Mission to the Taï - Grebo Krahn - Sapo landscape, Liberia

From 23 April to 1 May, the forest ecosystems technical assistant Renaud Bailleux led a mission to the Liberian part of the Taï - Grebo-Krahn - Sapo (TGKS) transboundary landscape (shared with Côte d'Ivoire), accompanied by implementing partner Wild Chimpanzee Foundation.

The various meetings and site visits underlined a need for the focus to be placed on the very strong pressures facing the protected areas (and proposed protected areas) of TGKS.

Around 15,000 people are mining in Sapo National Park, and around 60,000 Burkinabe nationals are encroaching on protected areas around Sapo National Park and Grebo-Krahn National Park to grow cocoa. Poaching is also significant in Grebo-Krahn National Park, and agricultural activities encroach on the park's boundaries.

A clear commitment from local and national authorities in Liberia, as well as from donors, is needed fairly quickly to preserve these biodiversity-rich forests.

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