West Africa > Republic of Guinea > Nialama Classified Forest

Summary

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Western chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) are present in Nialama Classified Forest.
It has been estimated that more than 80 chimpanzees occur in and around Nialama Classified Forest.
The chimpanzee population trend is unknown.
This site has a total size of 100 km².
Key threats to chimpanzees is habitat degradation due to agriculture.
A community-based chimpanzee monitoring initiative has been established in 1998.
Nialama Classified Forest is co-managed by local communities and government authorities since 1999.

Site characteristics

Nialama (or Nyalama) is located in the Fouta Djallon highland region in northern Guinea and was designated a Classified Forest (IUCN category not reported) in 1943 (UNEP-WCMC & IUCN 2019). It is 120 km northwest of Labé in the sub-prefecture of Linsan-Saran. It has a size of 100 km2 (UNEP-WCMC & IUCN 2019). Nialama is on and below a steep plateau, an area characterized by a mosaic of open savanna woodland with gallery forests, grassland, patches of bamboo and seasonal swamps (Sunderland-Groves et al. 2011, BirdLife International 2019). The annual rainfall is 1,145 mm (BirdLife International 2019). Due to its bird diversity Nialama is designated an Important Bird Area with a total size of 120 km2 consisting of Nialama CF and adjacent areas (BirdLife International 2019). Several primate species occur in the forest: western chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus), king colobus (Colobus polykomos), Guinea baboon (Papio papio), Campbell’s monkey (Cercopithecus campbelli), patas monkey (Erythrocebus patas), and Northern lesser galago (Galago senegalensis, Sunderland-Groves et al. 2011). In addition, 17 species of amphibians have been recorded in Nialama CF (Hillers et al. 2008).

Table 1. Basic site information for Nialama Classified Forest

Area	100 km²
Coordinates	11.73, -12.74
Designation	Classified Forest (IUCN Management Category not reported)
Habitat types	Dry savanna, subtropical/tropical dry shrubland, subtropical/tropical dry forest, swamps, arable land

IUCN habitat categories Site designations

Ape status

In a nationwide survey Rebecca Kormos confirmed the presence of western chimpanzees in Nialama CF (Ham 1998). Kormos identified Nialama CF as the third most important priority area for western chimpanzee conservation in Guinea due to high abundance of chimpanzees and remaining suitable habitat (Ham 1998). A follow-up survey in 1998 concluded that at least three chimpanzee communities occur in Nialama CF and additional four groups use the site periodically (Fourrier 1999, Carter 2000 as cited in Kormos et al. 2003, Sunderland-Groves et al. 2011). Marc Fourrier (hired by Janis Carter to lead the conservation activities under the EU-funded project “Projet de Conservation de Chimpanzés en Guinée”) trained community members to monitor chimpanzees and set up a community-based monitoring system in which community members collected data monthly within and outside of Nialama CF (Sunderland-Groves et al. 2011). Funding for this project ceased in 2009 and the current status of the monitoring project was not reported (Sunderland-Groves et al. 2011).

Table 2. Ape population estimates in Nialama Classified Forest

Species	Year	Abundance estimate (95% CI)	Encounter rate (nests/km)	Area	Method	Source	Comments
Pan troglodytes verus	1997		Present	Nialama forest	Index survey	Ham 1998	Reconnaissance survey
Pan troglodytes verus	1998-1999	83		~125 km²	Occupancy method	Fourrier 1999, Carter 2000 as cited in Kormos et al. 2003 and Sunderland-Groves et al. 2011	Community members repeatedly and systematically visited 1 km² grid cells to determine area used by chimpanzees
Pan troglodytes verus	2006-2008		0.08-0.240	Within and outside Nialama forest	Line transects (Distance)	Carter 2008 as cited in Sunderland-Groves et al. 2011	Total survey effort: 3483.84 km

Threats

The main threat to chimpanzees is habitat destruction and fragmentation as a result of the expansion of agricultural areas (BirdLife International 2019, Kormos et al. 2003, Sunderland-Groves et al. 2011). An additional threat to habitat include uncontrolled fires that are used to prepare agricultural zones for crop planting or grazing (Fourrier 1999, PEGG 2012). Two villages are located within Nialama CF with a total population of several hundred inhabitants, and additional villages are located at the border of Nialama CF (Sunderland-Groves et al. 2011). The expansion of agricultural areas also resulted in an increase in frequency of negative chimpanzee-human interactions, for example crop raiding killing of young livestock by chimpanzees, conflict over water sources and wild fruits and honey. Especially the first one can lead to the reduction in villager’s income. This is turn can lead to retaliatory hunting of chimpanzees by villagers (Fourrier 1999, Carter 2004, 2008 as cited in Sunderland-Groves et al. 2011). Swamps are partly used for rice cultivation (BirdLife International 2019). At the end of 1980s large-scale logging took place (BirdLife International 2019).

