PAPFor

The Ziama Biosphere Reserve

Yuzhou — 2024-03-07T14:05:52Z

The Ziama Forest is located in Guinea, more precisely in the Forest Guinea (Guinée Forestière) region in the south-east of the country. The region is characterised by its lush vegetation, dense forests and ecological diversity.

The Ziama Biosphere Reserve is located in the prefecture of Macenta. It covers an area of 119 019 hectares, with a highpoint of 1 387 metres.

The reserve is home to one of the last primary forests in West Africa and is recognised for its exceptional biodiversity. It was classified on 12 September 1942 and declared a biosphere reserve in 1981. It is home to numerous plant and animal species.

The reserve is surrounded by 31 villages, with a current population estimated at 110 779, an increase of 4.2 % on the population in 2018. Thi population is characterised by its ethnic diversity, rural lifestyle and traditional religious and social practices, as well as by challenges relating to access to basic services and socio-economic development.

Biodiversity of the Ziama forest

Vegetation

The Ziama forest is characterised by vegetation comprising numerous species of trees, herbaceous plants, lianas and ferns. There are endemic species as well as trees of great economic value such as precious wood. According to studies carried out, two plant species have been identified as endemic by the IUCN. These are Mikaniopsis camarae and Invesodicraea pepehabai. Ziama also has 33 endangered plant species: Tarenna hutchinsonii (Critically Endangered (CR), according to the IUCN Red List categories), Thieghemella heckelii (Endangered (EN)) Entandrophragma utile (Vulnerable (VU)), Neolimoniera clidantrifolia (VU), Terminalia ivorensis (VU), Heritiera utilis (VU), Khaya anthotheca (VU), Guarea cedrata (VU), Omphalocapum ahia (EN), Lophira alata (VU), Garcinia Kola (EN), Enthandophragma cylindricum (VU), Anospyxise klaineanna (VU), and Lovoa trichioides (VU).

Fauna
The forest is home to a great diversity of animals, including numerous mammals such as primates (chimpanzees, colobus monkeys, etc.), antelopes, bushpigs, forest elephants, pangolins, civets and various small mammals. It is also home to a wide variety of birds, reptiles and amphibians.

Forest elephant – Loxodonta cyclotis (CR)

This is a key conservation species. The elephant population in Ziama is one of the last in Guinea and is currently in an evolutionary phase after a period of heavy poaching between 2008 and 2016. Enforcement patrols have reportedly played an important role in stopping poaching, but other activities are contributing to the conservation of the species, such as ecological monitoring using patrols, camera trap surveys and satellite collars; the development of beekeeping to manage elephant incursions into farmers' fields, and awareness-raising sessions. The group of elephants in the image was pictured by camera traps installed in collaboration with staff from the N'Zérékoré Forestry Centre and local communities.

West African Chimpanzee – Pan troglodytes verus (CR)

West African chimpanzees are an emblematic species and are integral to Ziama's ecosystems. As great apes, they play a crucial role in maintaining the forest's biodiversity, as predators, seed distributors and architects of the forest environment. Chimpanzee presence and population trends in Ziama serve as indicators of the overall health of the ecosystem. Camera traps recently deployed have enabled staff to begin to get to know a few groups of individuals.

Pangolins
Pangolins are one of the most threatened species in Ziama, due to the ease with which they can be hunted and the illegal trade in their meat and scales. Two species have been identified as a result of research activities: the white-bellied (or tree) pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis) and the long-tailed (or black-bellied) pangolin (Phataginus tetradactyla). A study is currently underway to confirm the presence of the giant pangolin in Ziama. Pangolins play an essential role in Ziama's ecosystems by regulating insect populations, particularly ants and termites.

Birds

The birdlife at Ziama is remarkably diverse due to the richness of its forest habitat. The reserve is home to many bird species adapted to life in the forest, including passerines, woodpeckers, touracos, barbets, parrots and other species specialising in woodland habitats. Following a rapid survey in 2019, a total of 131 species (37 families) were confirmed. Threatened species recorded during these surveys include the white-breasted guinea fowl (Agelastes meleagrides (VU)), yellow-casqued wattled hornbill (Ceratogymna elata (VU)), yellow-bearded greenbul (Criniger olivaceus (VU)). These three species were observed in both Wologizi and Ziama, while Phyllanthus atripennis (NT) was only seen in the Ziama forest.

Threats to biodiversity in Ziama
Ziama faces a number of threats to its fragile ecosystem and exceptional biodiversity. These include poaching and agricultural encroachment, the latter combined with the use of pesticides and worsening human-wildlife conflicts.

