Western Area Peninsula Forest National Park (6836)
Sierra Leone, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2015
National site name: Western Area Peninsula Forest National Park
Central coordinates: Latitude: 8.3833, Longitude: -13.1667
System: freshwater, marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 900
Area of KBA (km2): 179.23958
Protected area coverage (%): 100.00
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The Western Area Peninsula Forest (WAPF) Reserve is part of the Freetown peninsula, a narrow chain of undulating hills approximately 37 km long and 14 km wide, with peaks reaching 900 m. It contains the only remaining patch of tropical rainforest in west Sierra Leone. A thin strip of shoreline bounds it to the north, west and south. Freetown, with a population of 800,000 (1992 census), occupies the northern end of the peninsula and several settlements are found along the roads leading from the capital. The interior hills are unpopulated, but much wood-cutting and, to a lesser extent, farming occur within the Forest Reserve, especially around the boundaries. The vegetation is mainly closed-canopy, lowland evergreen forest, interrupted by laterite plains covered with natural grassland. The relief is generally fairly steep and hills are drained by a number of rocky, seasonally flowing streams. The reserve includes two major dams that supply water to Freetown and other communities around the peninsula.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas) KBA identified in the CEPF Ecosystem Profile of the Guinea Forests of West Africa Hotspot (2015). Taxonomy, nomenclature and threat status follow the 2013 IUCN Red List.
Additional biodiversity: See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. A total of 314 species have been recorded from the site, including 91 certain/probable breeders and a number of migrants that occasionally visit water-bodies in and around the reserve. The WAPF holds five species of global conservation concern. Two active colonies, with five nests, of Picathartes gymnocephalus have been discovered in this reserve; six other nesting sites are known, but are either abandoned or are of uncertain activity status. Non-bird biodiversity: The WAPF supports the following primate species: Pan troglodytes verus (EN), Procolobus badius (LR/nt), Colobus polykomus (LR/nt), Cercocebus atys (LR/nt) and Cercopithecus diana (VU). Other fauna known from this site include three species of duiker, Cephalopus jentinki (VU), C. niger (LR/nt) and C. maxwelli (LR/nt), as well as the frog Cardioglossa aureoli.
Delineation rationale: 2019-05-20: national park boundary adopted, therefore site area increased from 17,688 ha (Non-hunting Forest Reserve in 2001) to 18,337 ha (NP area); minimum altitude lowered from 200 m to 0 m.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | forestry | hunting | military | nature conservation and research | urban/industrial/transport | water management
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 70 | |
| Savanna | 18 | |
| Rocky Areas(e.g., inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | 1 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 5 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 1 | |
| Grassland | 5 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The WAPF is a Non-hunting Forest Reserve. There is a proposal to convert most of the site into a multiple-use management reserve for ecotourism, fuelwood production, fisheries, and for the remaining primary forest to be designated a National Park. Threats to the reserve include illegal farming practices, hunting, logging and wood-cutting. The latter is currently the greatest threat because of the proximity of Freetown. Sale of wood for fuel constitutes a major income-generating activity for many of the inhabitants of the peninsular villages. The creation of settlements, which necessitates vegetation clearance along the foot of the hills, is a common sign of encroachment into the reserve. These activities also pose the threat of siltation to the coastal habitats around the peninsula. In addition, rock is quarried from areas very close to the reserve and poses a significant long-term threat. A recent application to prospect for gold and platinum in the reserve is being considered by government.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Small-holder farming | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Domestic & urban waste water | Type Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Shifting agriculture | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Intentional use: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Natural system modifications | Fire & fire suppression | Increase in fire frequency/intensity | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Gathering terrestrial plants | Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target) | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) | Ongoing |
| Residential & commercial development | Housing & urban areas | Ongoing | |
| Climate change & severe weather | Storms & flooding | Ongoing | |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Work & other activities | Ongoing | |
| Pollution | Garbage & solid waste | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Allan (1990), Ausden and Wood (1990), Field (1974), Phillipson (1978), Thompson (1993a, 1997a), Thompson and Fotso (2000).