FREETOWN, Sierra Leone -- The Loma Mansa, the highest peak in West Africa at 1,945 meters, is surrounded by the Loma Mountains National Park (LMNP), a vital ecological reserve established in 2012. Covering 33,201 hectares, the park is home to diverse ecosystems, including tropical forests and montane grasslands, and supports numerous endangered species such as the Jentink's duiker and several primates.
Despite its ecological significance, LMNP faces severe threats from deforestation driven by human encroachment. Satellite data reveals that Sierra Leone lost 14% of its primary forests from 2002 to 2023, with the LMNP itself suffering over 6% loss since its designation as a national park.
Rosa Garriga from Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary highlighted that the area harbors approximately 1,390 Western chimpanzees, a critically endangered subspecies. Deforestation, primarily due to slash-and-burn agriculture, is exacerbated by the return of residents post-civil war, leading to increased agricultural pressure on the park's resources.
Local communities, reliant on subsistence farming, often encroach on protected areas due to poverty and lack of alternatives. Bintu Sia Foray-Musa, director of LMNP, stated that illegal activities, including livestock grazing and marijuana cultivation, further threaten the park's integrity.
Efforts to combat these issues are underway, with partnerships forming between local authorities, conservation organizations, and the European Union aimed at sustainable community development and forest restoration. However, the lack of resources and infrastructure remains a significant barrier.
As the global community grapples with biodiversity loss, the situation in Sierra Leone underscores the urgent need for integrated conservation strategies that address both environmental protection and community livelihoods.