Foya Proposed Protected Area
West Africa > Liberia > Foya Proposed Protected Area
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Summary
- Western chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) are present in Foya.
- The population size is unknown.
- The chimpanzee population trend is unknown.
- This site has a total size of 1646 km².
- Key threats to chimpanzees are hunting, large-scale mining and commercial logging.
- The GolaMA Project supports communities to manage forest resources sustainably.
- Foya is the largest of the proposed protected areas (Johnson 2015) and forms part of an Important Bird Area (IBA).
Site characteristics
Foya Proposed Protected Area spans the northwestern highlands, including the southwest extension of the Wonegizi Mountains, the headwaters of the Mano River, and approximately 40 kilometers of Lofa River frontage. Foya is the largest of the proposed protected areas. It consists of moist evergreen forest and moist semi-deciduous forests. The site includes about 44,000 ha of community forest. Efforts to secure a status of national park are ongoing (NICFI 2016). Foya is an important area for the vulnerable zebra duiker Cephalophus zebra (Johnson 2015). Apart from chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus), survey teams of the nationwide chimpanzee and large mammal survey (Tweh et al. 2014) found numerous signs of black duiker (Cephalophus niger), Maxwell duiker (Philantomba maxwellii), Ogilby’s duiker (Cephalophus ogilbyi), bay duiker (Cephalophus dorsalis), bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus), sooty mangabey (Cercocebus atys), Campbell’s monkey (Cercopithecus campbelli), spot-nosed monkey Cercopithecus petaurista), lowland bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus), red river hog (Potamochoerus porcus), and the vulnerable African elephant (Loxodonta africana) in the forests around Foya Proposed Protected Area.
Table 1. Basic site information for Foya Proposed Protected Area
| Species | 'Pan troglodytes verus |
| Area | 1,646 km² |
| Coordinates | Lat: 7.79 , Lon: -10.34 |
| Type of site | Proposed protected area |
| Habitat types | Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland Forest |
| Type of governance |
IUCN habitat categories Site designations
Ape status
Although Tweh and colleagues (2014) did not survey Foya Proposed Protected Area directly, they found many nests and other signs of chimpanzee presence on recces and line transects in the forests all around Foya. The nationwide chimpanzee abundance model published by Junker et al. (2015) suggests that chimpanzees are likely to occur in this area. Further analysis of the nationwide dataset revealed that Foya Proposed Protected Area was located in the tenth highest ranked conservation priority area in terms of chimpanzee density, and mammal and tree diversity (Junker et al. 2015). Interview surveys showed that several villages around Foya Proposed Protected Area practice taboos against the killing and eating of chimpanzees (Junker unpubl. data).
Table 2. Ape population estimates reported for Foya Proposed Protected Area
| Species | Year | Occurrence | Encounter or vistation rate (nests/km; ind/day) | Density estimate [ind./ km²] (95% CI) | Abundance estimate (95% CI) | Survey area | Sampling method | Analytical framework | Source | Comments | A.P.E.S. database ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pan troglodytes verus | 2010-2012 | Likely to be present | Foya Proposed Protected Area | Other | Junker et al. 2015 | The site itself was not surveyed, estimate based on a nationwide chimpanzee abundance model | |||||
| Pan troglodytes verus | 2018 | Present | Foya Proposed Protected Area | Reconnaissance walk | Society for the Conservation of Nature of Liberia | Reconnaissance walk | |||||
| Pan troglodytes verus | 2019 | Present | Foya Proposed Protected Area | Reconnaissance walk | ELRECO Nationwide Forest Elephant Status Survey |
Threats
During the nationwide chimpanzee and large mammal survey, teams encountered less hunting signs in the forests around Foya Proposed Protected Area than elsewhere in the country (Junker unpubl. data). Recce surveys from 2018 and a hunting study overlapping with North-west sector show that hunting occurs across the whole area, but may be less intense than other sites in Liberia due to the difficulty of access. Some communities, particularly in the South and West are reportedly strict about allowing hunters from outside to access forest without communities permission which could act to reduce the pressure from immigrant hunters.
Table 3. Threats to apes reported for Foya Proposed Protected Area
| Category | Specific threats | Threat level | Description | Year of threat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Geological events | Absent | |||
| 12 Other threat | Absent | |||
| 5 Biological resource use | 5.3 Logging & wood harvesting | Low (up to 30% of population affected) | Area overlapped with Private-Use Permits, which have been withdrawn (Johnson 2015, Junker et al. 2015) | 2013-2015 |
| 1 Residential & commercial development | 1.1 Residential areas | Medium (30-70% of population affected) | Many settlements within the boundary of the Proposed Protected Area, that have been established for many years | Ongoing |
| 3 Energy production & mining | 3.2 Mining & quarrying | Medium (30-70% of population affected) | Mining for gold and other minerals (Johnson 2015) | Ongoing (2015) |
| 2 Agriculture & aquaculture | 2.1 Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Present (unknown severity) | Deforestation due to shifting cultivation (NICFI 2016), much of the area around settlement has been cleared for agriculture | Ongoing (2016) |
| 4 Transportation & service corridors | Unknown | |||
| 6 Human intrusions & disturbance | Unknown | |||
| 7 Natural system modifications | Unknown | |||
| 8 Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Unknown | |||
| 9 Pollution | Unknown | |||
| 11 Climate change & severe weather | Unknown |
Conservation activities
The GolaMA Project is a partnership between forest communities, the Government of Liberia and the international conservation community to conserve and manage the Gola Forest that lies outside of protected areas. The forest where the GolaMA Project is working covers about 400 km2 of the Gola Forest and forms a corridor linking Gola National Park and the Foya Proposed Protected Area, as well the Gola Rainforest National Park in Sierra Leone. The project is implemented by The Society for Conservation of Nature in Liberia (SCNL) in collaboration with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) (EEAS 2018). The focus of the project is to support two clans to establish community-managed forests in partnership with the Government of Liberia, which are to be managed so that forest resources are conserved. The project activities span livelihood support work such as training in bee-keeping, training for improving the yields of cocoa production, and using swamp-cultivation methods. It has also established a small-loans schemes. Participation in livelihood support activities are linked to conservation-friendly behaviour, with a focus on reducing hunting of vulnerable wildlife. Ongoing work on the community forests' management plans will introduce community regulations on hunting and land use to preserve areas for conservation.
