Rainforests and forest protected areas in West Africa – Current situation and outlook

The dense rainforests of West Africa, known as the Guinean forests, are an exceptional biodiversity hotspot stretching from Guinea to southwest Cameroon. They bring together a wide variety of tropical forest ecosystems, including highland forests, lowland forests and mangroves, among others. Their biodiversity is remarkable for its richness of species and high rate of endemism.

However, Guinean forests have lost 85 % of their original area as a result of heavy pressure from deforestation. The main causes are extensive agriculture for cash and food crops, to the detriment of the forest; industrial and small-scale logging, mining, and infrastructure expansion and urbanisation.

This document, developed by the EU-funded Support Programme for the Preservation of Forest Ecosystems in West Africa (PAPFor), presents the forests and their biodiversity, as well as the key threats and drivers of deforestation. It provides a range of information on more than 30 protected areas, outlines the major policies that govern the region's forests and offers potential solutions for their protection and sustainable management for the long term.