List of protected areas of Sierra Leone

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This is a list of protected areas of Sierra Leone , including national parks, game reserves, conservation areas, wetlands, and those that are listed as proposed protected areas in the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP WCM) database.

Contents

Forest reserves

NameStatusArea (km2)
Bojeni HillsDesignated7.38
Dodo HillsDesignated21.8
FabinaDesignated3.82
Farangbaia Designated12.60
Freetown Water WorksDesignated11.34
Gboi HillsDesignated2.07
Gola East Designated (amalgamated into Gola Rainforest National Park in 2010)228.00
Gola West Designated (amalgamated into Gola Rainforest National Park in 2010)62.00
Golamo SouthDesignated11.60
Gori Hills Designated79.40
John Obey Designated2.07
Kambui Hills Designated143.35
Kambui North Designated203.48
Kambui SouthDesignated8.80
KandesuriDesignated59.57
Kasewe Designated12.24
Kent ExtensionDesignated6.44
Kuru HillsDesignated69.93
LalayDesignated4.76
Leicester PeakDesignated0.52
Lhei HillsDesignated1.55
Malal HillsDesignated3.39
MateteDesignated8.50
Moku HillDesignated1.46
Moyamba HillsDesignated1.89
Nimini SouthDesignated25.90
No. 2 RiverDesignated6.99
Occra HillsDesignated2.48
PeninsulaDesignated178.00
Port LokoDesignated2.16
SingambaDesignated2.99
SipendeDesignated8.29
TabeDesignated3.25
TamaDesignated170.00
TobiDesignated16.71
TonkoliDesignated71.04
Wara Wara HillsDesignated10.41
Waterloo Designated0.85

Game reserves

NameStatusArea (km2)
Bagru-Moteva Creeks Proposed50.00
Bumpe Mangrove Swamp Proposed49.21
Kagboro Creek (Yawri Bay) Proposed50.00
Kpaka-Pujehun Proposed25.00
Sewa-Waanje Proposed100.00

Game sanctuaries

NameStatusArea (km2)
Bo Plains Proposed25.90
Tiwai Island Designated12.00

National parks

NameStatusArea (km2)
Gola Rainforest National Park Designatured710.70
Kuru Hills Proposed69.93
Lake Mape/Mabesi Proposed75.11
Lake Sonfon Proposed51.80
Loma Mountains Proposed332.01
Outamba-Kilimi Designated808.13
Western Area Peninsula National Park Designated183.37

Non-hunting forest reserves

NameStatusArea (km2)
Kangari Hills Designated85.73
Loma Mountains Designated332.01
Tingi Hills (Sankan Biriwa)Designated118.85
Western Area Designated176.88

Strict nature reserves

NameStatusArea (km2)
Bonthe Mangrove SwampProposed998.54
Gola (West) ForestProposed62.00
Gola NorthProposed40.00
Mamunta-Mayoso Sanctuary Proposed20.72
Mogbai (Gola North) (proposed)Proposed
Port Loko PlainsProposed25.90
Sulima Mangrove SwampProposed25.90
Wemago (Gola East)Proposed35.00
Yelibuya IslandProposed38.85

Wetlands of international importance (Ramsar)

NameStatusArea (km2)
Sierra Leone River Estuary 2950.00

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

NameStatusArea (km2)Description
Yawri BayDesignated
Sherbro River EstuaryDesignated
Sierra Leone River EstuaryDesignated
Scarcies River EstuaryDesignated694The Scarcies River Estuary MPA is located in Northern Sierra Leone and comprises the Great and Little Scarcies which merge at the mouth before emptying into the Atlantic Ocean. The MPA consists of both marine and intertidal zones and it is a partially regulated MPA. Four clusters of community management associations have been designated to manage the MPAs. Restricted fishing is allowed using hook and line and bottom set gillnet fishing. The use of monofilament fishing net is prohibited.

Notes

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    Transboundary protected area

    A transboundary protected area (TBPA) is an ecological protected area that spans boundaries of more than one country or sub-national entity. Such areas are also known as transfrontier conservation areas (TFCAs) or peace parks.

