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Line 333: − Jones et al. (2019) evaluated the effectiveness of conservation interventions (e.g., participation in livelihood-support programs) in villages adjacent to Gola Forest National Park. The responsiveness of two different target groups (hunting households and high-impact hunters) to the same conservation interventions differed. This implies that audience segmentation could improve the effectiveness of conservation interventions, by targeting specific groups (Jones et al. 2019).+ + Line 305:
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Gola Forest National Park (view source)
Revision as of 03:26, 15 January 2020
, 03:26, 15 January 2020no edit summary
= Site characteristics = <!-- A paragraph summary of physical and geographic aspects of the site, and a table of key information -->
= Site characteristics = <!-- A paragraph summary of physical and geographic aspects of the site, and a table of key information -->
Situated in northwest Liberia, the site was first classified as a National Forest in 1960 (Hoke et al. 2007), and designated as National Park in 2016 (Rainforest Trust 2018). The park is located in the Upper Guinea Forest of West Africa, a biodiversity hotspot with very high rates of endemism (Hoke et al. 2007). In addition to chimpanzees, other endangered mammal species inhabit the site, including Jentink’s duiker, forest elephant, pygmy hippopotamus, leopard, and bongo (Barrie et al. 2007). The site has also been declared an Important Bird Area (BirdLife International 2019). Gola Forest National Park is strategically connected to Sierra Leone’s Gola Rainforest National Park to establish a bi-national peace park (Rainforest Trust 2018).
Situated in northwest Liberia, the site was first classified as a National Forest in 1960 (Hoke et al. 2007), and designated as National Park in 2016 (Rainforest Trust 2018). The park is located in the Upper Guinea Forest of West Africa, a biodiversity hotspot with very high rates of endemism (Hoke et al. 2007). In addition to chimpanzees, other endangered mammal species occur, including Jentink’s duiker (''Cephalophus jentinki''), forest elephant (''Loxodonta africana''), pygmy hippopotamus (''Hexaprotodon liberiensis''), leopard (''Panthera pardus''), and bongo (''Tragelaphus eurycerus'') (Barrie et al. 2007). The site has also been declared an Important Bird Area (BirdLife International 2019). Gola Forest National Park is strategically connected to Sierra Leone’s Gola Rainforest National Park to establish a bi-national peace park (Rainforest Trust 2018).
'''Table 1: Basic site information for Gola Forest National Park'''
'''Table 1: Basic site information for Gola Forest National Park'''
|-
|-
| Coordinates
| Coordinates
|7.497528 N, -10.648257 W
|7.50 N, -10.65 W
|-
|-
| Designation <!-- National Park, Nature Reserve, etc. -->
| Designation <!-- National Park, Nature Reserve, etc. -->
= Ape status = <!-- a text overview of ape status (population sizes, trends etc), followed by a table of specific surveys and results -->
= Ape status = <!-- a text overview of ape status (population sizes, trends etc), followed by a table of specific surveys and results -->
The most recent estimate of chimpanzee abundance was 94 individuals in the year 2012 (Tweh et al. 2014). Due to a lack of survey data, the population trend in unknown.
The most recent estimate of chimpanzee abundance was 94 individuals in the year 2012 (Tweh et al. 2014).
Through the GolaMA project, line transect surveys with nest counts were conducted across a small portion of the northern sector and the adjacent community forest. Lines were surveyed in 2016-2017 and repeated in 2018-2019 The data have not yet been analyzed to obtain a density estimate.
'''Table 2: Great ape population estimates in Gola Forest National Park'''
'''Table 2: Great ape population estimates in Gola Forest National Park'''
|Tweh et al. 2014
|Tweh et al. 2014
|Survey effort: 118.3 km
|Survey effort: 118.3 km
|
|-
|''Pan troglodytes verus''
|2016-2017
|
|
|
|Northern part of Gola NP
|Line transects (Distance)
|Jones unpublished data
|
|
|-
|''Pan troglodytes verus''
|2018-2019
|
|
|
|Northern part of Gola NP
|Line transects (Distance)
|Jones unpublished data
|
|
|-
|''Pan troglodytes verus''
|2019
|
|
|Present
|Eastern part of Gola NP
|Index survey
|ELRECO Nationwide Forest Elephant Status Survey
|
|
|
|}
|}
Several years of civil conflict in Liberia (1989-2003) led to the encroachment of Gola National Forest by displaced people and increased illegal mining and farming activities, as well as bushmeat hunting (Hoke et al. 2007). Illegal mining and logging activities were particularly aggravated by the civil wars (Hoke et al. 2007). Other major threats include bushmeat hunting and illegal farming activities (Hoke et al. 2007). Furthermore, since the end of the second civil war, the interest from international logging and mining companies to extract timber and mineral resources in the country was renewed (Tweh et al. 2014). In 2005, two mining companies were large-scale prospecting at Gola National Forest (Barrie et al. 2007).
