammals in the
reserve include several antelope species, but poaching, the collection of forest
products, illegal felling (particularly of Terminalia), and fires in the savanna areas,
threaten the integrity of the reserve. Hunting is permitted under license (IUCN/UNEP,
1987).

Tsoulou Faunal Reserve IUCN Category IV
This reserve of 30,000ha includes a series of calcareous hills, mostly vegetated by
savanna with secondary forest along rivers. A variety of mammals occur, including
gorilla and elephant. However, surveillance is poor and poaching, periodic fires and
illegal fishing are common, as the reserve is under pressure from the expanding local
population around it IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

OTHER MANAGED SITES

Loudima Faunal Reserve

The reserve covers 6000ha of predominantly savanna. Plantations of eucalyptus and
pine trees exist, which are harvested. Mammals include buffalo, bushpig and several
monkey species. The pines provide shelter for savanna fauna and are apparently
considered to be of value in the management of the area. The whole area only has one

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

guard to control hunting, and no control post. Night poaching and fires are a threat
(IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

UNPROTECTED AREAS

Boko-Songo (Aubeville) Forest
4°16’S, 13°18’E A new reserve is deemed necessary in this area (Stuart et al., 1990)

Bowé de Kouyi Forest

2°27’S, 12°26’E Situated on the central slopes of the Chaillu Massif, this forested
area incorporates two large plateau areas between 600m and 650m, deeply dissected
by forested dolines. The fauna has been little studied. The site is considered to be of
scientific importance, and should be protected (IUCN, 1989; Stuart et al., 1990).

Grand Bangou Forest

3°50’-3°58’S, 14°23’-14°32’E This site consists of semi-humid primary and
secondary forests, covering an area of about 13,000ha between 300m and 500m
elevation. Forest fauna such as buffalo, sitatunga, duikers and monkeys occur, but the
area has not been fully studied. It is considered to be biologically interesting. Human
settlement is low, but subsistence activities take place IUCN, 1987; IUCN, 1990a;
Stuart et al., 1990).

Ibenga-Motaba Forest

2°23’-3°12’N, 16°52’-18°10’E This is an area of about 661,196ha covered by
partially deciduous forest, swamp forest, Gilbertiodendron rain forest and swampy
areas with Raphia palms. The fauna has not been well studied, but includes elephant,
gorilla, chimpanzee, duiker and leopard. It is recommended as a protected area.
Human population is low (IUCN, 1989; Stuart et al., 1990).

Intsini and Maniéres
This site supports mixed forest and savanna (IUCN, 1987).

Kéllé-Oboko II Forest
A reserve is needed at this site, south of Kéllé (Stuart et al., 1990).

Lac Télé Region

0°00’-2°00’N, 16°43’-17°33’E This area incorporates moist forest covering about
1,050,000ha between 280m and 380m, and includes Lac Télé (5-6km in diameter).
Fauna includes DeBrazza’s monkey Cercopithecus neglectus, Pennant’s red colobus
Procolobus pennanti, Cercocebus agilis, sitatunga, chevrotain, black-fronted duiker,
otters, elephant and buffalo. Human population density is low, and the area is
recommended for protection (IUCN, 1989; IUCN, 1987; Stuart et al., 1990).

Kouilou Estuary Mangroves
4°25’S, 11°56’E

Congo

Likouala-aux-herbes-Lac Télé - see Lac Télé Region

Londéla-Kayes Forest
4°48’S, 13°25’E A new reserve is necessary in this area (Stuart et al., 1990).

Malebo Pool, Stanley Pool

4°20’S, 15°30°’E Situated on the border with Zaire immediately to the north of
Kinshasa and Brazzaville, this lake is situated on the Zaire River and covers 50,000ha;
it incorporates the large Mbamou Island. Over 235 species of fish have been recorded,
seven of which are probably endemic. Hippopotamus, bushpig, sitatunga, water
mongoose and otter occur (Burgis and Symoens, 1987).

Mambili Forest
This is the sole locality for the dragonfly Aethiothemis watuliki (Stuart et al., 1990).

Mbombo-Sembe
A new reserve is considered to be necessary (Stuart et al., 1990).

Mboukou-Djeke
A new reserve is considered to be necessary (Stuart et al., 1990).

Mont Nabemba-Garabinzam

1°10’-2°00’N, 13°00’-14°00’E This area covers an estimated area of 395,000ha of
forested lowland between 400m and 600m, and incorporates mountains between 600m
and 1000m. Mont Nabemba possesses a rich and important flora, and although the
fauna of the area is poorly documented, gorilla, bongo and chevrotain are known to
occur. The area is strongly recommended for protection (IUCN, 1989; Stuart et ai.,
1990).

Nouabalé Forest

2°10’-3°00’N, 16°10’-17°00’E This forested area covers about 458,000ha of North
Congo differentiated rain forest on plateaux declining from between 400m and 500m
to 200-400m in the south-east. The fauna is rich and includes gorilla, chimpanzee,
potto, elephant, duiker, bongo and bushpig. Human population is low, and the area
is recommended as a protected area (IUCN, 1989; Stuart et al., 1990).

Ogooué-Zanaga Forest
2°44’S, 13°51’E A new reserve is considered necessary (Stuart et al., 1990).

Patte d’Oie and Tsiemé Forests
A reserve is needed in this area (Stuart et al., 1990).

Petit Bangou
This site supports dry forest worthy of protection IUCN, 1987).

Souanke - see Mont Nabemba-Garabinzam

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

CONGO - PROTECTED SITES

National/international designations

Name of area and Management Year
map reference (see Fig. 4.1) area (ha) notified

Faunal Reserves

1 Conkouati 144,294 1980
2 Lefini 630,000 1951
3 Lekoli-Pandaka 68,200 1955
4 Mont Fouari 15,600 1958
5 Nyanga Nord 7,700 1958
6 Tsoulou 30,000 1963
Hunting Reserves
7 M’boko 90,000 1955
8 Mont Mavoumbou 42,000 1955
9 Nyanga Sud 23,000 1958
National Park
10 Odzala 126,600 1940
Biosphere Reserves
Parc national d’Odzala 110,000 1977
Réserve de la Biosphére de Dimonika 136,000 1988

Congo

Fig 4.1 Congo: protected ecologically sensitive sites

Wildlife Sector

3 @ Conservation Areas

a5, Brazzaville

0 100 200km
e
WORLD CONSERVATION
MONITORING CENTRE
6 se
a aaa

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

CONGO - UNPROTECTED SITES

Name of area and
map reference (see Fig. 4.2)

Boko-Songo (Aubeville) Forest
Bowé de Kouyi Forest

Grand Bangou Forest
Ibenga-Motaba Forest

Intsini and Maniéres
Kéllé-Oboko II Forest

Lac Télé Region

Kouilou Estuary Mangroves
Londéla-Kayes Forest

Malebo Pool, Stanley Pool
Mambili Forest
Mbombo-Sembe
Mboukou-Djeke

9 Mont Nabemba-Garabinzam
10 Nouabalé Forest

11 Ogooué-Zanaga Forest

Patte d’Oie and Tsiemé Forests
Petit Bangou

RWNHN

ONAN

Management
area (ha)

13,000
661,196

1,050,000

50,000

395,000

Congo

Fig 4.2 Congo: unprotected ecologically sensitive sites

e@ Unprotected Sites

e
WORLD COMSERVATION
MOMITORINC CENTRE

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COTE D’IVOIRE
INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED SITES

Comoé National Park IUCN Categories II, IX and X
This large park of 1,150,000ha is also a biosphere reserve and World Heritage site.
It is important for the wide variety of its habitats, transitional between open woodland
and savanna and including all major types of savanna found in this region. The
infertile soils are unsuitable for cultivation, and in general the area has been little
modified. A large number of mammals occur, with 11 species of monkey (including
chimpanzee) and 17 species of carnivore, including lion and leopard. Comoé forms
the northern limit of distribution for some antelope species, and all three species of
African crocodile occur. Poaching has been reduced by anti-poaching measures, but
there is a small village within the park, and limited cultivation, burning and grazing
(IUCN/UNEP, 1987; MacKinnon and MacKinnon, 1986).

Mont Nimba Strict Nature Reserve IUCN Categories I and X
Mount Nimba, the third highest mountain (1752m) in West Africa west of Cameroon,
lies on the border of three countries: Céte d’Ivoire, Guinea and Liberia. In Céte
d'Ivoire 5000ha designated as classified forest comprise the Mont Nimba World
Heritage Site. There is a continuum of habitats, from savanna on infertile, iron-rich
soils at about 500m elevation, through lowland moist rain forest and dry mid-altitude
forest, to high altitude grassland on the summits. The area has been identified as a
centre of plant diversity under the IUCN-WWF Plants Conservation Programme. The
fauna includes several threatened species such as pygmy hippopotamus Choeropsis
liberiensis, \eopard, chimpanzee and _ white-necked rockfowl Picathartes
gymnocephalus. The Liberian section is still not protected; poaching occurs there and
massive iron ore mining operations are in progress, as the whole mountain is rich in
iron ore (IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

Tai National Park IUCN Categories II, IX and X
This park of 350,000ha is also a Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site. It is one
of the largest remaining portions of the Upper Guinea rain forest bloc, which once
stretched from Sierra Leone to Ghana. It has a high level of plant endemism, and
much ancient growth; 47 of the 54 species of large mammal found in Upper Guinea
forests occur there, including five threatened species. Of the avifauna of over 230
species, five are threatened. Tai is in the top ten forests of conservation importance
in Africa (Collar and Stuart, 1988). Some exploitation is allowed in the buffer zone
(covering an additional 20,000ha); extensive felling has occurred in the south, and
crop cultivation is taking place. A perimeter road, designed to define boundaries, has
had the adverse effect of increasing access to the area. Gold panning also severely
affects parts of the central area. Poaching and disturbance have reduced some animal
populations, especially forest elephant. Problems increased in the absence of stringent
protection, but this is now being strongly enforced and boundaries clearly delimited
(IUCN/UNEP, 1987; MacKinnon and MacKinnon, 1986).

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

NATIONALLY PROTECTED AREAS

Azagny National Park IUCN Category II
A coastal park of 19,000ha situated between the Bandama River and Ebrié Lagoon;
about two-thirds is covered with various types of swamp. The naturally fluctuating
water levels are also artificially maintained. Habitats include a small area of
mangroves, groundwater forest with many palms, and coastal savanna. It supports
many threatened species, including chimpanzee, West African manatee Trichechus
senegalensis, elephant and the three African species of crocodile. The important
animal species within the park are not numerous and are isolated from other
populations, as the park is surrounded by developed land. Population increase is also
putting pressure on the park, and oil exploration is reported (UCN/UNEP, 1987).

Banco National Park IUCN Category II
This is an isolated remnant of dense rain forest covering 3000ha, situated on a coastal
lagoon at the mouth of the River Banco. It contains the national forestry college and
an arboretum; a few plantations, mainly of teak, have been established in cleared
areas. The fauna is not abundant, but includes several monkey species although
chimpanzee are reported to have disappeared. The park’s integrity is safeguarded at
present but, being only 10km west of Abidjan, it has large numbers of visitors and is
affected by poaching and road development (IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

Divo Botanical Reserve IUCN Category IV
5°51’N, 5°15’W Established in 1975, this reserve lies in the Divo District of South-
west Region, east of Divo town. It supports dense deciduous forest, covering 7350ha
(Frame, 1987).

Haut Bandama Fauna and Flora Reserve IUCN Category I
A flat area of 123,000ha, consisting of very open savanna woodland and gallery
forest. The area is considered particularly important for the protection of the savanna
form of elephant, and is the only refuge for hippopotamus when they leave Lake
Kossou (to the south) to graze. The boundaries are not delimited, and poaching in the
past has severely reduced animal populations, which are now recovering. The area of
the reserve was reduced in 1974 to make way for agro-industrial developments, and
a sugar plantation threatens the south-east part (IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

Iles Ehotile National Park IUCN Category II
5°06’N, 3°13’W_ Established in 1974, this protected area covers 10,500ha of the
southern half of the main Abi Lagoon, east of Abidjan.