Table 3. Threats to great apes in Nialama Classified Forest

Category	Specific threats	Threat level	Quantified severity	Description	Year of threat
1. Residential & commercial development	1.1 Housing & urban areas	Medium	2 villages (Sunderland-Groves et al. 2011)	Two villages within the forest, additional villages in the vicinity (Sunderland-Groves et al. 2011)	Ongoing (2011)
2. Agriculture & aquaculture	2.1 Annual & perennial non-timber crops	High		Agricultural very prevalent across the site, especially in the western part of the site (BirdLife International 2019, Kormos et al. 2003, Sunderland-Groves et al. 2011)	Ongoing (2019)
	2.3 Livestock farming & ranching	Medium		Area used for cattle grazing (PEGG 2012)	Ongoing (2012)
3. Energy production & mining		Absent
4. Transportation & service corridors	4.1 Roads & railroads	Present		Trail system used by villagers (Sunderland-Groves et al. 2011)	Ongoing (2011)
5. Biological resource use	5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals	Low		Retaliatory killings of chimpanzees after crop raiding, but generally social norms forbid the hunting and eating of chimpanzees (Sunderland-Groves et al. 2011). Conflicts between humans and chimpanzees over dry season water sources is intense and may lead to retaliation (Fourrier 1999).	Ongoing (2011)
	5.2 Gathering terrestrial plants	Present		Gathering of non-forest timber products permitted and regulated under the management plan (Sunderland-Groves et al. 2011)	Ongoing (2011)
	5.3 Logging & wood harvesting	Medium		Large-sale logging in the 1980s which markedly changed the habitat composition (BirdLife International 2019)	1980s
6. Human intrusions & disturbance		Absent
7. Natural system modifications	7.1 Fire & fire suppression	Medium		Fire are set for clearing areas for agricultural use and grass regrowth (Fourrier 1999. BirdLife International 2019, PEGG 2012, Sunderland-Groves et al. 2011)	Ongoing (2019)
8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases		Unknown
9. Pollution		Absent
10. Geological Events		Absent
11. Climate change & severe weather		Unknown
12. Other options		Absent

IUCN Threats list

Conservation activities

In 1998 as part of the project “Projet de Conservation de Chimpanzés en Guinée” local hunters were trained to collect monitoring data on the number and movement of chimpanzees in Nialama forest (Fourrier 1999, Kormos et al. 2003). The aim was to develop a low-cost long-term monitoring system of chimpanzees (Sunderland-Groves et al. 2011). Additionally, an environmental education / sensibilization program using film and community meetings was implemented within the Nialama CF buffer zone to increase awareness of the area’s biodiversity and chimpanzees (Fourrier 1999). Since 1998, a monthly, community-based monitoring system was implemented in the areas. In addition, in 1999 Nialama CF became the first forest in Guinea to be co-managed by local communities and the National Directorate of Water and Forests (DNEF) based on a legally binding agreement between the involved parties (Sunderland-Groves et al. 2011). Co-management implied that local communities and government authorities jointly make land and resource-use decisions as a part of a management plan. Specifically, this included ensuring that community members and forestry agents implement management activities, such as clearing and maintaining fire buffers, wildlife monitoring, enforcing rules for the sustainable use of wildlife and plants, tree replanting and demarcating the classified forest. At the same time communities can use timber and non-timber forest products from the forest, receive financial and technical support for farming and agroforestry in selected areas, all in accordance with rules set forth in the management plan (Sunderland-Groves et al. 2011). The project was funded by USAID until 2009. A study showed that habitat degradation was less prevalent in habitat that had been demarcated as critical for chimpanzees by the community-based project compared to other areas around Nialama CF (Sunderland-Groves et al. 2011). Noteworthy is also people’s traditional believes forbid the hunting and eating of chimpanzees, resulting in some level of protection to chimpanzees, but is not followed by all community members (Kormos et al. 2003, Sunderland-Groves et al. 2011).

