We’re delighted that Gola Rainforest National Park in Sierra Leone has been designated part of a newly inscribed UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, recognising the success of conservation work led by the RSPB and partners for over 30 years. Covering 71,000 hectares, the national park is part of the Upper Guinean Rainforest, a globally important biodiversity hotspot once spanning much of West Africa. However, decades of intensive logging and the 1991–2002 civil war severely damaged this precious ecosystem.
The RSPB has worked closely with the Conservation Society of Sierra Leone and other partners to protect Gola’s remaining forest. In 2013, the RSPB helped launch a pioneering REDD+ (reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries) project aimed at reducing deforestation through ranger patrols and community development initiatives. This project supports local communities by providing education, healthcare and sustainable livelihood options — including training 2,500 farmers to grow forest-friendly cocoa. You can even buy delicious chocolate made from their beans in the RSPB Shop, helping to fund ongoing conservation efforts.
The forest is home to endangered mammals such as Pygmy Hippos, pangolins, Forest Elephants and Western Chimpanzees, alongside over 320 bird species including the threatened Timneh Parrot and White-necked Picathartes.
The new World Heritage status recognises the national park’s outstanding universal value for nature, together with neighbouring Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary. This achievement reflects decades of dedication by the RSPB, local communities, the Environmental Foundation of Africa, the Government of Sierra Leone and other national partners. As Fomba Kanneh, Head of Gola at Gola Rainforest Conservation, says: “This is a powerful affirmation of generations of stewardship by local communities, securing a brighter future for both people and wildlife. I feel honoured and humbled to be part of this historic moment.”
Going forward, the ambition is to expand the World Heritage site to also include forests in Liberia, strengthening trans-boundary conservation of the wider Gola Landscape.
Try Gola Rainforest chocolate
From Sierra Leone’s Gola Rainforest to your home, discover a feel-good chocolate collection made with cocoa grown under rainforest canopy by communities around the national park –where the RSPB and partners have worked for over 30 years. Every bite helps protect remarkable wildlife, from pygmy hippos and forest elephants to chimpanzees, plus hundreds of bird and butterfly species.
Profits from these truffles will be reinvested into the Gola Rainforest Cocoa Project. Photo: The RSPB
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