    Marine protected area Protected areas of seas, oceans, estuaries or large lakes

    Marine protected areas (MPA) are protected areas of seas, oceans, estuaries or in the US, the Great Lakes. These marine areas can come in many forms ranging from wildlife refuges to research facilities. MPAs restrict human activity for a conservation purpose, typically to protect natural or cultural resources. Such marine resources are protected by local, state, territorial, native, regional, national, or international authorities and differ substantially among and between nations. This variation includes different limitations on development, fishing practices, fishing seasons and catch limits, moorings and bans on removing or disrupting marine life. In some situations, MPAs also provide revenue for countries, potentially equal to the income that they would have if they were to grant companies permissions to fish.

    Loma Mountains

    The Loma Mountains are the highest mountain range in Sierra Leone. The highest peak is Mount Bintumani which rises to a height of 1,945 metres (6,381 ft). The area has been designated a non-hunting forest reserve since 1952. The reserve covers an area of 33,201 hectares.

    Tiwai Island

    Tiwai Island is a wildlife sanctuary and tourist site in Sierra Leone. Run by the non-governmental organization Environmental Foundation for Africa, Tiwai is 12 square kilometers in area and located on the Moa River in the Southern Province. It is also one of the largest inland islands in the country.

    Sierra Leone River

    The Sierra Leone River is a river estuary on the Atlantic Ocean in Western Sierra Leone. It is formed by the Bankasoka River and Rokel River and is between 4 and 10 miles wide (6–16 km) and 25 miles (40 km) long. It holds the major ports of Queen Elizabeth II Quay and Pepel. The estuary is also important for shipping. It is the largest natural harbour in the African continent. Several islands, including Tasso Island, Tombo Island, and the historically important Bunce Island, are located in the estuary.

    Zapata Swamp

    The Zapata Swamp is located on the Zapata Peninsula in the southern Matanzas Province of Cuba, in the municipality of Ciénaga de Zapata. It is located less than 150 kilometres (93 mi) southeast of Havana.

    Western Area Peninsula National Park

    Western Area Peninsula National Park is a protected area in Sierra Leone. It covers an area of 183.37 km².

    Kangari Hills Forest Reserve

    Kangari Hills Forest Reserve is a non-hunting forest reserve in the centre of Sierra Leone. The area became a forest reserve in 1924. Lying between 200 and 500 metres above sea level, the reserve has an area of 8,573 hectares (85.73 km²), although parts of it area have been encroached upon by farming and mining. The Reserve is one of the few places in Sierra Leone where the endangered forest elephant survives.

    Farangbaia Forest Reserve is a forest reserve with a rainforest ecosystem in Sierra Leone. The Reserve covers an area of 1,260 hectares, is located approximately 10 km to the south-east of the town of Bumbuna and forms part of the catchment area for the Seli River. Since the outbreak of Sierra Leone civil war in 1991 much of the reserve has become farmland and bush forest and there a number sawmills operating there.

    The Kambui Hills Forest Reserve occupies an area of 14,335 hectares in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone. It is located 10 kilometres from the town of Kenema with terrain consisting of steep slopes that reach an altitude of between 100 and 645 metres. The area mainly contains forest habitat but there is also some savanna and wetland. Over 200 separate species of birds have been recorded in the reserve including vulnerable species the white-necked picathartes and green-tailed bristlebill and near threatened species the yellow-casqued hornbill, rufous-winged illadopsis and copper-tailed glossy-starling.

    Tingi Hills Forest Reserve

    The Tingi Hills Forest Reserve is located in a mountain range in the east of Sierra Leone and occupies an area of 118.85 km2 (45.89 sq mi). It became a forest reserve in 1947 and a non-hunting forest reserve in 1973. The area reaches from an altitude of 400 to 1850 metres at the north peak of the dual peaked Sankan Biriwa massif. In the lower regions the area consists of forest interspersed with savannah then moves into shrub savannah and then mountain grassland at higher altitudes. Over 200 species of birds have been recorded in the area and the reserve is also home to western baboons and forest elephants.

    The Bo Plains are located in the south of Sierra Leone by the city of Bo. The plains are mainly made up of savannah and 2,590 hectares of the area have been proposed as a game sanctuary.

    Kasewe Forest Reserve is an area of hills in the Moyamba District of Sierra Leone. It is designated as a forest reserve and contains moist semi-deciduous and evergreen forests that cover an area of 1.224 km². Made up of volcanic rock the hills stand about 500m above the interior plains of the country. The nearest town is Lunsar.

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