Marahoue National Park IUCN Category II
Covering 101,000ha, this park includes dense deciduous forest, gallery forest and
Guinea savanna; a number of inselbergs support their own characteristic vegetation.
The fauna includes both forest and savanna species, including several primates
including chimpanzee, and about 50 elephant occur. Numbers of many species are low
due to heavy poaching in the past, but recovery has begun. Fish poisoning by

Cote d’Ivoire

fertilizers takes place, and there may be adverse effects from spraying against tsetse
flies. There is well developed tourism all year, illegal plantations and forest
exploitation IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

Mont Peko National Park IUCN Category II
Most of the 34,000ha of this park, which is situated in a mountainous region, is
covered by dense deciduous forest; about a fifth consists of Guinea savanna woodland.
It supports a varied fauna including threatened species such as chimpanzee, leopard
and elephant. The park is now well protected against poaching, but agriculture takes
place and mining may also affect the area (IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

Mont Sangbe National Park IUCN Category II
This park covers an area of 95,000ha in the Toura Mountains, which have 14 peaks
over 1000m high. Guinea savanna woodland predominates, with a number of endemic
plant species. The varied and abundant fauna includes elephant, but poaching and
forest exploitation do occur (IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

N’Zo Partial Faunal Reserve IUCN Category IV
A flat, low-lying area of 95,000ha, contiguous to Tai National Park, to which it is
similar and for which it acts as a buffer zone. The vegetation comprises Upper
Guinean dense evergreen rain forest similar to that of the Tai forest. The fauna is
similar to that of Tai, and includes pygmy hippopotamus and Jentink’s duiker.
Exploitation of some forest products is permitted, which makes it difficult to control
other activities, inciuding poaching. Tree felling is now _ greatly
diminished ((UCN/UNEP, 1987).

OTHER MANAGED AREAS

Abounderessou Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Bouaflé District of the Central Region; forest-savanna mosaic, covering 3200ha
(Frame, 1987).

Ahua Classified Forest IUCN Category VII
In Dimbokro District of the Central Region; dense forest (deciduous), covering 2400ha
(Frame, 1987).

Akabo Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
2300ha
Anguededou Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

This is dense evergreen forest covering 840ha in the Abidjan District of the South-east
Region (Frame, 1987).

Badenou Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

In Korhogo District of the North-west Region; Sudanese savanna covering 28,300ha
(Frame, 1987).

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

Badikaha Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Katiola District of Central Region, and Ferkessedougou District of North-east
Region; Sudanese savanna vegetation, with African buffalo (Frame, 1987).

Bafing Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Touba and Bian Kouma Districts of North-west Region; forest-savanna mosaic
covering 2200ha (Frame, 1987).

Bamo Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Abengourou District of South-east Region; dense forest (deciduous), covering 250ha
(Frame, 1987).

Bamoro Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Bouake District Central Region; Guinea savanna covering 2200ha (Frame, 1987).

Bandama Supérieur Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Ferkessedougou District of North-east Region; Sudanese savanna covering
45,000ha. African buffalo are seasonally present (Frame, 1987).

Bandama-Blanc Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
50,500ha
Baya-Korore Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

In Bondoukou District of the Central Region; dense forest (deciduous), covering
12,200ha. African buffalo are present (Frame, 1987).

Belefima Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Bouna District of North-east Region; Sudanese savanna covering 22,800ha. An
important reserve for elephant. Buffalo are also present (Frame, 1987).

Besse Boka Classified Forest - see Fetekro Classified Forest

Besso Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Adzope District of the South-east Region; dense forest (deciduous), covering
23,100ha. Buffalo occur (Frame, 1987).

Biki-Bossematie Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Aboisso District of the South-east Region; dense forest (deciduous) covering
38,900ha. An important reserve for elephant. Buffalo also occur (Frame, 1987).

Boka-Go Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

In Bouake District of the Central Region; Guinea savanna covering 4900ha. Buffalo
occur (Frame, 1987).

Cote d’Ivoire

Bolo Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Sassandra District of South-west Region; dense forest (evergreen), covering
8800ha. Buffalo occur (Frame, 1987).

Borotou Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
8°44’N, 7°27°W In Touba District of North-west Region; Sudanese savanna covering
10,400ha. An important reserve for elephant. Buffalo are also present (Frame, 1987).

Bouafle Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Bouaflé District of Central Region; dense forest (deciduous) covering 20,350ha.
Buffalo occur, and the reserve is well-suited for managing this species (Frame, 1987).

Brassue Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Aboisso District of South-east Region; dense forest (deciduous), covering 20,000ha.
Buffalo are seasonally present (Frame, 1987).

Comoe Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Abidjan District of South-east Region; dense forest (evergreen), covering 1600ha.
Buffalo are seasonally present (Frame, 1987).

Davo Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Gagnoa District of South-west Region; dense forest (deciduous) covering 12,580ha.
Buffalo are present (Frame, 1987).

Dents de Man Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
136ha
Diambarakrou Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

In Aboisso District of the South-east Region; dense forest (deciduous) covering
27,350ha. Buffalo are present (Frame, 1987).

Divo Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
7350ha
Dogodou Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

5°22’N, 5°22’W In Divo District of the South-west Region, north-west of Azagny
National Park. Dense evergreen forest, covering 22,400ha; an important reserve for
elephant, and buffalo are present (Frame, 1987).

Doka Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
6°19’N, 5°17’W In Oueme District of South-west Region; dense deciduous forest,
covering 14,400ha. Buffalo occur (Frame, 1987).

Doubele Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
4300ha

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

Duékoué Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
6°38’N, 7°08’W In Guiglo District of West Region; dense forest (deciduous)
covering 47,600ha. Buffalo occur (Frame, 1987).

Dyengele Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Odienne District of North-west Region; Sudanese savanna covering 2600ha (Frame,
1987).

Fetekro Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
7°48’N, 4°43’W In Bouake District of Central Region; Guinea savanna covering
4800ha. An important reserve for elephant, and buffalo are present seasonally. The
reserve is well suited for managing buffalo in coordination with Laka, Mafa and
Besse Boka forest reserves, which combined would total an area of 31,600ha (Frame,
1987; Stuart et al. 1990).

Flan Soblysiemen Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Man District of West Region; forest-savanna mosaic covering 16,700ha. Buffalo
occur (Frame, 1987).

Go-Bodienou Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Abidjan District of South-east region and Divo District of the Central region; dense
forest (evergreen) covering 60,000ha. An important area for elephant and buffalo
occur (Frame, 1987).

Goin-Cavally Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
189,900ha
Gorke Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

In Abengourou District of South-east Region; dense forest (deciduous) covering
4100ha (Frame, 1987).

Goudi Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Divo District of South-west Region; dense forest (deciduous) covering 9600ha
(Frame, 1987).

Gouele Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
11,600ha
Goulaleu Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

In Guiglo District of West Region; dense forest (deciduous) covering 950ha. Buffalo
are seasonally present (Frame, 1987).

Guinteguela Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

In Touba District of North-west Region; Sudanese savanna covering 9600ha. Buffalo
occur (Frame, 1987).

Céte d’Ivoire

Hana Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Soubre District of South-west Region; dense forest (evergreen) covering 72,000ha.
Buffalo are present (Frame, 1987).

Haute Dodo Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Sassandra District of South-west Region; dense forest (evergreen) covering
109,400ha. An important reserve for elephant, and buffalo occur. Reserve well suited
for managing buffalo (Frame, 1987).

Haut-Bandama Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
84,000ha
Haut-Sassandra Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

In Daloa District of West Region; dense forest (deciduous) covering 102,400ha. An
important reserve for elephant, and buffalo occur. The reserve is well suited for
managing buffalo (Frame, 1987).

Hein N’Zodji Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Abidjan District of South-east Region; dense forest (evergreen) covering 23,400ha.
Buffalo occur (Frame, 1987).

Ira Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Biankouma District of North-west Region; forest-savanna mosaic, covering
13,000ha. Buffalo occur (Frame, 1987).

Irobo Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Abidjan District of South-east Region; dense forest (evergreen), covering 24,500ha.
Buffalo occur (Frame, 1987).

Kanhasso Classified Forest IUCN Category VII
In Odienne District of North-west Region; Sudanese savanna covering 5900ha (Frame,
1987).

Kani-Bandama Rouge Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
105,000ha

Kanoumou Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
4000ha

Kassa Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

In Abidjan District of South-east Region; dense forest (deciduous) covering 7000ha
(Frame, 1987).

Kere Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

In Odienne District of North-west Region; Sudanese savanna covering 1200ha (Frame,
1987).

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

Keregbo Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Dimbokro and Bouake Districts of Central Region; dense forest (deciduous)
covering 21,300ha. An important reserve for elephant, and buffalo also occur. The
reserve is suitable for buffalo management (Frame, 1987).

Kimbrila Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Odienne District of North-west Region; Sudanese savanna covering 1100ha (Frame,
1987).

Kinkene Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Dabakala District of Central Region; Sudanese savanna covering 45,300ha. The
reserve is important for elephant and buffalo, and well-suited for management (Frame,
1987).

Kiohan Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Katiola District of Central Region; Sudanese savanna, covering 1500ha (Frame,
1987).

Koba Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
31,430ha
Koba Nord Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

In Seguela and Mankono Districts of North-west Region; Sudanese savanna covering
2600ha. Buffalo occur (Frame, 1987).

Kobo Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Katiola District of Central Region; Sudanese savanna, covering 14,200ha (Frame,
1987).

Kogaha Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Katiola District of Central Region; Sudanese savanna, covering 15,900ha (Frame,
1987).

Korhogo Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Korhogo District of North-west Region; Sudanese savanna covering 1600ha (Frame,
1987).

Korondekro Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
700ha
Kouaba-Boka Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

In Bouake District of Central Region; Guinea savanna covering 3200ha. Buffalo occur
(Frame, 1987).

Céte d’Ivoire

Kouin Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Man District of West Region; dense forest (deciduous), covering 5000ha. Buffalo
occur (Frame, 1987).

Koumo-Kafaka Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Dimboklrou District of Central Region; forest-savanna mosaic covering 9000ha.
Buffalo occur (Frame, 1987).

Kouroukouna Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Katiola District of Central Region; Sudanese savanna covering 3200ha. Buffalo
occur (Frame, 1987).

Kroziale Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Danane District of West Region; dense forest (deciduous), covering 9300ha.
Buffalo are present seasonally (Frame, 1987).

Lahouda Classified Forest IUCN Category VII
In Oueme District of South-west Region; dense forest (deciduous) covering 3960ha.
Buffalo are present (Frame, 1987).

Laka Classified Forest - see Fetekro Classified Forest

Leraba Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Ferkessedougou District of North-east Region; Sudanese savanna, covering
23,500ha. Buffalo occur (Frame, 1987).

Logahan Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Ferkessedougou District of North-east Region; Sudanese savanna covering 2500ha
(Frame, 1987).

Loho Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Katiola District of Central Region; Sudanese savanna covering 92,100ha. An
important reserve for elephant, and buffalo also occur. The reserve is suitable for
management (Frame, 1987).

Lokpoho Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Ferkessedougou District of North-east Region; Sudanese savanna, covering 3400ha
(Frame, 1987).

Loviguie Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Abengourou District of South-east Region; dense forest (evergreen), covering
2800ha (Frame, 1987).

Maby Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
63,100ha

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

Mafa Classified Forest - see Fetekro Classified Forest
13,400

Mando Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Baouke District of Central Region; dense forest (deciduous), covering 11,300ha.
Buffalo occur (Frame, 1987).

Manzan Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Aboisso District of South-east Region; dense forest (deciduous), covering 4500ha.
Buffalo are seasonally present (Frame, 1987).

Matiemba Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Bouake District of Central Region; dense forest (deciduous), covering 960ha.
Buffalo occur (Frame, 1987).

Miniabo Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
600ha
Monoga Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

In Sassandra District of South-west Region; dense forest (evergreen), covering
35,000ha. Buffalo are seasonally present (Frame, 1987).

Mont Ba Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Biankouma District of North-west Region; forest-savanna mosaic, covering 4500ha.
Buffalo occur (Frame, 1987).

Mont Bableu Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Man District of West Region; forest-savanna mosaic covering 15,400ha. Buffalo
are seasonally present (Frame, 1987).

Mont Gbande Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Odienne District of North-west Region; Sudanese savanna covering 23,100ha. An
important reserve for elephant, and buffalo are present. The reserve is well suited for
management (Frame, 1987).

Mont Glo Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In the Man District of West Region; dense forest (deciduous), covering 14,000ha.
Buffalo are seasonally present (Frame, 1987).

Mont Ko Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Seguela District of North-west Region; Sudanese and Guinea savannas, covering
49,000ha. Buffalo are present. The forest is suitable for management (Frame, 1987).

Mont Kourabah Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
3350ha

Cote d’Ivoire

Mont Kouzan-Kourou Classified Forest IUCN Category VII
1800ha
Mont Sangbe Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

In Biankouma District of North-west Region; forest-savanna mosaic, covering
37,400ha. Buffalo occur (Frame, 1987).

Mont Toukoui Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
7°26’N, 7°38’W In Man District of West Region; dense montane forest covering
4200ha. The tree fern Cyathea manniana occurs (Frame, 1987; WCMC, 1989b).

Mont-Manda Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Odienne District of North-west Region; Sudanese savanna, covering 2800ha.
Buffalo are present seasonally (Frame, 1987).

Mont-Momi Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Danane District of West Region; dense forest (deciduous), covering 8000ha.
Buffalo are seasonally present (Frame, 1987).

Mont-Nieton Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
11,300ha
Mont-Nimba Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
19,500ha
Mont-Tia Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

In Man District of West Region; dense forest (deciduous), covering 16,300ha. Buffalo
occur (Frame, 1987).

