CAFOD: Western Area Peninsula-National Park Conservation and Livelihoods Pilot

The Western Area Peninsula – National Park (WAP-NP) covers 17,000 hectares, spanning the western area of Sierra Leone; it encompasses Freetown, the capital, and is home to 1.5 million people. It is one of the eight biodiversity hotspots in Sierra Leone and hosts 80-90% of the country’s terrestrial biodiversity including the endangered and threatened species; the red colobus, pygmy hippopotamus, chimpanzee, white-necked Picathartes, and Jentink’s duikers, as well as numerous endemic and medicinal plant species. In addition, it serves as a water catchment area that supplies the capital of Freetown. Nevertheless, the coastal areas around the WAP-NP are highly vulnerable to increased frequency and severity of coastal erosion, flooding and storm surges which severely impact social well-being, livelihood security, water resources and major economic sectors such as fishing, tourism and agriculture. The WAP-NP also faces numerous threats caused by unsustainable human practices such as sand and stone extraction, deforestation, unplanned urbanization, land grabbing and reclamation, poor waste management, illegal logging for charcoal, mining, farming, hunting and climate change. These induced pressures have led to the loss of biodiversity and habitat for many threatened species due to alarming deforestation and requires integrated action to ensure its conservation and maintain sustainable development. The aforementioned threats have adverse impacts on the health and well-being of the people living in rural communities. These rural communities are mostly pigeon-holed settlements that often experience flooding, coastal erosion, and mudslides resulting in significant loss of lives, livelihoods, and property among others.