Strategic Direction 6:
Reinforce and sustain the conservation gains achieved as a result of the initial 5-year CEPF investment in this region
Ensuring Long Term Sustainable Financing For Key Protected Areas in the Upper Guinean Forest EcosystemEnsure long-term sustainable financing for priority protected areas in the Upper Guinean Forest by assessing and pursuing opportunities for investment, ensuring that legislation is conducive to conservation investment and updating financial plans to support Liberia’s protected area system. Explore and where possible establish funding mechanisms to support the recurrent costs of managing Liberia's protected area network and conservation-friendly economic development around protected areas.
Sustainable Finance for Protected Areas in Sierra LeoneContribute to ensuring the long-term sustainability of the 75,000-hectare Gola Forest Reserves, a priority site for conservation within the Upper Guinea Forest, with support from carbon finance. The project team will achieve its goals by developing a carbon project, developing carbon agreements with local communities, building understanding of and capacity to implement carbon projects and enabling the incorporation of carbon financing into national laws.
Sustaining and Securing Capacity in Biodiversity Conservation Action in the Upper Guinea Forest Area Sustain and build upon CEPF-supported capacity building gains by working closely with beneficiaries of past capacity building initiatives and academia (university and research staff) to secure existing capacity and support young graduates to pursue higher studies via a small grant scheme. Support the establishment of a platform that facilitates collaboration and exchange of information and expertise among protected area managers and develop an online toolkit for improved protected area management.
Upscaling and Promoting Biodiversity Conservation and Community Livelihoods in the Upper Guinea Forest EcosystemSecure the gains made possible by the first phase of CEPF funding by conducting further work in ecotourism and sustainable community development in and around the Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary in Sierra Leone. Activities include sharing the lessons from the Tiwai Island experience with the region via the establishment of a Biodiversity and Alternative Energy Learning Center in Sierra Leone.
Consolidating and Learning from Livelihood Interventions in Support Of Biodiversity Conservation And Management at Nimba Mountain (Guinea), Sapo National Park (Liberia) and Tiwai Island (Sierra Leone)Consolidate achievements from the first phase of CEPF funding of the Tiwai Island Tourism initiative in Sierra Leone and the Nimba Hunting and Bushmeat Initiative in Guinea and scale these up in Seringbara and Zoo around Nimba and the most appropriate locations in the Upper Guinean Forests. Document successful interventions in pilot community-based organizations and define the potential for introducing well-researched livelihood activities as alternatives to bushmeat hunting and trade.