Mopri Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Mopri District of South-west Region; dense forest (deciduous), covering 33,000ha.
An important reserve for elephant, and buffalo occur. This reserve is especially
suitable for the management of buffalo (Frame, 1987).

N’Ganda-N’Ganda Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Agboville District of South-east Region; dense forest (evergreen) and coastal
savanna, covering 2400ha. Buffalo are seasonally present (Frame, 1987).

N’Golodougou Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Katiola District of Central Region; Sudanese savanna, covering 4000ha. Buffalo are
seasonally present (Frame, 1987).

N’Guechie Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

In Abidjan District of South-east Region; dense forest (evergreen), covering 2800ha.
Buffalo are present (Frame, 1987).

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

N’to Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
15,800ha

Nambon Kaha Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
3200ha

Nanyelongo Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
600ha

Niangbon Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

In Katiola District of Central Region; Sudanese savanna, covering 1700ha (Frame,
1987).

Niegre Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Sassandra District of South-west Region; dense forest (evergreen), covering
100,800ha. An important reserve for elephant, and buffalo also occur. The reserve is
suitable for buffalo management (Frame, 1987).

Niouniourou Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Lakota District of South-west Region; dense forest (evergreen), covering 19,670ha.
Buffalo are present seasonally (Frame, 1987).

Nougbo Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Ferkessedougou District of North-east Region; Sudanese savanna, covering
20,800ha. Buffalo occur. The forest is suited to management (Frame, 1987).

Nyangboue Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Boundiali District of North-west Region; Sudanese savanna, covering 24,400ha. An
important reserve for elephant, and buffalo occur seasonally (Frame, 1987).

Nyellepuo-N’Zi Supérieur Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Dadakala District of Central Region, and Ferkessedougou District of North-east
Region; Sudanese savanna, covering 150,400ha. Buffalo occur, and the reserve is
suitable for management (Frame, 1987).

Okromodou Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Sassandra and Divo Districts of South-west Region; dense forest (evergreen),
covering 94,500ha. An important reserve for elephant, and buffalo are also present
(Frame, 1987).

Palee Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Poro-Poro Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
50,500ha

Cote d’Ivoire

Poue-N’Zue Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
800ha

Poulla Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
1500ha

Poumbou Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
60,000ha

Prikro-Baya Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
4600ha

Proungboserebi Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
7000ha

Pyerrhe Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

In Dabakala District of Central Region; Sudanese savanna, covering 52,800ha. An
important reserve for elephant, and buffalo are present. The reserve is suitable for
management (Frame, 1987).

Rapidegrah Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Sassandra District of South-west Region; dense forest (evergreen), covering
204,200ha. Buffalo occur (Frame, 1987).

Rasso Classified Forest IUCN Category VII
In Abengourou District of South-east Region; dense forest (deciduous), covering
2700ha (Frame, 1987).

Raviart Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
800ha
Samankono Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

In Mankono District of North-west Region; Sudanese savanna, covering 3900ha.
Buffalo occur (Frame, 1987).

Sanaimbo Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Bongouano District of Central Region; dense forest (deciduous), covering 5200ha
(Frame, 1987).

Sananferedougou Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
470ha
Sangoué Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

In Oueme, Lakota and Divo Districts of South-west Region; dense forest (deciduous),
covering 36,280ha. Buffalo occur (Frame, 1987).

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

Sangouine Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
32,000ha
Sanvan Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

In Dimbokro District of Central Region; dense forest (deciduous), covering 3600ha
(Frame, 1987).

Scio Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Guiglo and Man Districts of West Region; dense forest (deciduous), covering
133,800ha. An important reserve for elephant, and buffalo are present. The reserve
is suited to buffalo management (Frame, 1987).

Seguela Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Seguela District of North-west Region; forest-savanna mosaic, covering 6300ha.
Granite domes occur, with similar vegetation to the Fouta Djalan and consequently of
great interest. Buffalo are present (Frame, 1987; WCMC, 1991).

Seguie Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Bongouano District of Central Region; dense forest (deciduous), covering 19,600ha.
Buffalo occur (Frame, 1987).

Silue Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Katiola District of Central Region; Sudanese savanna, covering 40,400ha. Buffalo
are present (Frame, 1987).

Singrobo Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
1200ha
Songan Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

31,000ha. An important reserve for elephant, and buffalo occur. The reserve is well
suited to buffalo management (Frame, 1987).

Soungourou Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Dimbokro District of Central Region; Guinea savanna, covering 5200ha. Buffalo
occur (Frame, 1987).

Suitoro Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Dabakala District of Central Region; Sudanese savanna, covering 22,600ha. An
important reserve for elephant, and buffalo occur. The forest is suitable for
management (Frame, 1987).

Tafire Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

In Katiola District of Central Region; Sudanese savanna, covering 8300ha (Frame,
1987).

Cote d’Ivoire

Tagba Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
3200ha

Tamin Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
46,300ha

Tebe Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

In Dimbokro District of Central Region; forest-savanna mosaic, covering 5000ha.
Buffalo occur (Frame, 1987).

Tene Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Oueme District of South-west Region; dense forest (deciduous), covering 29,400ha.
Buffalo occur. The forest is suited to buffalo management (Frame, 1987).

Teonle Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Man District of West Region; dense forest (deciduous), covering 4000ha. Buffalo
are present seasonally (Frame, 1987).

Tiapleu Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Danane District of West Region; dense forest (deciduous), covering 26,700ha.
Buffalo are present seasonally (Frame, 1987).

Tieme Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Odienne District of North-west Region; Sudanese savanna, covering 890ha (Frame,
1987).

Tiengala Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Katiola District of Central Region; Sudanese savanna, covering 2700ha. Buffalo are
present seasonally (Frame, 1987).

Tienny Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Odienne District of North-west Region; Sudanese savanna, covering 13,800ha.
Buffalo are present (Frame, 1987).

Tindikro Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Odienne District of North-west Region; Sudanese savanna, covering 500ha (Frame,
1987).

Touro Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Bouake District of Central Region; Guinea savanna, covering 580ha (Frame, 1987).

Warigue Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

In Ferkessedougou District of North-east Region; Sudanese savanna, covering
62,100ha. Buffalo occur (Frame, 1987).

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

Yalo Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Biankouma District of North-west Region; forest-savanna mosaic, covering
26,200ha. Buffalo occur (Frame, 1987).

Yapo Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Abengourou District of South-east Region; dense forest (evergreen), covering
35,000ha. Buffalo occur (Frame, 1987).

Yaya Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
29,400ha
Zuoke Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

In Oueme District of South-west Region; dense forest (deciduous), covering 9000ha.
Buffalo occur (Frame, 1987).

UNPROTECTED SITES

Aby Lagoon

5°18’N, 3°13’W A large brackish lagoon fringed by mainly freshwater marshes,
Raphia swamp forest and mangroves. The area is of importance to waterfowl; the
southern half of the lagoon is within Iles Ehotile National Park (Altenburg 1987).

Ayame Forest
This forest is typified by the tree Diospyros mapanietum, a vegetation type endemic
to this region (WCMC, 1991).

Azuretti Mangroves

5°12’N, 3°48’W Extensive mangrove and Raphia swamp forests occur around the
mouth of the Ebrié lagoon, east of Abidjan. The area is of considerable importance
to waterbirds, particularly tern, and supports breeding birds such as little bittern,
, goliath heron, hamerkop and night heron. It is threatened by activities such as hunting,
sand dredging and urbanisation (Altenburg, 1987; WCMC 1989b).

Bandama River Lagoons

5°11’N, 5°13’W These include the inter-connected brackish lagoons of Tadio, Maké
and Tagba. The area includes extensive Rhizophora and Avicennia mangrove forest,
Raphia palm swamp forest and freshwater marshes. Of importance to waterfowl,
especially tern; hunting of terns is a possible threat (Altenburg, 1987).

Basse Dodo
Intact swamp forests and mangrove forests occur in this area (WCMC, 1991).

Canal d’Asagni Wetlands

5°10’N, 3°30’W_ Situated between Grand-Bassam and Iles Ehotile National Park,
this area includes about 30,000ha of swamp forest, with islands of Pandanus and
Raphia, and clumps of dense evergreen forest (WCMC, 1991).

Cote d’Ivoire

Cape Palmas
4°21’N, 7°31’W Coral reefs occur off the Cape.

Dagbégo Lagoon
Intact swamp forests and notable mangrove stands occur, with a diverse fauna
(WCMC, 1991).

Fresco Lagoons

5°05’N, 5°27’W Lying to the west of Fresco, these small lagoons and inlets are
fringed by mangroves, freshwater swamps and marshes. They are important for
migrant and wintering seabirds, and as breeding grounds for fish and shrimp (WCMC,
1991).

Mankono Region
Open and closed forest areas occur here (WCMC, 1991).

Mont Kopé a Grabo
This is an area rich in Afro-montane endemics. The topography inhibits exploitation
(WCMC, 1991).

Monts du Toura
7°44’N, 7°18’W These support a unique form of Guinean savanna north of Man,
with both dense and more open forest; they merit protection (WCMC, 1991).

Niega de la Embouchure
Diverse fauna exists in this area (WCMC, 1991).

Tanoé Forest
Intact swamp forests occur here (WCMC, 1991).

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

COTE D’IVOIRE - PROTECTED SITES

National/international designations
Name of area and Management Year
map reference (see Fig. 5.1) area (ha) notified

Classified Forests

Abounderessou 3,200
Ahua 2,400
Akabo 2,300
Anguededou 840
Badenou 28,300
Badikaha 13,300
Bafing 2,200
Bamo 250
Bamoro 2,200
Bandama Supérieur 45,000
Bandama-Blanc 50,500
Baya-Korore 12,200
Belefima 22,800
Besse-Boka 7,600
Besso 23,100
Biki-Bossematie 38,900
Boka-Go 4,900
Bolo 8,800
Borotou 10,400
Bouafle 20,350
Brassue 20,000
Comoé 1,600
Davo 12,580
Dents de Man 136
Diambarakrou 27,350
Divo 7,350
Dogodou 22,400
Doka 14,400
Doubele 4,300
Duékoué 47,600
Dyengele 2,600
Fetekro 4,800
Flan Soblysiemen 16,700
Go-Bodienou 60,000
Goin-Cavally 189,000
Gorke 4,100
Goudi 9,600

Cote d’Ivoire

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Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

COTE D’IVOIRE - PROTECTED SITES (cont.)

National/international designations

Name of area and Management Year
map reference (see Fig. 5.1) area (ha) notified
Gouele 11,600
Goulaleu 950
Guinteguela 9,600
Hana 72,000
Haut Dodo 109,400
Haut-Bandama 84,000
Haut-Sassandra 102,400
Hein N’Zodji 23,400
Ira 13,000
Irobo 24,500
Kanhasso 5,900
Kani-Bandama Rouge 105,000
Kanoumou 4,000
Kassa 7,000
Kere 1,200
Keregbo 21,300
Kimbrila 1,100
Kinkene 45,300
Kiohan 1,500
Koba (Nord) 2,600
Koba 31,430
Kobo 14,200
Kogaha 15,900
Korhogo 1,600
Korondekro 700
Kouaba-Boka 3,200
Kouin 5,000
Koumo-Kafaka 9,000
Kouroukouna 3,200
Kroziale 9,300
Lahouda 3,960
Laka 5,800
Leraba 23,500
Logahan 2,500
Loho 92,100
Lokpoho 3,400
Loviguie 2,800
Maby 63,100
Mafa 13,400
Mando 11,300

Cote d’Ivoire

COTE D’IVOIRE - PROTECTED SITES (cont.)

National/international designations

Name of area and Management Year
map reference (see Fig. 5.1) area (ha) notified

Manzan 4,500
Matiemba 960
Miniabo 600
Monoga 35,000
Mont Ba 4,500
Mont Bableu 15,400
Mont Gbande 23,100
Mont Glo 14,000
Mont Ko - 49,000
Mont Kourabah 3,350
Mont Kouzan-Kourou 1,800
Mont Sangbe 37,400
Mont Tonkoui 4,200
Mont-Manda 2,850
Mont-Momi 8,000
Mont-Nieton 11,300
Mont-Nimba 19,500
Mont-Tia 16,300
Mopri 33,000
N’Ganda-N’ Ganda 2,400
N’Golodougou 4,000
N’Guechie 2,800
N’to 15,800
Nambon Kaha 3,200
Nanyelongo 600
Niangbon 1,700
Niegre 100,800
Niouniourou 19,670
Nougbo 20,800
Nyangboue 24,400
Nyellepuo-N’ Zi Supérieur 150,400
Okromodou 94,500
Palee

Poro-Poro 50,500
Poue-N’Zue 800
Poulla 1,500
Poumbou 60,000
Prikro-Baya 4,600
Proungboserebi 7,000
Pyerrhe 52,800

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

COTE D’IVOIRE - PROTECTED SITES (cont.)