Several years of civil conflict in Liberia (1989-2003) led to the encroachment of Gola National Forest by displaced people and increased illegal mining and farming activities, as well as bushmeat hunting (Hoke et al. 2007). Illegal mining and logging activities were particularly aggravated by the civil wars (Hoke et al. 2007). Other major threats include bushmeat hunting and illegal farming activities (Hoke et al. 2007). Furthermore, since the end of the second civil war, the interest from international logging and mining companies to extract timber and mineral resources in the country was renewed (Tweh et al. 2014). In 2005, two mining companies were large-scale prospecting at Gola National Forest (Barrie et al. 2007).
'''Table 3: Threats to great apes in Gola Forest National Park'''
'''Table 3: Threats to great apes in Gola Forest National Park'''
|High
|High
|
|
|illegal artisanal mining, especially during the Liberian civil wars (Barrie et al. 2007, Tweh et al. 2014)
|Illegal artisanal mining, especially during the Liberian civil wars (Barrie et al. 2007, Tweh et al. 2014)
|Ongoing (2007, 2014)
|Ongoing (2014)
|-
|-
|4. Transportation & service corridors
|4. Transportation & service corridors
|High
|High
|
|
|Bushmeat hunting (Barrie et al. 2007, Tweh et al. 2014)
|Bushmeat hunting (Barrie et al. 2007, Tweh et al. 2014, Jones et al. 2019 a,b)
|Ongoing (2007, 2014)
|Ongoing (2014)
|-
|-
|6. Human intrusions & disturbance
|
|5.3 Logging & wood harvesting
|5.3 Logging & wood harvesting
|High
|High
|Ongoing (2007)
|Ongoing (2007)
|-
|-
|7. Natural system modifications
|6. Human intrusions & disturbance
|6.2 War, civil unrest & military exercises
|6.2 War, civil unrest & military exercises
|High
|High
|Two civil wars resulted in the encroachment of the park by displaced people; illegal mining and logging activities were also aggravated during this time (Hoke et al. 2007)
|Two civil wars resulted in the encroachment of the park by displaced people; illegal mining and logging activities were also aggravated during this time (Hoke et al. 2007)
|1989-2003
|1989-2003
|-
|7. Natural system modifications
|
|Absent
|
|
|
|-
|-
|8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases
|8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases
= Conservation activities = <!-- a text overview of conservation activities, followed by a table of key activities -->
= Conservation activities = <!-- a text overview of conservation activities, followed by a table of key activities -->
The site is part of BirdLife International´s ([http://www.birdlife.org/worldwide/programmes/forests-hope Forests of Hope program]), which aims to restore natural forests and support their long-term management. BirdLife International is also carrying out ([https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/conservation/projects/tropical-forests-research/ monitoring projects]) in the site. As part of the ([https://www.scnlliberia.org/our-work GolaMa Project]), the Society for Conservation of Nature in Liberia (SCNL) works to manage and protect the surrounding parts of the Gola forest that are not protected.
The site is part of BirdLife International´s ([http://www.birdlife.org/worldwide/programmes/forests-hope Forests of Hope program]), which aims to restore natural forests and support their long-term management. BirdLife International is also carrying out ([https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/conservation/projects/tropical-forests-research/ monitoring projects]) in the site. As part of the ([https://www.scnlliberia.org/our-work GolaMa Project]), the Society for Conservation of Nature in Liberia (SCNL) works to manage and protect the surrounding parts of the Gola forest that are not protected.
Jones et al. (2019a) used cluster analysis to group hunters based on their behavioural and demographic profiles. It showed that groups with different hunting impacts also had distinct livelihood profiles, so would probably be expected to respond differently to different interventions. In a further survey of the same park-adjacent villages, Jones et al (2019b) gives a description of the species hunted and the financial returns obtained by hunters and traders. Chimpanzees and several other threatened taxa were recorded among hunters catch. The study found that traders were highly discouraged from continuing their activities by law enforcement efforts at road blocks. A household survey conducted in 2017 and 2019 found bushmeat hunting levels remained relatively unchanged at about 30-40% of households, whereas bushmeat trading may have decreased somewhat (from about 40 to 20%). This is most likely to be related to increased law enforcement efforts and meat confiscations.