Hunting and poaching : hunting and poaching represent a major threat to many animal species in the Ziama Forest, including large mammals such as chimpanzees, pangolins and primates. The growing demand for bushmeat, wildlife trophies and other animal products is threatening the survival of many vulnerable species in Ziama.

Deforestation : Deforestation in Ziama is mainly caused by the expansion of agriculture, bush fires and other human activities. Land conversion through the exploitation of low-lying areas for farming leads to the loss of vital habitats for many plant and animal species. The use of chemicals in the lowlands also pollutes watercourses and represents a potential threat to aquatic fauna, especially amphibians.

Demographic pressure and expansion: Population growth and urban expansion around Ziama are putting increasing pressure on the forest. The increase in the human population means greater demand for land, natural resources and the ecosystem services provided by the forest, leading to an intensification of destructive activities.

Community governance
The conservation and management of the Ziama Biosphere Reserve is a matter of concern, as it will contribute to climate change resilience and the water and food security of neighbouring communities. This cannot be achieved without the effective involvement of the communities living around the reserve. To this end, community management committees have been set up around Ziama. There are three levels to this structure:

The local level, which covers the 31 villages;
The communal level, which will make up the 5 communes of Ziama; and
The central level, which will serve as the coordinating committee for the Ziama landscape.

These structures were set up on the basis of an elective approach with a total participation of 3 732 people, including 1 686 women. On average, 36 % of the members of these committees are women.

The committees will play a crucial role in the co-management of Ziama by being involved in the implementation of activities aimed at promoting equity and benefit-sharing, increasing and guaranteeing the full participation of indigenous and local communities, respecting their rights and recognising their responsibilities in the management of the Ziama reserve.

Supporting sustainable livelihood activities

The programme strives to develop livelihood activities to help communities improve their well-being. This bee-keeping activity (pictured) has been set up to manage conflicts between wild animals and humans in order to reduce the damage caused to crops by elephants. This activity also helps to increase household income.

Outlook
PAPFor supports the Ziama Reserve through the Wologizi-Wonegizi-Ziama landscape programme implemented by FFI and GRET. The PAPFor programme will come to an end in 2024, but funding from the Agence Française de Developpement through the ‘Project to conserve biodiversity and improve climate resilience in the Ziama Biosphere Reserve' ("Projet de conservation de la biodiversité et d'amélioration de la résilience climatique de la Réserve de Biosphère de Ziama") will enable the actions undertaken by the European Union project to continue. This will make it possible to continue biodiversity conservation actions and resilient agricultural development, to the benefit of the populations and ecosystems for the conservation of the Wologizi-Wonegizi-Ziama cross-border forest landscape. From 2026, the new European Union programme, NaturAfrica, will complement these actions in this landscape.

Development and support to sustainable livelihoods and markets

Kristell — 2023-04-03T17:42:32Z

Complex challenges require integrated approaches to ensure they are adequately addressed. This includes promoting agroforestry (tree crops), agroecology and conservation agriculture (minimum tillage); Integrated Pest Management using local organic pesticides; compost production; nitrogen-fixing cover crops to encourage growth of biomass to
reduce fallow periods; techniques and practices to increase both the land equivalent ratio and income generation potential of farmers' fields, and improvement of post-harvest storage to conserve yields. In addition, crop diversification has the potential to develop the regional market, and support in advisory services, value chain, market development, sector consultation and collaborations, access to credit and other inputs, all of which could
generate increased economic returns in the landscape while encouraging the adoption of climate-smart practices.

As well as nutrition support to households and communities, there is also the potential to mitigate HEC through prioritising deterrents to elephant crop raiding such as non-palatable crops like pepper and ginger, and through apiculture.

Promoting connectivity and maintaining tree cover through community engagement

Kristell — 2023-04-03T17:40:50Z

In a context of high anthropic and agricultural pressure, it is important to maintain physical connectivity between the protected areas by supporting communities to recognise and support the management of forest corridors on village lands that are used as migratory routes for wildlife.

Participatory land-use plans and rural appraisals will be conducted by WWZ community governance structures to implement appropriate community planning and monitoring protocols; priority corridors and core forest areas will be identified/confirmed and then monitored.

Community agreements and participation measures will be put in place to mitigate impacts of connectivity bottlenecks across the landscape. Direct links to livelihood support will be focused on those communities adjacent to priority corridors to provide clear incentives to maintain and enhance them.