National/international designations
Name of area and
map reference (see Fig. 5.1)

Rapidegrah
Rasso
Raviart
Samankono
Sanaimbo
Sananferedougou
Sangoué
Sangouine
Sanvan
Scio
Seguela
Seguie
Silue
Singrobo
Songan
Soungourou
Suitoro
Tafire
Tagba
Tamin
Tebe

Tene
Teonle
Tiapleu
Tieme
Tiengala
Tienny
Tindikro
Touro
Warigue
Yalo

Yapo

Yaya
Zuoke

Botanical Reserve
1 Divo

Management
area (ha)

7,350

Year
notified

1975

Cote d’Ivoire

COTE D’IVOIRE - PROTECTED SITES (cont.)

National/international designations

Name of area and Management Year
map reference (see Fig. 5.1) area (ha) notified
Fauna and Flora Reserve
2 Haut Bandama 123,000 1973
National Parks
3 Azagny 19,000 1981
4 Banco 3,000 1953
5 Comoé 1,150,000 1968
6 Iles Ehotile 10,500 1974
7 Marahoue 101,000 1968
8 Mont Peko 34,000 1968
9 Mont Sangbe 95,000 1976
10 Tai 350,000 1973
Partial Faunal Reserve
11 N’Zo 95,000 1972
Strict Nature Reserve
12 Mont Nimba 5,000 1944
Biosphere Reserves
Parc national de Tai 350,000 1977
Parc national de la Comoé 1,150,000 1983
World Heritage Sites
Comoé National Park 1,150,000 1983
Mont Nimba Strict Nature Reserve 5,000 1982
Tai National Park 330,000 1982

15)

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

COTE D’IVOIRE - UNPROTECTED SITES

Name of area and
map reference (see Fig. 5.2)

2
3

oO won~

Aby Lagoon

Ayame Forest

Azuretti Mangroves
Bandama River Lagoons
Basse Dodo

Canal d’Asagni Wetlands
Cape Palmas

Dagbégo Lagoon

Fresco Lagoons
Mankono Region

Mont Kopé a Grabo
Monts du Toura

Niega de la Embouchure
Tanoé Forest

Management
area (ha)

Cote d’Ivoire

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EQUATORIAL GUINEA
INTERNATIONALLY DESIGNATED PROTECTED AREAS
None
NATIONALLY PROTECTED AREAS

Altos de Nsok Protected Area 9

1°20’N, 11°16’E Covering 40,000ha in the Nsok Highlands, this proposed protected
area contains pristine forest of importance to wildlife IUCN/CNPPA, 1991; MALFF,
1991).

Annobon - see Isla de Annobon Protected Area

Bioko Island: Mt Malabo (Pico Santa Isabel) - see Pico Basile o Sta Isabel
Protected Area ?

Estuario de Rio Muni Protected Area ?
1°07’N, 9°47’E Covering 70,000ha of mangroves and riparian forest, this is the only
known manatee habitat in the country (MALFF, 1991; Stuart et al., 1990).

Estuario de Rio Ntem (Campo) Protected Area ?
2°07’N, 9°59’E (centre) This estuarine habitat covers 20,000ha, and includes the Rio
Mbia with its forest, mangroves and coastal areas. Birdlife, crocodile and
hippopotamus occur (MALFF, 1991; Stuart et al., 1990).

Gran Caldera de Luba - see Sur de la Isla de Bioko

Isla de Annobon Protected Area ?
1°25’S, 5°37’E This 7km by 2.5km island is the smallest and most remote of the
Gulf of Guinea islands, located 180km from Principe. About 1700ha have been
recommended as a conservation area, incorporating three volcanic peaks reaching an
elevation of 655m and including a shallow crater lake about 600m in diameter.
Because of the island’s remoteness the avifauna is impoverished, consisting of two
endemic species of resident passerines. It supports 17 other endemic species, and
green and hawksbill turtles breed here. It is important for seabird and cetacean
conservation. The human population has been relatively stable for several centuries,
and the vegetation has consequently been modified far less than on S40 Tomé and
Principe (Harrison, 1990; IUCN, 1987; MALFF, 1991; Stuart et al., 1990).

Macizo de Monte Alen Protected Area ?

1°38’N, 10°16’E (centre) Covering an area of 80,000ha, this area supports lowland
gorilla, elephant and leopard (IUCN, 1987; MALFF, 1991; Stuart et al., 1990).

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

Macizo de los Montes Mitra Protected Area y
1°24’N, 9°57’E Covering 30,000ha of rain forest up to 1200m on the peaks of Atom,
Mabumu-Wom, Behuo and Mitong, to the north-east of Estuario de Rio Muni.
Elephant, buffalo, leopard and several primates occur (MALFF, 1991; Stuart et al.,
1990).

Monte Alen - see Macizo de Monte Alen
Pagalu Island see Isla de Annobon

Pico Basile o Sta Isabel Protected Area 2
3°35’N, 8°46’E Covering 35,000ha of montane and lowland forests between 640m
and 3008m, the area is home to an endemic bird, the Fernando Po speirops Speirops
brunneus, which occurs in the highest lichen forest and heath zone; there are other,
endemic bird subspecies. The forests are important for water and soil conservation,
are unsuitable for agriculture, and have little timber of commercial value. There is
reasonable tourism potential, and limited hunting occurs (Collar and Stuart, 1988;
Frame, 1987; IUCN, 1987; MALFF, 1991).

Rio Ntem-Rio Mbia - see Estuario de Rio Ntem Protected Area

Sur de la Isla de Bioko Protected Area ?
3°10’-3°50’N, 8°25’-9°00’E This area is on Bioko Island, the nearest of the Gulf of
Guinea islands to the mainland. The proposed protected area covers about 60,000ha
in area between sea-level and 2230m; it comprises a volcanic caldera adjacent to
forests and the southern coast of the island. The unique montane forest shows strong
affinities to the flora of Mount Cameroon on the mainland. Several endemic
subspecies of primate occur, as do endemic subspecies of Ogilby’s and blue duikers,
the Bioko batis and several endemic reptiles and amphibians. The conservation
proposals include offshore coastal waters; green and hawksbill turtles nest on the
beaches (Frame, 1987; IUCN, 1987; Stuart et al., 1990; MALFF, 1991).

OTHER MANAGED SITES

None

UNPROTECTED SITES

Mbini Forest

This site supports lowland rain forest, with populations of red-capped mangabey,
mandrill, black colobus, chimpanzee and gorilla. Buffalo and about 500 elephant

occur. It is one of two known localities of the goliath frog Conrana goliath (Stuart et
al., 1990).

Equatorial Guinea

Monte del Frio National Park Proposed

Monte Raices Nature Park Degazetted
This degazetted park formerly covered 26,000ha and supported chimpanzee, buffalo
and gorilla; it is thought that it should be re-established IUCN/UNEP, 1987; Stuart
et al., 1990).

Rio Ekuku Game Reserve

This reserve covered 7500ha and supported a good population of game, especially
sitatunga. The protected area should be re-established (UCN/UNEP, 1987; Stuart et
al., 1990).

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

EQUATORIAL GUINEA - PROTECTED SITES
National/international designations

Name of area and Management Year
map reference (see Fig. 6.1) area (ha) notified

Protected Areas

1 Altos de Nsok 40,000 1990
2 Estuario de Rio Muni 70,000 1990
3 Estuario de Rio Ntem (Campo) 20,000 1990
4 Isla de Annobon 1,700 1990
5 Macizo de Monte Alen 80,000 1990
6 Macizo de los Montes Mitra 30,000 1990
7 Pico Basile o Sta Isabel 15,000 1990
8 Sur de la Isla de Bioko 60,000 1990

Equatorial Guinea

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Ecologicaily Sensitive Sites of Africa

EQUATORIAL GUINEA - UNPROTECTED SITES

Name of area and
map reference (Fig 6.2)

1 Mbini Forest
Monte del Frio National Park
Monte Raices Nature Park 26,000
Rio Ekuku Game Reserve 7,500

Equatorial Guinea

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GABON
INTERNATIONALLY DESIGNATED PROTECTED AREAS

Ipassa-Makokou Strict Nature Reserve IUCN Categories I and Ix
This flat reserve of 15,000ha has a core area of 10,000ha, and the Ivindo River as its
southern boundary. Humid dense evergreen lowland rain forest of the Congo-Guinean
type predominates. The vertebrate fauna is rich, with 130 mammal and over 400 bird
species recorded, including the threatened mandrill. This reserve is reported to be the
only protected area in Gabon where forest exploitation has not occurred. However,
villages across the Ivindo are encroaching, and increased poaching is reported to have
severely reduced the fauna. Apart from the river, only 2km of boundary are marked
and active management and law enforcement are inadequate ((UCN/UNEP, 1987;
WCMC, 1988a).

Sette-Cama Reserves IUCN Category VIII
The complex covers 700,000ha and is divided between two Ramsar sites: Petit
Loango, comprising Iguela Hunting Reserve (180,000ha) and Ngoué-Ndogo Hunting
Reserve (250,000ha); and Sette-Cama, comprising Sette-Cama Hunting Area
(200,000ha) and Ouanga Plain Faunal Reserve (20,000ha). The gently undulating
sandy coastal plain includes an extensive lagoon and several lakes. Open savanna with
thickets occurs in the littoral zone, with rain forest covering most of rest of the
reserve. Much of the forest was exploited over 20 years ago. The reserve is
particularly important for the African manatee, Bate’s dwarf antelope and leatherback
turtle, and there are also large populations of elephant, buffalo and several other,
threatened mammals. One town is located within the reserve, and there is little
protection. There is also Illegal oil exploration which is causing a number of
problems, including increased access. A few safaris are organised each year for
tourists IUCN/UNEP, 1987; WCMC, 1988a).

Wonga-Wongué Presidential Reserve IUCN Category IV
This coastal reserve of 380,000ha, which encompasses Wonga Wongué Hunting
Area (25,000ha) is generally flat and low-lying. The whole area is also designated a
Ramsar site. Vegetation varies from humid tropical rain forest to stunted woodland
savanna. The area supports a varied fauna, including many elephant, buffalo (30,000),
chimpanzee, the western race of gorilla, and white pelican. Some exotic mammals
have been introduced, which may pose management problems. Visits are only by
invitation of the president, and the only access is by light aircraft. Anti-poaching
activities are carried out and reported to be very effective, although considerable
poaching and some forest exploitation have occurred in the past. An extension to
include some swamp forest has been suggested (IUCN/UNEP, 1987; WCMC, 1988a).

NATIONALLY PROTECTED AREAS
Lopé Faunal Reserve IUCN Category IV

This reserve of 500,000ha includes a mountainous area and the Lopé-Okanda plain.
About 80% of the reserve is covered by Congo rain forest, over half of which is

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

undisturbed, with small pockets of swamp forest and secondary grassland or forest in
the north. The area is valuable for being linked to a large tract of forest, and is a
stronghold of forest buffalo and elephant. At least 12 primate species are found,
including gorilla, chimpanzee and drill (rare in Gabon). There are 1500 subsistence
farmers in nine villages within the reserve, and illegal forestry occurs in the north.
The presence of protection staff at Lopé village has reduced poaching both here and
along the Trans-Gabon railway. Illegal burning occurs in parts, and oil exploration
poses a threat IUCN/UNEP, 1987; WCMC, 1988a).

Moukalaba-Dougoua Faunal Reserve IUCN Category IV
This reserve of 80,000ha comprises the eastern slopes of the hills behind the coastal
plain. It supports a mosaic of secondary grassland, gallery forest and rain forest.
However, forestry permits only expired in 1988 and very little undisturbed forest now
remains. There are a number of antelope on the reserve, and primate species include
the threatened gorilla and elephant. Anti-poaching activities do not exist; the area has
been heavily hunted in the past, and is still under pressure from poaching. The
western boundary is unclear. Forestry activities have changed forest structure, and
severe damage has been caused on some steep slopes (UCN/UNEP, 1987).

Ouanga Plain Faunal Reserve - see Sette-Cama Reserves

Petit Loango Faunal Reserve - see Sette-Cama Reserves

Sibang - Station Expérimentale forestitre de Sibangue IUCN Category IV
0°25’N, 9°29’E Legally gazetted as a classifed forest, this reserve comprises 16ha
of secondary forest. It is considered uniquely valuable from a scientific point of view
(IUCN, 1990a).

OTHER MANAGED AREAS

Grand Bam-Bam Hunting Area

Established in 1971, this covers 20,000ha.

Iguela Hunting Area - see Sette-Cama Reserves

Moukalaba Hunting Area IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1962; covers 20,000ha

Ngove-Ndogo Hunting Area IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1962; covers 250,000ha

Sette-Cama Hunting Area - see Sette-Cama Reserves
Sette-Cama Wildlife Management Area - see Sette-Cama Reserves

Wonga Wongue Hunting Area - see Wonga-Wongue Presidential Reserve

Gabon

UNPROTECTED SITES

Akanda Mangroves

0°35’-0°40’N, 9°26’-9°33’E Bounded by the Mamboumbé, Tsini and Ambochou
rivers, and the bays of Corisco and Mondah, this 7500ha area is a network of
mangrove-covered islands and tidal channels, with primary and secondary forest
occurring on higher ground. The largest island, Moka, reaches an elevation of 65m.
Nile monitor, dwarf crocodile, water mongoose, sitatunga, talapoin Miopithecus
talapoin, putty-nosed guenon Cercopithecus nictitans, collared mangabey and
hippopotamus occur. Over 140 species of bird have been recorded, including
numerous waders, waterbirds and several rare species (IUCN, 1990a).

