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Status
Funded

Save West Africa’s Last Intact Forests in Liberia

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Project Overview

The Upper Guinea Forest stores millions of tons of carbon and provides a home for unique biodiversity.

  • Species at Risk

    6 species

  • Carbon stored

    68,178,130 mT*

    *(metric tons of CO2 equivalents)
  • Partner

    Conservation of Nature Liberia (SCNL)

  • 406,913 Proposed Acres Conserved by

    Designation

Project Cost: $1,462,356
Funding Raised: $1,462,356

Please note that your donation may not be immediately reflected in the funding thermometer above.

Liberia
Proposed Acres

406,913

Project Overview

The Upper Guinea Forest stores millions of tons of carbon and provides a home for unique biodiversity.

  • Species at Risk

    6 species

  • Carbon stored

    68,178,130 mT*

    *(metric tons of CO2 equivalents)
  • Partner

    Conservation of Nature Liberia (SCNL)

  • 406,913 Proposed Acres Conserved by

    Designation

Project Cost: £1,069,297
Funding Raised: £1,069,297

Please note that your donation may not be immediately reflected in the funding thermometer above.

Liberia
Proposed Acres

406,913

Save one million acres of disappearing forest

Liberia’s Upper Guinea Forest is home to incredible biodiversity and stores millions of tons of carbon. But 70% of this forest hotspot has been destroyed by human activity. We need your help today to protect a final 406,913 acres in a multi-year project to safeguard more than 1,000,000 acres of this highly vulnerable region.

Persistent poaching, mining, unsustainable resource use, slash-and-burn agriculture and commercial development is putting endemic and charismatic species in danger of extinction. Resident Chimpanzees (EN), Pygmy Hippopotamus (EN), Timneh Parrots (EN) and Upper Guinea Red Colobus (EN) are quickly losing critical habitat and will soon have no recourse.

Your support of this project extends far beyond local conservation; these acres will store more than 68 million metric tons of carbon in our planet, the equivalent of the annual emissions of over 14 million cars in the U.S.

Did you know?

70%

of this forest hotspot has been destroyed by human activity.

Explore Liberia

Chimpanzee
1 of 4

Chimpanzee, by Liberia Chimpanzee Rescue Protection (LCRP)

Pygmy Hippopotamus
2 of 4

Pygmy Hippopotamus

Red Colobus in a tree
3 of 4

Upper Guinea Red Colobus

Timneh Parrot
4 of 4

Timneh Parrot

Be a part of our impact

Rainforest Trust and our local partner, Society for the Conservation of Nature of Liberia (SCNL), began an ambitious strategic plan in 2016 to save one million acres of threatened landscape and countless species. This has included creation of the Gola National Forest Park, five community protected areas, and the last phase: establishing the 406,913-acre Foya Nature Reserve.

The proposed land falls within an Important Bird Area as well as a Key Biodiversity Area and will allow for habitat connectivity so wildlife can roam freely. Hundreds of species will benefit from this protection, including 184 bird species, 40 amphibians (more than half of which are endemic), 3 reptiles, 285 butterflies and 313 plants (more than a quarter are endemic).

Protect West Africa’s wildlife

Although the Upper Guinea Forest spans across six countries, the Liberian portion is the most significant, holding 42% of this ecosystem. Once the last phase of protection is complete, this project will bolster protection in the region, significantly contributing to the conservation of West Africa’s forests—of which only 3% are protected.