Nature in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone has several distinct natural landscapes. They include the Western Area Peninsula, Loma montane forests, riverine and gallery forests, mangrove estuaries, coastal plains and beaches, as well as the Scarcies, Sierra Leone River, Sherbro and Yawri Bay systems. These areas support biodiversity and provide fisheries, water catchments, coastal protection, erosion and flood buffering, grazing areas and other ecosystem services. The protected-area system is divided among different legal and administrative categories. The four gazetted national parks are Outamba-Kilimi, Gola Rainforest, Loma Mountains and Western Area Peninsula. Other protected sites include about 29 Forest Reserves, Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary, Mamunta-Mayosso Game Sanctuary and the Sierra Leone River Estuary Ramsar Site, which covers about 295,000 hectares. Four marine protected areas have historically been designated, but their current boundaries and management measures should be checked locally. The National Protected Area Authority (NPAA) oversees national-park management, management plans, monitoring, biodiversity research, environmental education and ecotourism. The Forestry Division manages forest-related matters, while the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources handles fisheries licensing and marine measures. The Environment Protection Agency Sierra Leone (EPA-SL) handles environmental assessment and enforcement. The Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs and the National Tourist Board support nature tourism. Chiefdom and Ward Environment Committees, local communities and customary arrangements also have practical roles in conservation and co-management. Protection rules differ by category and site. National parks generally prohibit hunting, fishing, forest-product removal, farming, mining, dams and housing unless an applicable authorization allows the activity. A Strict Nature Reserve has the highest protection level and is generally limited to scientific access. A Game Sanctuary prohibits hunting and fishing, with local communities central to its management. Forest Reserve rules vary, and some hunting may require a licence or approval from the Director of Forestry. Wildlife trade, hunting, capture and keeping of protected or threatened species are regulated. Nature-dependent activities include fuelwood and charcoal production, agriculture, livestock grazing, fishing, aquaculture, sand and aggregate extraction, mining, timber production and water-catchment use. Mangroves act as nurseries for fish and shrimp and help reduce coastal erosion and flooding. These activities can conflict with habitat protection, especially through illegal hunting, charcoal burning, logging, agricultural or cattle encroachment, mining, quarrying, sand extraction, mangrove clearance, unsustainable fishing and coastal construction. Chiefdom and Ward Environment Committees may designate conservation bush or forest, and community participation is part of the management approach. Nature recreation includes ecotourism, wildlife viewing, hiking, camping, birdwatching and visits to waterfalls. Outamba-Kilimi, Gola, Mamunta-Mayosso and Wara Wara are among the sites promoted for tourism. Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary is a non-governmental wildlife facility in the Western Area Peninsula and provides a functional alternative for chimpanzee conservation and public education. Visitors should contact the site manager, NPAA or a local guide before travelling because fees, opening arrangements, reservations, road access and guide requirements are site-specific. Tacugama generally requires advance booking, groups larger than five require a reservation, and forest access may require a four-wheel-drive vehicle and guide. Development projects that may affect nature can require an environmental impact assessment (EIA), meaning a formal review of likely environmental and social effects. The EPA-SL process can include screening, scoping, an environmental, social and health impact assessment, public disclosure, a Board decision and an EIA licence before the project begins. Fishing may require a licence from the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources and compliance with marine protected-area measures or the Inshore Exclusion Zone. The current rule for a particular site or activity should be confirmed before work or extraction starts. Nature-related risks include floods, flash floods, landslides, mudslides, rockfalls, coastal erosion, storm surges, sea-level rise, tropical storms, drought, bush fires, deforestation, land degradation, pollution and invasive species. Hilly areas of the Western Area, low-lying coastal areas in the Northern and Southern Provinces, estuaries and the wider coastline are exposed to different combinations of these risks. The Sierra Leone Meteorological Agency provides weather information, while the National Disaster Management Agency responds to operational emergencies. EPA-SL accepts environmental complaints through its portal and toll-free number 1999; NPAA and the Forestry Division are also relevant for protected-area or forest violations. Sierra Leone has no single national nature service, and no complete central public list of all site fees, opening times, marine rules and local access arrangements has been verified, so current site information should be obtained directly from the responsible body.