Cape Esterias - see Mondah Reserve

Djoua Reserve

1°05’-1°22’N, 13°18’-14°00’E Situated south of the Djoua River on the Congolese
border, this proposed reserve covers 160,000ha of swamp forest, primary forest, and
open marshes and swamps. The area is biologically interesting. There are no
permanent settlements, although it is used by hunters (IUCN, 1990a; Stuart er al.,
1990).

Dolle Faunal Reserve - see Mont Fouari Faunal Reserve/N’dende Faunal Reserve
10,000ha

Domaine de Chasse de N’dende - see Mont Fouari Faunal Reserve/N’dende
Faunal Reserve

Elobey Islands
1°00’N, 9°31’E_ These islands are of importance because of their coral reefs
(IUCN/CNPPA, 1991)

Forét des Abeilles

0°20’-1°00’S, 11°45’-12°10’E Situated against the south-eastern boundary of Lopé
Faunal Reserve just to the north of Mont Iboundji in the extreme west of the
Franceville Basin, this area covers 250,000ha of Guinea-Congolian forest between
200m and 700m. It is the home of the recently-described sun-tailed monkey
Cercopithecus solatus, and is of significance for birdlife (Collar and Stuart, 1988;
IUCN, 1990a).

Franceville Forests - see Leconi
Gamba Reserve - see Monts Doudou

Grottes de Belinga - see Monts de Belinga and Grottes de Belinga
430ha

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

Lac Onangué - see Ogooué-Onangué Lake National Park

Leconi

1°35’-2°03’S, 13°52’-14°22’E Situated close to the Congolese border, this proposed
protected area covers about 110,000ha, and includes part of the Bateké Plateau;
elevations range between 350m and 830m. The vegetation is primarily savanna and
gallery forest, and mammals include lion (the last in Gabon) African wild dog and
side-striped jackal. The avifauna contains some locally rare species such as Denham’s
and black-bellied bustard, coqui and francolins Francolinus afer and F. finschi.
Commercially exploited mineral springs exist, and the area has potential for tourism
(IUCN, 1990a; Stuart et al., 1990).

Milondo - see Mont Soungou and Mont Milondo

Mingouli Recommended
0°01’-0°28’N, 12°22’-12°58’E This area covers an area of 170,000ha of Guinea-
Congolian forest and some swamp forest. Mammals include elephant, duiker, De
Brazza’s monkey, talapoin and chevrotain. There is no resident human population, and
the area is recommended for protection (IUCN, 1990a; Stuart et al., 1990).

Minkebe Forests Recommended
0°50’-2°00’N, 12°10’-13°00’E Covering an area of 700,000ha of plateaus and
valleys, these are primary forests of Guinea-Congolian affinities and are one of the
biologically richest areas in Gabon. There is a high density of elephant, and 16 species
of primate include gorilla, chimpanzee, Cercocebus agilis and De Brazza’s monkey.
Bongo, chevrotain and giant forest hog also occur, as does the endemic Gabon batis.
The forests are lacking commercially viable stands of timber, and since costs of
extraction are high, they are as yet unlogged. The human population is low, less than
one person/km?, and there is great conservation potential (Frame, 1987; IUCN, 1987
and 1990a; WCMC, 1988a).

Mondah Reserve Proposed
0°34’N, 9°20’E Situated on the Atlantic shore and covered in Guinea-Congolian
forests (primary and secondary) and low littoral scrub (Manilkara lacera), this reserve
is botanically very rich and supports some local endemic forms. It includes Cape
Esterias, of importance for its coral reefs. Because of its proximity (25km) to
Libreville it has been over-hunted and few larger mammals remain, although blue
duiker have been reported. The area has great potential as a site for scientific study
and education, and there is no resident human population (IUCN, 1990a).

Dolle/Mont Fouari/N’dende Faunal Reserves

This complex covers 62,000ha, with a hunting area making up about 80% of the total.
All three areas have now been degazetted. Predominantly bushy savanna with wooded
mountains in the west, they support populations of waterbuck, sitatunga, buffalo,
elephant, red-fronted gazelle, giant forest hog and a number of forest monkeys
(IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

Gabon

Mont Fouari Faunal Reserve -see Dolle/Mont Fouari/N’dende Faunal Reserves

Mont Iboundji Proposed
1°00’-1°13’S, 11°44’-11°53’E Situated to the immediate south of the Forét des
Abeilles and Lopé Faunal Reserve, this area of Guinea-Congolian forest covers
25,000ha between 250m and 972m. The southern part of the area is dominated by
Mont Iboundji, the higher parts of which are covered in a rich and interesting primary
forest. It is proposed as a protected area, primarily for botanical reasons (IUCN,
1990a; Stuart et al., 1990).

Monts de Belinga and Grottes de Belinga

0°55’-1°18’N, 13°08’-13°15’E This is an area of 200-300ha, attaining a maximum
elevation of 1024m. The vegetation is a botanically unique dwarf thicket consisting of
about 18 species, including species of Cassipourea, Garcinia, Homalium,
Hymenocardia and Ocotea. The Grottes de Belinga are situated at 1°04’N, 13°02’E,
and support large (over 500,000) numbers of bats and the threatened bare-necked
rockfowl (IUCN, 1990a).

Monts Doudou
1°50’-2°55’S, 10°10’-10°30’E Sandwiched between the protected areas of Sette-
Cama, this area is considered worthy of protection.

Monts du Chaillu - see Mont Soungou and Mont Milondo

Mont Soungou and Mont Milondo

1°267-1°48’S, 11°40’-12°06’E Covering an area of 100,000ha on the Monts du
Chaillu massif between 500m and 1022m, this is one of the higher parts of Gabon.
It is characterised by the large number of river courses, which have formed many
rapids and waterfalls. The main vegetation types are Guinea-Congolian lowland,
secondary and wet sub-montane forest, with a high level of floristic endemism. The
mammalian fauna has been over-hunted, but several rare birds occur; the threatened
Dja River warbler Bradypterus grandis is known primarily from the non-forest areas,
and the forests support Picathartes oreas, black river duck Anas sparsa and Hirundo
fuliginosa. Protection for the region is recommended (IUCN, 1990a; Stuart et al.,
1990).

N’dende Faunal Reserve -see Dolle/Mont Fouari/N’dende Faunal Reserves

Ogooué-Onangué Lake National Park

0°45’-1°15’S, 9°45’-10°25’E Covering about 200,000ha, this area includes Lakes
Onangué, Ezanga, Evaro, Nvondjé and Oguémoué, and a section of the Ogooué
River. The vegetation is dominated by primary and secondary rain forest, and swamp
forest. The area is little-known botanically, but includes 14,000ha of tidal forest,
Pandanus and palm swamp. Manatee, hippopotamus, dwarf and long-snouted
crocodile, elephant, buffalo, sitatunga, chevrotain, bushbuck, bushpig, Cephalophus
sylvicultor, gorilla and chimpanzee are known to occur. Birdlife is very rich, and

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

includes several rare species. The area is home to a wealth of waterbirds, many of
which breed here. The National Park will be formed by the amalgamation of the Lopé
and Okanda reserves and adjacent areas. The human population is fairly high, and the
area is strongly recommended as a national park (IUCN, 1990a; Stuart er al., 1990;

WCMC, 1988a).

Ozouri

1°02’-1°22’S, 8°53’-9°08’E Covering 44,000ha on the Atlantic shore between the
Ozouri River and Nkomi Lagoon, this area reaches an altitude of 23m. It includes
Olendé Lagoon, Ikandou drainage and the Inguessi Plains. Vegetation includes
mangroves, littoral scrub, primary and secondary forest, and savanna. Elephant,
buffalo, hippopotamus, sitatunga, collared mangabey and talapoin are found. The area
supports a wealth of avifauna, particularly waterfowl, and leatherback turtle breed on
the shore. The area is recommended as a national park (IUCN, 1990a).

Soungou - see Mont Soungou and Mont Milondo

Tchimbélé (Mont Cristal)

0°10’-1°00’N, 10°13’-10°58’E Situated immediately south of the border with
Equatorial Guinea north of the town of Kango, this area covers 410,000ha of Guinea-
Congolian forest and secondary forest, as well as inselbergs and their associated flora.
It incorporates the Kinguélé and Tchimbélé hydro-electric schemes, and the man-made
Lake Tchimbélé. The forest on Mont Cristal is biologically rich and contains an
exceptional number of endemic forms, including six endemic species of Begonia.
Elephant, gorilla and chimpanzee are known to occur. Residents of the Libreville area
hunt in the region, and the area is strongly recommended for protection (IUCN,
1990a; Stuart et al., 1990).

Gabon

GABON - PROTECTED SITES

National/international designations

Name of area and Management Year
map reference (see Fig. 7.1) area (ha) notified

Classifed Forest

Sibang 16 1934
Faunal Reserves
1 Lope 500,000 1962
2 Moukalaba-Dougoua 80,000 1962
3 Ouanga Plain 20,000 1966
4 Petit Loango 50,000 1966
Hunting Areas
5 Grand Bam-Bam 20,000 1971
6 Iguela 180,000 1962
7 Moukalaba 20,000 1962
8 Ngoué-Ndogo 250,000 1962
9 Sette-Cama 200,000 1962
10 Wonga Wongué 25,000 1962

Presidential Reserve
11 Wonga-Wongué 380,000 1971

Strict Nature Reserve
12 Ipassa-Makokou 15,000 1970

Sites 5 and 10 lie within Site 11. They are not mapped as information concerning their
exact location was not available.

Biosphere Reserves
Réserve naturelle integrale
d’Ipassa-Makokou 15,000 1983

Ramsar Sites
Petit Loango
Setté Cama
Wonga-Wongué

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

Fig 7.1 Gabon: protected ecologically sensitive sites

Libreville

~ 0
VORLD CONSERVATION

MONITORING CENTRE
0°

12°

Forestry Sector

Conservation / Protection Areas |

Additional Sector

Conservation Areas

2°

Gabon

GABON - UNPROTECTED SITES

Name of area and Management
map reference (see Fig. 7.2) area (ha)

1 Akanda Mangroves 7,500

2 Djoua Reserve 160,000

Dolle Faunal Reserve
3 Elobey Islands

Forét des Abeilles 250,000
4 Leconi 110,000
5 Mingouli 170,000
6 Minkebe Forests 700,000
7 Mondah Reserve 740
Mont Fouari Faunal Reserve
8 Mont Iboundji 25,000
9 Monts de Belinga and Grottes de Belinga
10 Monts Doudou 260,000
11 Mont Soungou and Mont Milondo 100,000
N’dende Faunal Reserve
12 Ogooué-Onangué Lake National Park 200,000
13 Ozouri 44,000
14 Tchimbélé (Mont Cristal) 410,000

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

Fig 7.2 Gabon: unprotected ecologically sensitive sites

Libreville

s
WORLD CONSERVATION
MONITORING CENTRE

GUINEA
INTERNATIONALLY DESIGNATED PROTECTED AREAS

Ile Alcatraz

10°38’N, 15°23’W The rocky islet of Alcatraz is 40km off shore from the border with
Guinea-Bissau and covers about 0.75ha. Established as a Ramsar Wetland Site of lha
in 1992. It was first protected in 1932, but no effective control has been in force. It
rises abruptly from the sea, reaching a maximum height of 12m above sea-level. The
fairly flat surface is covered with up to 3m of guano, and is unvegetated. The island
is important as one of the few breeding sites in West Africa for the Atlantic race of
brown booby Sula leucogaster, and the nests of about 3000 pairs of these birds cover
the plateau. Because of its barrenness, very few other bird species visit the island. In
the 1930s, people used to visit the island during the dry season in order to collect
guano, but it is no longer inhabited. Access is difficult, and the local fishermen avoid
the island because of dangerous currents, and because the accumulated guano is
offensive. The sandy Ile de Naufrage, a few kilometres away, also has important
nesting colonies (Altenburg, 1987; IUCN, 1987; WIWO, 1989).