Table 4. Conservation activities in Nialama Classified Forest

Category	Specific activity	Description	Year of activity
1. Residential & commercial development	Not reported
2. Agriculture & aquaculture	2.11. Farm more intensively and effectively in selected areas and spare more natural land	As part of co-management approach critical chimpanzee habitat was delineated, management plan exists, farmers received technical and financial support (Sunderland-Groves et al. 2011)	1999 to early 2000s
3. Energy production & mining	Not reported
4. Transportation & service corridors	Not reported
5. Biological resource use	5.16. Implement community control of patrolling, banning hunting and removing snares	Hunting regulated as part of management plan (Sunderland-Groves et al. 2011)	1999 to early 2000s
6. Human intrusions & disturbance	Not reported
7. Natural system modifications	Not reported
8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases	Not reported
9. Pollution	Not reported
10. Education & Awareness	10.1. Educate local communities about primates and sustainable use	Environmental awareness raising activities (Sunderland-Groves et al. 2011)	Since 1999
	10.2. Involve local community in primate research and conservation management	Community-based monitoring system of chimpanzees implemented (Sunderland-Groves et al. 2011)	Since 1998
	10.5. Implement multimedia campaigns using theatre, film, print media, discussions	Use of film and community discussions (Fourrier 1999)	1998 to early 2000s
11. Habitat Protection	11.2. Legally protect primate habitat	1) designated as Classified Forest (UNEP-WCMC and IUCN 2019), 2) co-management of forest (UNEP-WCMC and IUCN 2019)	1) since 1943, 2) 1999 to early 2000s
	11.8. Plant indigenous trees to re-establish natural tree communities in clear-cut areas	Tree-replanting (PEGG 2012)	Since 1999
12. Species Management	Not reported
13. Livelihood; Economic & Other Incentives	13.1. Provide monetary benefits to local communities for sustainably managing their forest and its wildlife	Villagers benefited from technical and financial support for farming and other livelihoods which led to increased income (Sunderland-Groves et al. 2011)	1999 to early 2000s

Conservation activities list (Junker et al. 2017)

Challenges

Lack of transportation for members of the village committee and the National Directorate of Water and Forests was mentioned as an impediment to implementing the management plan (PEGG 2012). Members that were newly elected to the village committee after the conservation project stopped did not receive training and lack capacity to fulfil their tasks (PEGG 2012).

Table 5. Challenges reported for Nialama Classified Forest

Challenge	Source
Lack of capacity/ training	PEGG 2012
Lack of technical means	PEGG 2012

Research activities

As detailed above surveys and long-term monitoring of chimpanzees has been implemented (Ham 1998, Fourrier 1999, Sunderland-Groves et al. 2011). A study on amphibian diversity has also been done (Hillers at al. 2008).

Documented behaviours

Table 6. Great ape behaviors reported for Nialama Classified Forest

Behavior	Source
Not reported

References

BirdLife International. 2019. Important Bird Areas factsheet: Nialama. Online: www.birdlife.org
Carter J. 2000. Les Chimpanzés de Guinée. Une etude pour une survie: Nyalama et Pita. Unpublished report for the US Agency for International Development, Conakry, Republic of Guinea, the Direction Nationale des Eaux et Forets, Conakry, Guinea and Friends of Animals, USA.
Fourrier M.S. 1999. Implementation of an Ecological Study of the Chimpanzees of the Nialama Classified Forest and Evaluation of the Education Program and Suggestions for the conservation of Chimpanzees in the Fouta Djallon Highlands of the Republic of Guinea. Unpublished report for “Projet de Conservation de Chimpanzés Guinée”.
Kormos R et al. 2003. The Republic of Guinea, in Kormos, R. Boesch, C., Bakarr, M.I. & Butynski, T.M. [eds.] Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan, IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK
Ham R. 1998. Nationwide chimpanzee census and large mammal survey Republic of Guinea. Projet de conservation des chimpanzés en Guineée. Report to the European Union.
Hillers A et al. 2008. A preliminary assessment of the amphibians of the Fouta Djallon, Guinea, West Africa. Salamandra, 44:2, 113-122.
PEGG. 2012 Current state of the classified and co-managed forests of Balayan Souroumba, Nialama, Sincery Oursa and Souti Yanfou. Program in Environmental Governance in Guinea for Capacity Building and Biodiversity Conservation. A rapid assessment conducted by PEGG, in collaboration with DNEF, BGEEE, and COSIE
Sunderland-Groves et al. 2011. Impacts of co-management on western chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes verus) habitat and conservation in Nialama Classified Forest, Republic of Guinea: a satellite perspective. Biodiversity and Conservation 20:2745-2757
UNEP-WCMC, IUCN. 2019. Protected Planet: The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA), Cambridge, UK: UNEP-WCMC and IUCN Online: www.protectedplanet.net

Page completed by: A.P.E.S. Wiki Team & Marc Fourrier Date: 26/11/2019

Nialama Classified Forest

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