Changes

     to the relevant table or keyword list. This ensures that the same keyword always refers to the same concept, e.g. Everybody uses "Industrial mining",  

     to the relevant table or keyword list. This ensures that the same keyword always refers to the same concept, e.g. Everybody uses "Industrial mining",  

     rather than several keywords such as "Industrial mining", "Large-scale mining", and "Mining".  

     rather than several keywords such as "Industrial mining", "Large-scale mining", and "Mining".  

-->

-->

<!-- Please add information for this site -->

<!-- Please add information for this site -->

[[West Africa]] > [[Liberia]] > [[West Nimba Community Forest]]

[[West Africa]] > [[Liberia]] > [[West Nimba Community Forest]]

= Summary =  <!-- An overview of the site, with a one sentence overview of each of the following sections. can include a site map -->

= Summary =  <!-- An overview of the site, with a one sentence overview of each of the following sections. can include a site map -->

 

* Western chimpanzees ([https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/15935/17989872 ''Pan troglodytes verus'']) are present in West Nimba Community Forest.  

* Western chimpanzees ( ''Pan troglodytes verus'') are present in West Nimba Community Forest.  

* The population size is 26 individuals.  

* The population size is 26 individuals.  

* The chimpanzee population trend is unknown.  

* The chimpanzee population trend is unknown.  

Nimba County is located in the western part of the Upper Guinea Ecoregion, which extends from Sierra Leone to the Sassandra River in Côte d’Ivoire. The West Upper Guinea forest ecosystem is characterized by exceptional biological richness and the endemism of its flora and fauna (CI 2012). West Nimba Community Forest is part of the Northern Nimba Conservation Area (NNCA), which is located in northeastern Liberia. The latter forms an integral part of the northeastern forest block of the country. The NNCA is comprised of the East Nimba Nature Reserve (ENNR), West Nimba Community Forest, ArcelorMittal Liberia (AML) concessions, and several towns. The area spans two districts of Nimba County: Yarmein and Gbelegay (CI 2012). Mount Nimba, which spans three countries, is one of the most famous sites for biodiversity conservation in West Africa and has been identified as a priority biodiversity hotspot for conservation (CI 2012). West Nimba was once designated a proposed protected area (Junker et al. 2015), but its protected status was modified later on (Johnson 2015). The following species were recorded in West Nimba Community Forest: western lesser spot-nosed monkey ''Cercopithecus petaurista buettikoferi'', Campbell’s monkey ''Cercopithecus campbelli'', sooty mangabey ''Cercocebus atys'' and the vulnerable king colobus ''Colobus polykomos'', the near threatened bay duiker ''Cephalophus dorsalis'' and African buffalo ''Syncerus caffer'', bush buck ''Tragelaphus scriptus'', leopard ''Panthera pardus'' and African civet ''Civettictis civetta'' (CI 2012).

Nimba County is located in the western part of the Upper Guinea Ecoregion, which extends from Sierra Leone to the Sassandra River in Côte d’Ivoire. The West Upper Guinea forest ecosystem is characterized by exceptional biological richness and the endemism of its flora and fauna (CI 2012). West Nimba Community Forest is part of the Northern Nimba Conservation Area (NNCA), which is located in northeastern Liberia. The latter forms an integral part of the northeastern forest block of the country. The NNCA is comprised of the East Nimba Nature Reserve (ENNR), West Nimba Community Forest, ArcelorMittal Liberia (AML) concessions, and several towns. The area spans two districts of Nimba County: Yarmein and Gbelegay (CI 2012). Mount Nimba, which spans three countries, is one of the most famous sites for biodiversity conservation in West Africa and has been identified as a priority biodiversity hotspot for conservation (CI 2012). West Nimba was once designated a proposed protected area (Junker et al. 2015), but its protected status was modified later on (Johnson 2015). The following species were recorded in West Nimba Community Forest: western lesser spot-nosed monkey ''Cercopithecus petaurista buettikoferi'', Campbell’s monkey ''Cercopithecus campbelli'', sooty mangabey ''Cercocebus atys'' and the vulnerable king colobus ''Colobus polykomos'', the near threatened bay duiker ''Cephalophus dorsalis'' and African buffalo ''Syncerus caffer'', bush buck ''Tragelaphus scriptus'', leopard ''Panthera pardus'' and African civet ''Civettictis civetta'' (CI 2012).

 

'''Table 1. Basic site information for West Nimba Community Forest'''

'''Table 1: Basic site information for West Nimba Community Forest'''

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="basic-information"

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="basic-information"

|Area            <!-- Please include units: km2/ha e.g 200ha    -->

|Area            <!-- Please include units: km2/ha e.g 200ha    -->

|-

|-

|Coordinates

|Coordinates

|7.48 N, 8.71 W

|7.48, -8.71

|-

|-

|Designation      <!-- National Park, Nature Reserve, etc.  -->

|Designation      <!-- National Park, Nature Reserve, etc.  -->

|}

|}

[http://www.unitar.org/hiroshima/sites/unitar.org.hiroshima/files/Annex%201%20-%20IUCN%20Classification%20Schemes.pdf IUCN habitat categories]  [[Site designations]]

[http://www.unitar.org/hiroshima/sites/unitar.org.hiroshima/files/Annex%201%20-%20IUCN%20Classification%20Schemes.pdf IUCN habitat categories]  [[Site designations]]

= 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 -->

from 2010-2011, the study area was divided into three different sites: the Gangra-Yuelliton site (21.26 km²) where mining will be carried out, the Tokadeh site (19.88 km², under exploitation since May 2011) and the West Nimba site (79.97 km², the remaining West Nimba forest). The chimpanzee population was estimated at 26 individuals with a density of 0.21 chimpanzees/ km².  

from 2010-2011, the study area was divided into three different sites: the Gangra-Yuelliton site (21.26 km²) where mining will be carried out, the Tokadeh site (19.88 km², under exploitation since May 2011) and the West Nimba site (79.97 km², the remaining West Nimba forest). The chimpanzee population was estimated at 26 individuals with a density of 0.21 chimpanzees/ km².  