Iles Tristao

10°53’N, 15°03’W_ The Tristao Islands, cover a total area of about 50,000ha and
form the most north-eastern part of Guinea, at the mouth of the Rio Komponi. Iles
Tristao Ramsar Wetland Site (85,000ha) was established in 1992. Mangroves are
dominant, deeply penetrated by creeks, and much of the area floods at high tide.
There are dunes up to 5m high on the inland part, which support a total of about
250ha of degraded forest fragments and savanna. At low tide about 2300ha of mudflats
are exposed. Not far off the western side of the largest island, Katarak, is a sandy islet
called Pani Bankhi, which supports large breeding populations of African spoonbill,
sacred ibis and Caspian tern. Pink-backed pelican and crowned crane nest on the
islands, and other, non-resident species, occur. There are a few dozen villages on the
islands; the inhabitants grow crops and consume waterfowl (Altenburg, 1987; IUCN,
1987; WIWO, 1989).

Konkoure
Established as a 90,000ha Ramsar Wetland Site in 1992.

Massif du Ziama Strict Nature Reserve IUCN Categories I and IX
This reserve comprises 116,170ha of mountainous landscape characterised by rugged
relief, with a core area of 60,000ha. It includes the largest area of natural forest in
Guinea, as well as degraded forest and savanna on lateritic outcrops, and swamps.
Parts have been cultivated, and about 80,000-90,000ha of forest remain. The area is
reported to support elephant, and various species of antelope and monkey. Timber
extraction is permitted on a concession of 30,000ha in the buffer zone, and there is
also a forestry station, chipboard factory, quinine plantation, processing station and
an 8ha palm grove. A human population of 29,000 lives in 23 villages and one town,
within the reserve. The reserve needs to be gazetted, and its boundaries should include
the Fouta Djallon Plateau. It is the location of a World Bank Forest Management

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

Project. Some forests below 510m altitude will be inundated by the Diami dam
(IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve IUCN Categories I, IX and X
Mount Nimba is subdivided between three countries. Guinea preserves 13,000ha of
the mountain as a strict nature reserve, which comprises most of Guinea’s section of
the 17,130ha biosphere reserve (some sources give the nature reserve’s area as
17,500ha). The Guinea sector, together with 5000ha in Céte d’Ivoire, also forms a
World Heritage Site, contiguous to a proposed nature reserve in Liberia. This area
includes the third highest mountain (1752m) in West Africa west of the Cameroon
chain. There is a continuum of habitats, from savanna on infertile, iron-rich soils at
an elevation of about 500m, through low-lying moist rain forest and dry mid-altitude
forest, to high altitude grassland on the summits. The area has been identified as a
centre of plant diversity under the IUCN-WWF Plants Conservation Programme.
Several threatened species of fauna are to be found, including pygmy hippopotamus
Choeropsis liberiensis, leopard and chimpanzee. The Liberian section of the reserve
is still not protected; poaching occurs, and massive iron ore mining operations are in
progress (the whole mountain is rich in iron ore). Only the Guinea and Céte d’Ivoire
sectors are included in the World Heritage Site, while the Biosphere reserve is
restricted to Guinea. In parts of the strict nature reserve in the Guinea sector, there
are areas where mining and settlement occurred in the past. The renewal of iron ore
exploitation in the central part of Guinean Mount Nimba was planned for 1990, over
an area of 197ha at about 300m altitude (UCN/UNEP, 1987; Wilson in litt., 1991).

Rio Kapatchez
Established as a 20,000ha Ramsar Wetland Site in 1992.

Rio Pongo
Established as a 30,000ha Ramsar Wetland Site in 1992.

NATIONALLY PROTECTED AREAS

Badiar National Park IUCN Category II
Also known as Tomine, this park covers 38,200ha in the Koundara prefecture.
Although gazetted in 1985, management was not being implemented by 1987; an area
of 13,000ha was originally gazetted as Badiar-nord Forest Reserve. The park is
situated in the north-west of the country in the transition zone between lowland forest
and savanna, and is contiguous to Niokolo Koba National Park in Senegal. It was set
up partly to deter Guinean grazers and poachers from entering the Senegal park. The
park comprises a mosaic of dry forest and wooded savanna, and it is rumoured that,
although large wildlife is scarce here, it is more prolific further east in Guinea. The
EC has funded initial faunal surveys (Wilson in litt., 1991).

Guinea

OTHER MANAGED SITES

Beyla Prefecture Périmétre de Reboisement Classified Forest
Established in 1956; 381ha IUCN Category VIII

Badiar-nord - see Badiar National Park

Badiar-sud Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Situated in Koundara prefecture and originally gazetted as a Forest reserve in 1956,
this forest covers 7300ha. It includes a mosaic of dry forest and wooded savanna, but
it is rumoured that large wildlife is not abundant. Agricultural incursion is a serious
threat (UCN/UNEP, 1987; Wilson in litt., 1991).

Bagata Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1942; 2000ha

Bakoum Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1951; 28,000ha

Balayan-Souroumba Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
This classified forest is situated in Dabola prefecture, and originally established as a
forest reserve of 25,000ha in 1951. It is the suggested location for trials on the
management of natural Jsoberlinia forest, using an early burning programme (Wilson
in litt., 1991).

Bambaya Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Situated in Kissidougou prefecture, this 336ha area was established in 1951.

Bani Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1952; 18,900ha

Banie Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1956; 23,160

Bantaravel Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Situated in Mamou prefecture, this 675ha area was originally established as a Forest
Reserve in 1936. The forests in this area are found between elevations of 600-1,000m,
along with relics of the Fouta Djallon Parinari forest. All have been degraded to some
extent, and rarely have a closed canopy; however, this forest is one of the better-
conserved areas (Wilson in litt., 1991).

Baro Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

In Kouroussa prefecture; an area of 8000ha was originally established as a forest
reserve in 1943. It includes dense dry forest (Wilson in /itt., 1991).

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

Beauvois Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1945; 2300ha

Beko Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1943; 800ha

Bellel Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1944; 1350ha

Bero Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1952; 23,600ha

Binti Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Pita prefecture, established in 1944; 410ha

Botokoly Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1942; 2300ha

Boula Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1955; 27,500ha

Chutes de Kinkon Classified Forest

Established in 1955; 320ha IUCN Category VIII
Chutes de Tinkisso Classified Forest

Established in 1944; 1100ha IUCN Category VIII
Colline-Macenta Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

Established in 1945; 780ha

Counsignaki Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1955; 13,700ha

Damakhania Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1944; 425ha

Dara-Labe Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Originally established in 1943 in Labe prefecture as a forest reserve, this area covers
375ha. Much of it is degraded, but there are small areas of relict open Fouta Djallon
forest (Wilson in litt., 1991).

Darawondi Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1978; 30ha

Darou-Salam Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1954; 17,474ha

100

Guinea

Diecke Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Situated in Yomou prefecture, this area of 64,000ha was originally established as a
forest reserve in 1945. Dense, moist evergreen forest predominates, and it is the
second-largest forest area in Guinea. Some parts of the original reserve have been lost
to cultivation, leaving 52,000-54,000ha of high forest. It is the location of a World
Bank Forest Management Project. Formal protection has been proposed and a draft
proposal drawn up (Wilson in litt., 1991).

Diego Tamba Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1946; 70ha

Diogoure Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Mamou prefecture, established in 1943; 1000ha

Dixinn Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Dubrecka prefecture, established in 1944; 3900ha

Djimbera (Bantiguel) Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1983; 700ha

Dokoro Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1952; 7800ha

Fanafanako Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Siguiri prefecture, established in 1986; 380ha

Fello Digui Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1967; 2925ha

Fello Diouma Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Originally established as a forest reserve of 418ha in Mamou prefecture in 1936, this
forested area lies between elevations of 600-1000m, with relics of the Fouta Djallon
Parinari forest. All are degraded to an extent, and rarely have a closed canopy.
However, this forest is one of the better conserved areas (Wilson in Jitt., 1991).

Fello Sounga Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1953; 6700ha

Fello-Selouma Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1955; 4000ha

Fello-Touni Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1983; 100ha

Fitacouna Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Mamou prefecture, established in 1942; 95ha

101

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

Fougoumba Classified Forest
Established in 1944; 795ha

Foye-Madinadian Classified Forest
Established in 1954; 1595ha

Galy Classified Forest
Established in 1943; 1500ha

Gambi Classified Forest
Established in 1955; 15,500ha

Gangan Classified Forest

IUCN Category VIII

This forest reserve in Forecariah prefecture covers 9000ha. Originally established in
1942, it includes Mt Gangan and the endemic plant Pitcairnia feliciana.

Gban Classified Forest

IUCN Category VIII

A 500ha village reserve which has potential as a nature reserve, and may be used by
the Japanese for chimpanzee research. It has been recommended for nature reserve

status in a government report (Wilson in litt., 1991).

Gbinia Classified Forest
Established in 1945; 6175ha

Gioumba Classified Forest
Established in 1956; 12,580ha

Gouba Classified Forest
Established in 1945; 950ha

Goulgoul-Kankande Classified Forest
Established in 1954; 6800ha

Grandes Chutes Classified Forest
Established in 1944; 13,400

Gueme Sangan Classified Forest
Established in 1955; 2740ha

Gueroual Classified Forest
Established in 1944; 300ha

Guewel Classified Forest

In Mamou prefecture, established in 1936; 600ha

IUCN Category VIII

Guinea

Guirila Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1954; 100ha

Haute-Komba Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in Labe prefecture in 1944 as a forest reserve, this area covers 1300ha.
Much of it is degraded, but there are small areas of relict open Fouta Djallon forest
present (Wilson in litt., 1991).

Hore-Diama Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in Labe prefecture in 1936 as a forest reserve, this area covers 1200ha.
Much of it is degraded, but there are small areas of relict open Fouta Djallon forest
(Wilson in litt., 1991).

Kabela Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1955; 3920ha

Kakoulima Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
A 4350ha forest reserve established in 1944 in Dubreka prefecture. A mixture of
secondary and relict moist forest was present in 1980, similar to that in the Kameleya.
Threatened plants include Clematis kakoulimensis (Wilson in litt., 1991).

Kakrima Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Pita prefecture, established in 1955; 238ha

Kala Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1944; 240ha

Kaloum Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
A forest reserve of 672ha near Conakry, established in 1955. It is probably
undergoing urbanisation (Wilson in litt., 1991).

Kambia Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1944; 520ha

Keniant Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1943; 3500ha

Khabitaye Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Dubrecka prefecture, established in 1944; 4900ha

Kolumba Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1943; 1230ha

Kombi Tide Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1941; 170ha

103

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

Konkoure Fetto Classified Forest
Established in 1945; 1200ha

Kora Classified Forest
Established in 1955; 75Oha

Koulou Classified Forest
Established in 1978; 90ha

Koumban-Kourou Classified Forest
Established in 1942; 4000ha

Kouradi Classified Forest
Established in 1942; 3000ha

Kourani-Oulete-Diene Classified Forest

IUCN Category VIII

Situated in Kankan prefecture, this forest reserve of 59,000ha was originally
established in 1942. A revision of its boundaries, suggested in a government report,
is to extend the reserve to the east and west and to exclude cleared areas in the north

(Wilson in litt., 1991).

Kouya Classified Forest
Established in 1952; 67,400ha

L’Amana Classified Forest
Established in 1952; 19,800ha

Lac de Pita Classified Forest
In Pita prefecture, established in 1955; 24ha

Laine Classified Forest
established in 1955; 203ha

Lefarani Classified Forest
Established in 1943; 1900ha

Ley-Billel Classified Forest
In Labe prefecture, established in 1955; 172ha

Loffa Classified Forest
Established in 1945; 700ha

Lombha Classified Forest
Established in 1967; 90ha

104

IUCN Category VIII
IUCN Category VIII
IUCN Category VIII
IUCN Category VIII
IUCN Category VIII
IUCN Category VIII
IUCN Category VIII

IUCN Category VIII

Lombonye Classified Forest
350ha

Mafou Classified Forest
52,400ha

Makona Classified Forest
Established in 1942; 700ha

Mamou-Labe Classified Forest
In Pita prefecture, established in 1983; 119ha

Mankiti Classified Forest
In Siguiri prefecture, established in 1985; 400ha

Milo Classified Forest
Established in 1942; 13,600ha

Mirire Classified Forest
Established in 1944; 230ha

Miti Kambadaga Classified Forest
In Pita prefecture, established in 1944; 330ha

Mombeya Classified Forest
Established in 1943; 225ha

Mt Balan Classified Forest
In Coyou prefecture, established in 1952; 2000ha

Mt Balandougou Classified Forest
Established in 1945; 2800ha

Mt Banan Classified Forest
Established in 1950; 990ha

Mt Bero Classified Forest

Guinea

IUCN Category VIII

Situated in Gueckedou prefecture, this 23,600ha forest reserve was originally
established in 1952. Relict moist evergreen forest transitional with semi-deciduous
forest covers over 15,000ha. It has so far not been badly affected by fire, which is
resulting in a degeneration towards savanna, and population pressure is relatively low.
It has important potential for threatened plants (Wilson in /itt., 1991).

Mt Gouba Classified Forest
Established in 1945; 950ha

105

IUCN Category VIII

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

Mt Konossou Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Situated in Gueckedou prefecture, this forest reserve of 2680ha was established in
1955. It is important for the plant Adamea stenocarpa, which has been designated as
Vulnerable (Wilson in Jitt., 1991).

