West Africa's Water Tower

Many of Guinea’s forest reserves have become degraded as a result of population pressure, slash-and-burn agriculture, and uncontrolled burning. To combat forest degradation, the government of Guinea has adopted new, more effective approaches to forest management, strengthening community participation in management activities, control over natural resources, and the environment. [4, 5].

In conducting research into similar and existing programs in Guinea and surrounding regions, the Reforestation Project team has discovered several reforestation projects using co-management of forested areas, which is a recent approach being tested in Guinea. Co-management models in replanting and protecting forested lands involve sharing responsibilities and costs between the state, local communities, and other partnering organizations.

We will be sharing more information about how these projects’ methods are shaping Wula Reforestation Project’s plans along with more details about our project’s next steps soon. To stay up to date on the latest details of the Reforestation Project, join our mailing list.

Farms are family-owned and operated, and generally small: two-thirds are less than three hectares. Population growth, the extension of farmland, and growing numbers of livestock have increased conflict over land and natural resources, particularly in areas where herders negotiate with farmers for access, where mining operations are established, and where refugees fleeing violence in neighboring countries have relocated. In addition, unregulated commercial logging has expanded, increasing land degradation and deforestation [6].

Guinea’s forests are now mostly limited to a few mountainous areas in the south (Ziama and Nimba), and to gallery forests along watercourses. Guinean landscapes also have the largest extent of lateritic plateaus, called bowé, creating natural clearings of treeless meadows. They are a common feature in the north and west of the country. In addition, Guinea is endowed with huge deposits of mineral resources. Its Atlantic shoreline supports a large-scale fishing industry and has developed large commercial harbors, such as Conakry and Kamsar.

25% of Guinea’s land area is forested, of which just 1% is primary forest. The annual rate of deforestation was 0.5% for the period 1990-2015. Nearly all of the country’s forests are state-owned, and just under 4% are designated as protected areas [7].

Many of Guinea’s forest reserves have become degraded as a result of population pressure, slash-and-burn agriculture, and uncontrolled burning. The remaining forests and woodlands of Guinea play a critical role in preserving biodiversity in West Africa [8].