Support for protected areas co-management and transboundary collaboration

Kristell — 2023-04-03T17:39:01Z

Within the context of increased community participation and governance, PAPFor provides support to CFZ in Guinea and the FDA in Liberia, both government agencies in charge of managing Ziama and Wologizi-Wonegizi, using different approaches. The programme offers capacity-building opportunities through training in law enforcement techniques and management tools, such as SMART software and IMET (Integrated
Management Effectiveness Tool) to enable close monitoring of management effectiveness and tracking of threats, law enforcement and biomonitoring.

Other actions are assessing social impacts of the protected areas and support for field and office equipment and transboundary patrol implementation and coordination, and in some cases, infrastructure.

Human-wildlife conflict

Kristell — 2023-04-03T17:36:58Z

Human-elephant conflict (HEC) continues to be a threat to the conservation of the last remaining population of forest elephants across the WWZ landscape, estimated to be over 50 with new calves born in 2022.

Land conversion for agricultural purposes boosts HEC, as crop raiding events increase around forest blocks. Animals often destroy crop fields close to grazing sites and migratory routes, leading to reprisal by farmers, who trap or gun down the animals.

Poaching, bushmeat hunting and trade

Kristell — 2023-04-03T17:35:58Z

Although there are national and international laws that prohibit the capture and killing of protected species, traditional regulation has diminished and illegal hunting in the WWZ landscape poses serious challenges. Commercial hunting is prevalent in the landscape as some hunters and marketeers continue to trade in bushmeat, pangolin scales, elephant ivory and pets (chimpanzees).

This is a serious threat to protected species as hunters do not distinguish between protected and non-protected species. The project will work with FDA and local authorities to ensure wildlife laws governing the two countries, Liberia and Guinea, are well understood and adhered to.

Shifting agriculture

Kristell — 2023-04-03T17:34:43Z

There is a general perception among farmers that food crops grow well with an increase in yield only on farms made in the high forest with decades of deposit of organic matter in the soil. As a result, intact forest is cut down to be planted with crops for a few years, such as with rice then vegetables, then peanuts, before the land is abandoned or left fallow.

This practice is one of the major drivers of deforestation and the loss of critical habitat that was previously partly protected through local customary regulations (sacred forests), leading to the loss of the landscape's connectivity. Another underlying major factor is population growth, which puts increased pressure on forest habitat to be converted to agriculture.

Community engagement

Kristell — 2023-04-03T17:33:44Z

Recognising that many community members are aware of and actively aim to manage natural resources, communities can perceive conservation-related projects as a strategy to restrict their access to the natural resources on which they depend.

As a result, it becomes difficult in most cases for communities to accept a project as community-owned without tangible benefits. Involvement of the community in project planning and implementation phases, the introduction of genuine livelihood opportunities and the wider provision of basic socio-economic needs (good roads, health facilities, schools, safe drinking water,) would help to increase a sense of community ownership of the project and commitment to mutual goals of sustainable access to and use of natural resources and ecosystem services.

Crucial connectivity for the whole Upper Guinean forests and a biodiversity hotspot

Kristell — 2023-04-03T17:23:40Z

The WWZ landscape is classified as a key biodiversity area and is an integral part of the entire ecoregion, being the most westerly tropical rainforest block in Africa and crucial for the viability of the whole.

Swamp and riparian forests can be found embedded within the moist evergreen and semi-deciduous forests, providing home to an enormous level of biodiversity: more than 200 endemic plants, 1 000 vertebrates such as the Diana monkey, red colobus, lesser spot-nosed monkey, sooty mangabey, western chimpanzee, 31 species of bats, 38 species of rodents and 347 species of birds. Prolonged human influence has transformed much of the forest from its primary state.

Conserving the forest blocks and corridors to keep the landscape intact and connected is vital for the survival of endangered species such as the forest elephant, pygmy hippopotamus and many endemic species.

Forest elephants

Kristell — 2023-04-03T17:21:00Z

Forest elephant surveys have revealed a population of less than 250 individuals in the Upper Guinean forest of Guinea and Liberia (IUCN, 2016). The species population has been reported to be decreasing and was recently classified as “critically endangered” by the IUCN.

Wologizi-Wonegizi-Ziama still contains a significant population of forest elephants that use the structural connectivity of the landscape and beyond such as Foya and Gola forests. Several new calves were recorded by camera traps
in 2022. However, habitat loss triggers human-elephant conflict as the cases of crop raiding increase.