Mt Kouya Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1943; 303ha

Mt Loura Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1955; 530ha

Mt Salia Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Coyou prefecture, established in 1942; 4840ha

Mt Tetini Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1955; 23,500ha

Mt Yonon Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Nzerekore prefecture, established in 1950; 4750ha

Myalama Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Lelouma prefecture, established in 1943; 10,000ha

N’Dama Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Situated in Koundara prefecture, and originally gazetted as a forest reserve in 1954,
this forest reserve covers 67,000ha. Primarily a mosaic of dry forest and woodland
rumoured to support little large wildlife, it is of particular interest for its possible dry
forest and bamboo formations (Wilson in litt., 1991).

N’Guidou Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1954; 18ha

Nimba Piedmont Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1954; 18ha

Nono Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Situated in Kouroussa prefecture; an area of 5600ha was originally established as a
forest reserve in 1936 to supply fuel for a railway. There are good stands of
Isoberlinia, but the forest is threatened by expanding agriculture. An extension of
about 22,000ha has been suggested (Wilson in litt., 1991).

Nzo Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
8000ha
Ore-Djima Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

Established in 1936; 1200ha

106

Guinea

Ouladin Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1950; 1500ha

Paradji Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1955; 700ha

Pic de Fon Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Situated in Beyla prefecture, this area was originally established as a forest reserve of
25,600ha in 1953. It includes degraded dense moist submontane forest and is drier
than Ziama, with moist forest grading into semi-deciduous forest. It has been
degraded by fire, but is likely to be important for endemic plants (Wilson in litt.,
1991).

Pic de Tibe Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1945; 6075ha

Pincely Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Situated in Mamou prefecture, this was originally established in 1945 as a forest
reserve covering 13,000ha. It includes relict gallery forest similar in species
composition to evergreen moist forest, which has elsewhere been now largely
destroyed. A high proportion of species are fire-resistant, e.g. Podocarpus erinaceus
and Terminalia glaucescens, and are considered useful in watershed protection (Wilson
in litt., 1991).

Pissonon Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
250ha
Sala Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

In Labe prefecture, established in 1945; 568ha

Samba Ia "Ton" Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Siguiri prefecture, established in 1986; 600ha

Sambalankan Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Situated in Pita prefecture, and originally established in 1952 as a 3500ha forest
reserve. Some areas of true open dry forest are included (Wilson in litt., 1991).

Saraboli Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1952; 850ha

Selly-Koro Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Kissidougou prefecture, established in 1951; 2300ha

Sere Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Mamou prefecture, established in 1936; 315ha

107

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

Serima Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Labe prefecture, established in 1943; 1500ha

Sierra-Fore Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1942; 4100ha

Sincery-Ourssa Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Dabola prefecture, established in 1942; 14,000ha

Singuelema Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1978; 121ha

Sobory Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1956; 1175ha

Souarela Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1944; 2000ha

Sources de Dinguiraye Classified Forest

Established in 1951; 7lha IUCN Category VIII
Soutouyanfon Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

Established in 1943; 11,000ha

Soyah Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1945; 8400ha

Tafsirla Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1961; 1780ha

Tamba Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Situated in Kouroussa prefecture; an area of 15,000ha was originally established as a
forest reserve in 1945 to supply fuel for a railway. There are good stands of
Isoberlinia, and it is a potential site for trials of natural forest management for this
species. However, it is threatened by expanding agriculture (Wilson in litt., 1991).

Tamba-nord Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Kouroussa prefecture; an area of 1250ha was originally established as a forest
reserve in 1943 to supply fuel for a railway. There are good stands of Isoberlinia, but
it is threatened by expanding agriculture (Wilson in litt., 1991).

Tamba-sud Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Kouroussa prefecture; an area of 1360ha was originally established as a forest
reserve in 1945 to supply fuel for a railway. There are good stands of Isoberlinia but
it is threatened by expanding agriculture (Wilson in litt., 1991).

108

Guinea

Teliko Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1978; 462ha

Tialakoun Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Labe prefecture, established in 1943; 336ha

Tinka Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Situated in Dalaba prefecture, this 540ha area was originally established as a forest
reserve in 1944. It is one of the least degraded forests in the area as, outside of
reserves, there is very little forest left in this prefecture (Wilson in litt., 1991).

Tolole Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
200ha

Tomine-Koumba Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
Established in 1954; 36,000ha

Vonn Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
240ha

Wonkon Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII

Established in 1967; 282ha

Yardo Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Kissidougou prefecture, established in 1956; 4096ha

Yoton Classified Forest IUCN Category VIII
In Nzerekore prefecture, established in 1950; 4750ha

UNPROTECTED AREAS
Alcatraz see Ile Alcatraz

Bafing-Tinkisso
These forested area in the north are of ecological interest (Bourque and Wilson, 1990).

Boffa Mangroves

10°10’N, 14°02’W 46,000ha of mangroves occur on the Pongo River estuary near
Boffa. Species include Rhizophora harrisonii, R. racemosa, Avicennia africana and
Laguncularia racemosa. The area is probably important for waterfowl, and Nile
crocodile, pygmy hippopotamus, pygmy antelope, bushpig, bushbuck, otters and mona
monkeys occur (Altenburg, 1987).

Bossou Forest
7°39’N, 8°30’W This is a potential protected area near Nimba.

109

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

Diécké National Park Proposed
7°35’N, 9°00’W Diécké Forest Reserve consists of lowland rain forest in the south-
east of the country, south of Nzerekore. An area of 55,600ha is proposed for national
park status. The 100 species of bird recorded include rare and threatened species. A
wide variety of forest fauna occurs, including golden cat, leopard, pygmy
hippopotamus, dwarf crocodile, buffalo, the duiker Cephalophus zebra, and bongo;
the six primate species include chimpanzee, Cercocebus atys and Procolobus
polykobus (Bourque and Wilson, 1990).

Forécariah Mangroves

9°15’N, 13°17’W These are large areas of probably freshwater swamps, as well as
mudflats and mangroves on the southern coastline. They are likely to be important for
waterfowl, and Nile crocodile, pygmy hippopotamus, pygmy antelope, bushpig,
bushbuck, otters and mona monkeys occur (Altenburg, 1987).

Forét de Kameleya

Also known as Kounoukan, this forest is situated in Forecariah prefecture. It was to
be gazetted, but the process was interrupted by independence and not completed; the
area has been recommended for priority conservation action. It is treated as a forest
reserve, and is a relatively well-conserved area of coastal semi-deciduous moist forest,
the only example left in Guinée Maritime, as many species are light-demanding and
sensitive to burning. It is situated at an altitude of about 1200m, and rocky outcrops
probably support the rockfowl Picathartes gymnocephalus; it has potential for
importance in terms of endemic plants (Wilson in litt., 1991).

Forét Koba-Niger Classified Forest Proposed
Also known as Forokonia, this is situated in Faranah prefecture and originally
established as a forest reserve of 4770ha in 1945. It includes an area of natural
evergreen forest, with Lophira alata, Pitadeniastrum africanum and Terminalia
ivorensis.

Forét de Moybeya

In Dalaba prefecture and originally established as a forest reserve in 1943, this area
covers 225ha. Closed canopy moist evergreen forest still remains (although degraded),
but outside the reserves there is very little forest left in this prefecture (Wilson in Jitt.,
1991).

Forét de Nzo
Situated in Lola prefecture, an area of about 8000ha has been proposed for protection
as a forest reserve (Wilson in litt., 1991).

Forét de Tana Classified Forest Proposed
22,000ha

110

Guinea

Forét de Tinkisso-nord Proposed
Situated in Siquiri prefecture, an area of 60,000ha has been proposed as a forest
reserve in a government report (Wilson in litt., 1991).

Foronkonia - see Forét Source du Niger

Ile de Naufrage

About 2-3km off the southern end of the island of Alkatraz (10°38’N, 15°23’W), this
islet is an elongated, unvegetated 125x20m sandbank, covering 0.25ha at high tide.
It reaches 3m above sea-level. On the eastern side there is a trace of reef at low tide.
It is used as a roost and high water refuge by about 4500 terns, particularly royal,
black, little and common terns. Brown booby probably use it as a roosting site, and
a few waders visit the island. Fishermen rarely visit because of the distance from the
mainland, and the difficulty in landing there (WIWO, 1989).

Isles do Los
These are a group of small islands, which are a possible avocet roost, off the rocky
Conakry peninsula (Altenburg, 1987).

Iles Tristao - see Tristao Islands

Kankan Partial Faunal Reserve

In Kankan prefecture near Karala, this reserve has probably been degazetted. Kankan
Classified Forest is listed as covering 82,120ha. Large tracts of dense dry forest with
numerous gallery forests are included, but are being rapidly cleared for agriculture in
parts. It is an area with a high incidence of river blindness, and may therefore be
more suitable as a reserve than as farmland. Some areas have been converted into
village forest reserves. Forest reserve status has been suggested for the forests in the
Karala area of the old reserve, in a government report (Wilson in litt., 1991).

Mafou Forests
This is a forested area in the centre of the country (Bourque and Wilson, 1990).

Ouré-Kaba Forest Reserve Proposed
10°06’N, 11°50’W A transitional zone between rain forest and woodland, this reserve
is on the border with Sierra Leone (Bourque and Wilson, 1990).

Rio Komponi (Kogon) and Rio Nunez Mangroves

10°51’N, 14°42’W 124,000ha of tidal forest, up to 30km in width and with a canopy
height of up to 40m high, occur on these two estuaries. Mangrove species include
Rhizophora harrisonii, R. racemosa, Avicennia africana and Laguncularia racemosa.
They are backed by periodically inundated freshwater swamps, especially along the
Nunez River. Nile crocodile, pygmy hippopotamus, pygmy antelope, bushpig,
bushbuck, otters and mona monkeys occur (Altenburg, 1987; Hughes and Hughes,
1992).

111

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

Sangaréya Bay Mangroves

9°47°N, 13°43’W 28,000ha of mangroves occur on the southern bank of the
Konkouré River estuary, and around the head of the bay. Species include Rhizophora
harrisonii, R. racemosa, Avicennia africana and Laguncularia racemosa. Nile
crocodile, pygmy hippopotamus, pygmy antelope, bushpig, bushbuck, otters and mona
monkeys occur (Altenburg, 1987; Hughes and Hughes, 1992).

112

Guinea

GUINEA - PROTECTED SITES

National/international designations

Name of area and Management Year
map reference (see Fig. 8.1) area (ha) notified

Classified Forests

1 Badiar-sud 7,300 1956
2 Bagata 2,000 1942
3 Bakoum 28,000 1951
4 Balayan-Souroumba 25,000 1951
5 Bambaya 336 1951
6 Bani 18,900 1952
7 Banie 23,160 1956
8 Bantarawel 675 1936
9 Baro 8,000 1943
10 Beauvois 2,300 1945
11 Beko 800 1943
12 Bellel 1,350 1944
Beyla 381 1956

13. —s~éBinti 410 1944
14 Botokoly 2,300 1942
15 Boula 27,500 1955
16 Chutes de Kinkon 320 1955
17. Chutes de Tinkisso 1,100 1944
18 Colline-Macenta 780 1945
19 Counsignaki 13,700 1955
20 Damakhania 425 1944
21 Dara-Labe 375 1943
22 Darawondi 30 1978
23 Darou-salam 17,474 1954
24 Diecke 64,000 1945
25. Diego Tamba 70 1946
26 Diogoure 1,000 1943
27 ~=~Dixinn 3,900 1944
28 Djimbera (Bantiguel) 700 1983
29 Dokoro 7,800 1952
30 Fanafanako 380 1986
31 ~=Fello Digui 2,925 1967
32 Fello Diouma 418 1936
33“ Fello Sounga 6,700 1953
34 Fello-Selouma 4,000 1955
35.‘ Fello-Touni 100 1983
36 Fitacouna 95 1942
37 Fougoumba 795 1944

113

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

SDa1Y UOljoajo14 / UOlyoAJasuog [J

10,99 Adjsaso4

FYLNID INIMOLINOA
OV AR a aq7yos

SdJIS aljIsuas A[[eoId0[OIe pajdej01d :eauINS, ["g 317

114

GUINEA - PROTECTED SITES (cont.)

National/international designations
Name of area and
map reference (see Fig. 8.1)

38 Foye-Madinadian
39 ~=Galy

40 Gambi

41 Gangan

42 Gban

43 Gbinia

44 Gioumba

45 Goto

46 Gouba

47 Goulgoul-Kankande
48 Grandes Chutes
49 Gueme Sangan
50 Gueroual

51 Guewel

52 Guirila

53 Haute-Komba

54 Hoo

55 Kabela

56 Kakrima

57 Kala

58 Kaloum

59 Kambia

60 Khabitaye

61 Kolumba

62 Koni

63 Konkoure Fetto
64 Kora

65 Koulou

66 Koumban-Kourou
67 Kourani-Oulete-Dienne
68 Kouya

69 Koyoto

70 L’Amana

71 Laine

72 Lefarani

73 Ley-Billel

74 + Loffa

75 Lombha

76 Lombonye

77 Mafou

115

Management
area (ha)

Year
notified

1954
1943
1955
1942

1945
1956

1945
1954
1944
1955
1944
1936
1954
1944

1955
1955
1944
1955
1944
1944
1943

1945
1955
1978
1942
1942
1952

1952
1955
1943
1955
1945
1967

Guinea

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

GUINEA - PROTECTED SITES (cont.)