Table 4. Conservation activities reported for Foya Proposed Protected Area
| Category | Specific activity | Description | Implementing organization(s) | Year of activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Development impact mitigation | 1.4 Farm more intensively and effectively in selected areas and spare more natural land | GolaMA project: farmer field school training for cocoa farmers, and swamp cultivation demonstration sites have been taking place from 2017-2019 | Since 2017 | |
| 2 Counter-wildlife crime | 2.13 Provide sustainable alternative livelihoods; establish fish- or domestic meat farms | GolaMA project: fish ponds established, bee-keeping training | Since 2014 | |
| 4 Education & awareness | 4.1 Educate local communities about apes and sustainable use | GolaMA project: adult literacy classes, awareness raising efforts included several conservation-themed workshops | Since 2016 | |
| 7 Economic & other incentives | 7.1 Provide monetary benefits to local communities for sustainably managing their forest and its wildlife (e.g., REDD, alternative income, employment) | GolaMA project: groups / individuals must formally agree to refrain from commercial hunting / trading of bushmeat to qualify for small-loans scheme (participants sign MOUs) | Since 2016 | |
| 7 Economic & other incentives | 7.2 Provide non-monetary benefits to local communities for sustainably managing their forest and its wildlife (e.g., better education, infrastructure development) | GolaMA project: groups / individuals must formally agree to refrain from commercial hunting / trading of bushmeat to qualify as participants in training programmes (articipants sign MOUs) | Since 2016 |
Conservation activities list (Junker et al. 2017)
Challenges
Table 5. Challenges reported for Foya Proposed Protected Area
| Challenges | Specific challenges | Source | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Not reported |
Enablers
Table 6. Enablers reported for Foya Proposed Protected Area
| Enablers | Specific enablers | Source | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Site management | |||
| 2 Resources and capacity | |||
| 3 Engaged community | |||
| 4 Institutional support | |||
| 5 Ecological context | |||
| 6 Safety and stability |
Research activities
According to local people there are albino chimps in Foya PPA; and chimps allegedly do not build nests but sleep in tree forks (Vogt pers. obs.).
Documented behaviours
Table 7. Behaviours documented for Foya Proposed Protected Area
| Behavior | Source |
|---|---|
| Nut cracking | Society for the Conservation of Nature of Liberia |
Exposure to climate change impacts
External links
Relevant datasets
References
European External Action Service (EEAS) 2018. Securing Liberian Forest Connectivity through Community Forest Management and Innovative Financing. (15 October 2019; ec.europa.eu).
Forestry Development Authority (FDA) 2017. Request for Expressions of Interest for Provision of Consultancy Services. Liberia Forest Sector Project, Project Id: P154114, Grant Id: Tfa2427. (15 October 2019; www.emansion.gov.lr (PDF)).
Global Witness. (2013). Avoiding the Riptide: Liberia must Enforce its Forest Laws to Prevent a New Wave of Illegal and Destructive Logging Contracts. Global Witness.
Johnson S. 2015. Aggregated Biodiversity Offsets: A Roadmap for Liberia’s Mining Sector. Unpublished report by the World Bank Group (WBG) and Program On Forests (PROFOR).
Junker J, Boesch C, Freeman T, Mundry R, Stephens C, Kühl HS. 2015. Integrating wildlife conservation with conflicting economic land-use goals in a West African biodiversity hotspot. Basic and Applied Ecology: doi:10.1016/j.baae.2015.07.002.
Norwegian International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI). 2016. Forest and Mosaic Landscape Restoration in Lofa County, Liberia. (15 October 2019; www.regjeringen.no (PDF)).
Tweh C, Lormie M, Kouakou CY, Hillers A, Kühl HS, Junker J, et al. 2014. Conservation status of chimpanzees Pan troglodytes verus and other large mammals in Liberia: a nationwide survey. Oryx: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0030605313001191.
Wilson STK, Wang H, Kabenge M, Qi X. 2017. The mining sector of Liberia: current practices and environmental challenges. Environmental Science and Pollution Research 24: 18711–18720.
Page created by: Martina Vogt & Sorrel Jones Date: NA