'''Table 4: Conservation activities in Gola Forest National Park'''
'''Table 4: Conservation activities in Gola Forest National Park'''
|-
|-
|5. Biological resource use
|5. Biological resource use
|5.4. Implement road blocks to inspect cars for illegal primate bushmeat
|Road blocks to inspect bushmeat traders (Jones et al. 2019b)
|Ongoing (2019)
|-
|
|5.6. Conduct regular anti-poaching patrols
|5.6. Conduct regular anti-poaching patrols
|Forest guards of the Forestry Development Authority conduct poaching patrols (BirdLife International 2014)
|Forest guards of the Forestry Development Authority conduct poaching patrols (BirdLife International 2014)
|11. Habitat Protection
|11. Habitat Protection
|11.2. Legally protect primate habitat
|11.2. Legally protect primate habitat
|The area was designated as National Park in 2016 (Rainforest Trust 2018)
|the area was designated as National Park in 2016 (Rainforest Trust 2018)
|Ongoing (2018)
|Ongoing (2018)
|-
|-
= Impediments = <!-- Overview of impediments to ape conservation -->
= Impediments = <!-- Overview of impediments to ape conservation -->
'''Table 5: Impediments reported for Gola Forest National Park'''
'''Table 5: Impediments reported for Gola Forest National Park'''
|-
|-
|Lack of law enforcement
|Lack of law enforcement
|Barrie et al. 2007, Jones et al. 2019
|Barrie et al. 2007, Jones et al. 2019a
|-
|-
|}
|}
= Research activities = <!-- Overview of research activities -->
= Research activities = <!-- Overview of research activities -->
Research activities in Gola Forest National Park focus on the monitoring of western chimpanzee (details in section on ape status), the bushmeat trade and appropriate conservation interventions (Jones et al. 2019 a,b; details section on conservation activities).
===Documented behaviours=== <!-- List of any behaviours observed at the site, including citations -->
===Documented behaviours=== <!-- List of any behaviours observed at the site, including citations -->
BirdLife International. 2019. Important Bird Areas factsheet: Lofa-Gola-Mano Complex. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 23/03/2019.<br>
BirdLife International. 2019. Important Bird Areas factsheet: Lofa-Gola-Mano Complex. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 23/03/2019.<br>
Hoke, P., R. Demey and A. Peal (eds.). 2007. A rapid biological assessment of North Lorma, Gola and Grebo National Forests, Liberia. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 44. Conservation International, Arlington, VA, USA. <br>
Hoke, P., R. Demey and A. Peal (eds.). 2007. A rapid biological assessment of North Lorma, Gola and Grebo National Forests, Liberia. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 44. Conservation International, Arlington, VA, USA. <br>
Jones S., Keane A., St John F., Vickery J., Papworth S. 2019. Audience segmentation to improve targeting of conservation interventions for hunters: Audience Segmentation. Conservation Biology. DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13275.<br>
Jones S et al. 2019a. Audience segmentation to improve targeting of conservation interventions for hunters: Audience Segmentation. Conservation Biology. DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13275.<br>
Jones, S. et al. 2019b. Incentives and social relationships of hunters and traders in a Liberian bushmeat system. Biol. Conserv. 237, 338–347. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2019.06.006<br>
Rainforest Trust. 2018. Liberia Marks Official Launch of Gola Forest National Park With Community Ceremony. Online: https://www.rainforesttrust.org/liberia-marks-official-launch-of-gola-forest-national-park-with-community-ceremony/ <br>
Rainforest Trust. 2018. Liberia Marks Official Launch of Gola Forest National Park With Community Ceremony. Online: https://www.rainforesttrust.org/liberia-marks-official-launch-of-gola-forest-national-park-with-community-ceremony/ <br>
RSPB. 2019. Tropical Forests Research. Online: https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/conservation/projects/tropical-forests-research/) <br>
RSPB. 2019. Tropical Forests Research. Online: https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/conservation/projects/tropical-forests-research/) <br>
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'''Page completed by:''' A.P.E.S. Wiki Team '''Date:''' 29/08/2019 <!-- If you don't want to add your name, you can add "A.P.E.S. Wiki team" -->
'''Page completed by:''' A.P.E.S. Wiki Team, Martina Vogt & Sorrel Jones '''Date:''' 12/12/2019 <!-- If you don't want to add your name, you can add "A.P.E.S. Wiki team" -->
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