National/international designations

Name of area and

map reference (see Fig. 8.1)

Makona
Mankiti

Milo

Mirire

Miti Kambadaga
Mombeya

Mt. Balan

Mt. Balandougou
Mt. Banan

Mt. Bero

Mt. Gouba

Mt. Konossou
Mt. Kouya

Mt. Loura

Mt. Salia

Mt. Tetini

Mt. Yonon
N’Dama
N’Guidou
Nimba Piedmont
Nono

Nzo
Ore-Djima
Ouladin
Paradji

Pic de Fon

Pic de Tibe
Pincely
Pissonon

Sala
Samba la "Ton"
Sambalankan
Selly-Koro
Sere

Serima
Sierra-Fore
Sincery-Ourssa
Singuelema
Sobory
Souarela

116

Management
area (ha)

Year
notified

1942
1985
1942
1944
1944
1943
1952
1945
1950
1952
1945
1955
1943
1955
1942
1955
1950
1956
1954
1943
1936

1936
1950
1955
1953
1945
1945

1945
1986
1952
1951
1936
1943
1942
1942
1978
1956
1944

Guinea

GUINEA - PROTECTED SITES (cont.)

National/international designations

Name of area and Management Year
map reference (see Fig. 8.1) area (ha) notified
118 Sources de Dinguiraye 71 1951
119 Sources de Kindia 70 1943
120 Soyah 8,400 1945
121 Tafsirla 1,780 1961
122 Tamba 15,000 1945
123. Tangama 410 1944
124 Teliko 462 1978
125 Tialakoun 336 1943
126 Tinka 540 1944
127 =Tolole 200

128 Tomine Koumba 36,000 1954
129. Vonn 240

130 Wonkon 282 1967
131 Yardo 4,096 1956
National Park

132 Badiar 38,200 1985
Strict Nature Reserves

133. Massif du Ziama 116,170 1943
134 Mount Nimba 13,000 1944

Biosphere Reserves
Réserve de la Biosphére des

Monts Nimba 17,130 1980
Réserve de la Biosphére du

Massif du Ziama 116,170 1980

Ramsar Wetland Sites

Ile Alcatraz 1 1992
Iles Tristao 85,000 1992
Konkoure 90,000 1992
Rio Kapatchez 20,000 1992
Rio Pongo 30,000 1992

World Heritage Sites
Mount Nimba Strict Nature
Reserve 13,000 1981

117

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

GUINEA - UNPROTECTED SITES

Name of area and
map reference (see Fig. 8.2)

1 Alcatraz
Bafing-Tinkisso
Blanche

2 Boffa Mangroves

3 Bossou Forest

Cabri Faunal Reserve

Corail Faunal Reserve

Diécké National Park

Forécariah Mangroves

Forét de Kameleya

Management
area (ha)

Foret Koba-Niger Classified Forest Reserve

Forét de Moybeya

Forét de Nzo

Forét de Tana

Forét de Tinkisso-nord
6 Ile de Naufrage
Isles do Los
Kamalaya (Kounounkan)
Kankan Partial Faunal Reserve
Mafou Forests
Ouré-Kaba Forest Reserve

Sangaréya Bay Mangroves
Tristao Islands

oOo N

5,032

Rio Komponi (Kogon) and Rio Nunez Mangroves

118

Guinea

eles Le Sea ee
8 201 ott
——————————=_
,@ W007 001
8
S8}1S pajoa,ouduy
Ot
oth
O:]
—

S9JIS VAIQISUAS AT[VIISO[OIa po}da30.1duN :vauINy

78 Sq

GMINTD = ONIWOLIMON
Gotevsuredes a1voa

119

TOGO
INTERNATIONALLY DESIGNATED PROTECTED AREAS
None
NATIONALLY PROTECTED AREAS

Abdoulaye Faunal Reserve IUCN Category IV
8°30’-8°45’N, 1°05’-1°30’E 30,000

Akaba Faunal Reserve IUCN Category IV
7°40’-8°00’N, 1°00’-1°30°E 25,626ha

Aledjo Faunal Reserve IUCN Category IV
Bes 9 -20'N, 1°00"-151S*E 765ha

Djamde Faunal Reserve IUCN Category IV
8°50’-9°45’N, 0°45’-1°00’E 1650ha

Fazao-Malfakassa National Park IUCN Category II
This park of 192,000ha comprises a mountainous region with two major north-south
ridges, cliffs up to 200m, and sheer knife-edged ridges. Areas of savanna woodland,
extensive gallery forest and sub-montane forest occur, and the park includes the largest
and most undisturbed area of natural vegetation in Togo. Several threatened species
such as chimpanzee and elephant occur, but poaching is a severe problem, particularly
near the borderwith Ghana. Poaching and illegal honey gathering take place, and low
staffing levels make these problems difficult to control. There is a high tourism
potential, but a lack of infrastructure and funds for development ((UCN/UNEP, 1987).

Fosse aux Lions National Park IUCN Category II
The park covers 1650ha of a low-lying plain which is predominantly vegetated with
grass savanna, whilst gallery forest occurs along rivers. Larger mammals include
elephant, warthog, red-flanked duiker, kob and buffalo. Poaching and cattle grazing
have been almost stopped by the increasing enforcement of strict control measures
(IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

Galangashie Faunal Reserve IUCN Category IV
10°15’-10°25’N, 0°08’-0°25’E 7500ha

Haho-Yoto Faunal Reserve IUCN Category IV
6°40’-7°00’N, 1°15’-1°40’E 8000ha

Keran National Park IUCN Category II
This park of 163,640ha lies in a very flat area, including the floodplain of the annual
Koumongou River; this river dries to a few isolated pools in the dry season, but floods
quickly in response to rains upstream. The park supports a wooded savanna with

121

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

gallery forest along streams, and supports a variety of mammals including many
ungulates, and threatened species such as elephant and leopard. Poaching and grazing
occur on a small scale, but strict anti-poaching measures exist with frequent patrolling
and large fines for killing animals or starting fires. A number of artificial waterholes
have been provided, and controlled fires are used each year in order to improve
grazing. The international road from Lomé to Burkina Faso crosses the park, but a
50kph speed limit has been imposed in an attempt to reduce road casualties
(IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

Kpessi Faunal Reserve IUCN Category IV
8°00’-8°15’N, 1°00’-1°30’E 28,000ha

Oti Mandouri Faunal Reserve IUCN Category IV
10°20’-11°00’N, 0°30’-0°55’E Situated in the north-east of the country, this
147,840ha reserve forms a near-link between the protected areas of northern Togo and
Pendjari National Park in Benin. Wildlife populations are increasing. The area is a
wintering ground for up to 500 crowned cranes (Stuart et al., 1990).

Togodo Faunal Reserve IUCN Category IV
This reserve covers an area of 31,000ha, and is situated on a peneplain crossed by
several rivers. Wooded savanna predominates, with gallery forest along watercourses.
The larger mammalian fauna includes buffalo, hippopotamus, Buffon’s kob and
bushbuck, but poaching and agricultural encroachment occur. A dam is being
constructed upstream on the Mono River (IUCN/UNEP, 1987).

OTHER MANAGED AREAS

Kamassi Nature Reserve
9°99’N, 1°99’E 17,000ha

Koue Nature Reserve
9°99’N, 0°50’E 40,000ha

UNPROTECTED SITES
Lake Togo
6°14’N, 1°25’E This area includes the Anécho Lagoons, and the extensive freshwater

marshes along the Zio and Mono rivers; small areas of mangrove and mudflats occur.
The area is of importance to waterfowl and waders (Altenburg, 1987).

122

Togo

TOGO - PROTECTED SITES
National/international designations
Name of area and Management Year

map reference (see Fig. 9.1) area (ha) notified

Faunal Reserves

1 Abdoulaye 30,000 1951
2 Akaba 25,626
3 Aledjo 765 1959
4 Dyjamde 1,650 1954
5 Galangashie 7,500 1954
6 Haho-Yoto 18,000 1955
7 Kopessi 28,000
8 Oti Mandouri 147,840
9 Togodo 31,000 1952
National Parks
10 Fazao-Malfakassa 192,000 1951
11 Fosse aux Lions 1,650 1954
12 Keran 163,640 1950

123

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

Fig 9.1 Togo: protected ecologically sensitive sites

Forestry Sector

Conservation /
Protection Areas

a Wy
[See Lome =
1

FORLD CONSERVATION. 0 50 100km
— aa

MONITORING CENTRE
o° r
ee eye

on /f

Togo

TOGO - UNPROTECTED SITES

Name of area and
map reference (Fig 9.2)

1 Lake Togo

125

Ecologically Sensitive Sites of Africa

Fig 9.2 Togo: unprotected ecologically sensitive sites

T
0 r

L n° 1

e@ Unprotected Sites

fee

r8 ged
L7 nm
1 Q wy
Ke Lome «|
WORLD CONSERVATION. 0 50 100km
MONITORING CENTRE
0 r
fas 5Ne ay ||

126

REFERENCES

Altenburg, W. 1987. Waterfowl in West African coastal wetlands. WIWO Report 15.

BBC 1990. Troubles at the source of life. BBC Wildlife September.

Bourque, J.D. and Wilson, R. 1990. Au rapport de I’étude d’impact écologique d’un
projet d’aménagement forestier concernant les foréts classées de Ziama et de
Diécké en République de Guinée: Guinea forestry biodiversity study - Ziama
and Diécké Reserves. Unpublished report, July 1990. IUCN, Gland,
Switzerland.

Burgis, M.J. and Symoens, J.J. 1987. African Wetlands and Shallow Water Bodies.
ORSTOM, Paris.

Collar, N.J. and Stuart, S.N. 1988. Key Forests for Threatened Birds in Africa. ICBP
Monograph No. 3. International Council for Bird Preservation, Cambridge.

Frame, G.W. 1987. African forest sites. Unpublished report.

Gartlan, S. 1989. La Conservation des Ecosystémes forestiers du Cameroun. IUCN,
Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. 186pp.

Harrison, M.J.S. 1990. A recent survey of the birds of Pagalu (Annobon). Malimbus
11:135-143.

Hughes, R.H. and Hughes, J.S. 1992. A Directory of African Wetlands. IUCN,
Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK/UNEP, Nairobi, Kenya/WCMC,
Cambridge, UK.

IUCN 1987. Action Strategy for Protected Areas in the Afrotropical Realm. YUCN,
Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. S6pp.

IUCN 1989. La Conservation des Ecosystémes forestiers du Congo. UCN, Gland,
Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. 187pp.

IUCN 1990a. La Conservation des Ecosystémes forestiers du Gabon. IUCN, Gland,
Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. 215pp.

IUCN 1990b. La Conservation des Ecosystémes forestiers du Zaire. UCN, Gland,
Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. 242pp.

IUCN/UNEP 1987. The IUCN Directory of Afrotropical Protected Areas. IUCN,
Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK.

Maché, E. and Mousa Touré, A. 1990. The Pendjari National Park - what a project
can achieve. Nature et Faune 6:39-43.

MacKinnon, J. and MacKinnon, K. 1986. Review of the Protected Areas System in the
Afrotropical Realm. YUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK, and
UNEP. 259pp.

MALFF 1991. Elephant Conservation Plan. Equatorial Guinea. Ministry of
Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Forestry. 44pp.

Sinsin, B. and Heymans, J.C. 1988. Problémes liés 4 la transhumance des animaux
domestiques 4 travers les parcs nationaux. Nature et Faune 4:27-31.

Stuart, S.N. (Ed.) 1986. Conservation of Cameroon Montane Forests. ICBP,
Cambridge, England. 263pp.

Stuart, S.N., Adams, R.J. and Jenkins, M.D. 1990. Biodiversity in Sub-Saharan
Africa and its Islands. Occasional Paper No. 6. IUCN Species Survival
Commission.

127

WCMC 1988a. Gabon - conservation of biological diversity. Draft. World
Conservation Monitoring Centre, Cambridge.

WCMC 1991. Céte d'Ivoire - La conservation de la diversité biologique. World
Conservation Monitoring Centre, Cambridge.

WIWO 1989. Etude ornithologique préliminaire de la zone cétiére du nord-ouest de
la Guinée. ICBP, Cambridge.

128

Other volumes in the set:

Volume II: Eastern Africa

Volume III: South-Central Africa and Indian Ocean
Volume IV: West Africa

Volume V: Sahel

Volume VI: Southern Africa

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