Sierra Leone - Overview

Remark:

Please note that this country profile has been prepared by the Secretariat on the basis of information provided in the NBSAP and national reports, but has not been reviewed by the Party concerned.

Status and Trends of Biodiversity

Overview

Sierra Leone is divided into 4 main relief regions: coastline, interior lowland plains, interior plateau and mountains. Broadly classified there are 7 vegetation types, which include the moist rain forest, semi-deciduous, montane, mangrove, savannah, farm bush and swamp forest. About 15,000 plants species have been identified... More »

Number and Extent of Protected Areas

With nearly 28 categories of protected areas in representative ecosystems, the area coverage is still less than 4 percent of the land area. Sierra Leone has 295,950 ha of forest, game reserves and national parks and 32,000 ha of community forest.

Percentage of Forest Cover

The lowland plains occupy about 43% of the country’s total land area. Just less than 5% of the country is occupied by mature forest. An estimated 200,000 to 300,000 ha of mangrove swamps fringes the coastline of Sierra Leone.

National Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan

Major features of National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan

The vision of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan is to seek conservation measures that provide a solid framework for the sustainable exploitation of Sierra Leone’s biological diversity for the benefit of present and future generations. The achievement of this vision will hinge upon the participation of a well-informed civil population through the implementation of the following objectives by 2025: establish and properly manage all protected areas; maintain essential ecosystem services and biological resources to sustain the growing population dependent on the use of biodiversity; create jobs through the conservation and sustainable utilization of biodiversity; create a fair redistribution of benefits and opportunities arising from the conservation and sustainable utilization of biodiversity; develop human capacity and provide a conducive environment for the participation of communities in the conservation of biodiversity; rehabilitate all mined and degraded areas; prevent the introduction and spread of harmful alien and genetically modified organisms; improve the general understanding of biodiversity through research, public education and awareness; and participate in and promote the sustainable utilization and conservation of biodiversity at the international level... More »

National Contacts

Full details of national contacts »

Convention on Biological Diversity

Mr. Momodu Alrashid Bah	CBD Primary NFP
Mr. Bartholomew Kamara	CHM NFP
Mrs. Kate Garnett	Protected Areas NFP

Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety

Mr. Cyril S. Jusu

Cartagena Protocol Primary NFP, BCH NFP