 

'''Table 2. Great ape population estimates in West Nimba Community Forest'''

'''Table 2: Great ape population estimates in West Nimba Community Forest'''

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="population-estimate-table"

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="population-estimate-table"

! Species

! Species

! Year

! Year

! Abundance estimate (95% confidence interval)

! Abundance estimate (95% CI)

! Density estimate (per km²)

! Density estimate [ind./ km²] (95% CI)

! Encounter rate (nests/km)

! Encounter rate (nests/km)

! Area

! Area

= Threats =    <!-- a text overview of threats, followed by a table of key threats -->

= Threats =    <!-- a text overview of threats, followed by a table of key threats -->

Mount Nimba was exploited for iron ore by LAMCO from the 1960s until the early 1990s. A large part of West Nimba’s forest comprising the Gangra Mountain, the Yuelliton Mountain and the Tokadeh Mountain has been granted for iron ore mining to AML (CI 2012). AML holds a Class A mining license, which entails that mining is permitted in the proposed production area (no size limit) for at least 25 years (Wilson et al. 2017). The 2010-2011 survey results showed that the chimpanzee distribution range overlaps largely with the mining sites (CI 2012). The bushmeat study that was conducted by CI (2012) in West Nimba Community Forest showed that hunting had a huge impact on wildlife in the area (CI 2012). Ancestral hunting methods had all but disappeared and been replaced by cable snares and shotguns year-round without regard for legislation. Traps accounted for 41% of the off-takes and catch both small and big game, guns, most of which were locally built, accounted for 58% of the off-takes and were used both day and night (CI 2012). The sources of water pollution are erosion at the mine site, waste dumps and stockpiles, oil and grease, discharge from settlement and attenuation ponds, and ore handling and loading. However, ore will not be processed for DSO Phase 1, which will eliminate some potential sources of pollution, but investigations revealed that the head of streams and downstream larger rivers would be affected (CI 2012).

Mount Nimba was exploited for iron ore by LAMCO from the 1960s until the early 1990s. A large part of West Nimba’s forest comprising the Gangra Mountain, the Yuelliton Mountain and the Tokadeh Mountain has been granted for iron ore mining to AML (CI 2012). AML holds a Class A mining licence, which entails that mining is permitted in the proposed production area (no size limit) for at least 25 years (Wilson et al. 2017). The 2010-2011 survey results showed that the chimpanzee distribution range overlaps largely with the mining sites (CI 2012). The bushmeat study that was conducted by CI (2012) in West Nimba Community Forest showed that hunting had a huge impact on wildlife in the area (CI 2012). Ancestral hunting methods had all but disappeared and been replaced by cable snares and shotguns year-round without regard for legislation. Traps accounted for 41% of the off-takes and caught both small and big game; guns, most of which were locally built, accounted for 58% of the off-takes and were used both day and night (CI 2012). The sources of water pollution are erosion at the mine site, waste dumps and stockpiles, oil and grease, discharge from settlement and attenuation ponds, and ore handling and loading. However, ore will not be processed for DSO Phase 1, which will eliminate some potential sources of pollution, but investigations revealed that the head of streams and downstream larger rivers would be affected (CI 2012).

 

'''Table 3: Threats to great apes in West Nimba Community Forest'''

'''Table 3. Threats to great apes in West Nimba Community Forest'''

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="threats-table"

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="threats-table"

!align="left"|Category  <!-- Do not change threat categories -->

!align="left"|Category  <!-- Do not change threat categories -->

= 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 -->

'''Table 4. Conservation activities in West Nimba Community Forest'''

 

 

'''Table 4: Conservation activities in West Nimba Community Forest'''

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="conservation-actions-table"

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="conservation-actions-table"

!align="left"|Category  <!-- Do not change threat categories -->

!align="left"|Category  <!-- Do not change threat categories -->

[[Conservation activities list (Junker et al. 2017)]]

[[Conservation activities list (Junker et al. 2017)]]

= Impediments = <!-- Overview of impediments to ape conservation -->

= Challenges = <!-- Overview of impediments to ape conservation -->

 

 

'''Table 5: Impediments reported for West Nimba Community Forest'''

'''Table 5. Challenges reported for West Nimba Community Forest'''

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="impediments-table"

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="impediments-table"

!align="left"|Impediment  <!-- Do not change categories -->

!align="left"|Impediment  <!-- Do not change categories -->

= Research activities = <!-- Overview of research activities -->

= Research activities = <!-- Overview of research 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 -->

 

'''Table 6. Great ape behaviors reported for West Nimba Community Forest'''

'''Table 6: Great ape behaviors reported for West Nimba Community Forest'''

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="behaviors-table"

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="behaviors-table"

!align="left"|Behavior  <!-- Do not change categories -->

!align="left"|Behavior  <!-- Do not change categories -->

|}

|}

= References =

= References =

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).<br>

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).<br>

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.<br>

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.<br>

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.<br>

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.<br>

'''Page completed by:''' A.P.E.S. Wiki Team '''Date:''' 11/11/2019  <!-- 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 '''Date:''' 11/11/2019  <!-- If you don't want to add your name, you can add "A.P.E.S. Wiki team" -->

<br><br>

<br><br>