Burkina Faso is a Sahelian and Landlocked country, located in Western Africa in the Niger belt and at the border of the Sahara. The country covers an area of 273.187 sq km, bordering Mali in the North and West, Ivory Cost, Ghana, Togo and Benin in the South, and Niger in the East. Although the country does not have direct access to sea, it is deeply streamed in the Regional space, its territory being shared between the hydro graphic landscapes of Comoé, Niger, Nakambé and Mouhoun.

In terms of economy, the population well-being indicators are below the average vales of Africa. The Human Development Indicator is estimated at 0.342 (UNDP 2006) and the net income per capita is $400 dollars. It is ranked as a Least Developed Country.

In terms of  agro-climate, there are two (02) domains and four (04) sectors:
The Sudanian domain includes:
- The South Sudanian sector characterized by an average annual rainfall more than 900 mm. It is the most humid zone of the country, covering 36% of the total area and having 20 inhabitants per sq Km. It is also considered to be the destination area of migrants, mainly the Mossi and Fulani coming from the Northern part of the country. In these areas, the environment is threatened by the migration pressure and the extensive production systems;
- The North Sudanian sector covering 33.7% of the total area with an annual rainfall varying from 750 to 900 mm. It represents 32% of the potential crop land with  50% of the population;

The Sahelian domain includes:
- The strict Sahelian sector in the extreme North of the country characterized by an annual rainfall varying from 400 to 600 mm. It covers 11% of the country area. The population density is estimated at 5 inhabitants per sq km. It is mainly a pastoral zone;
- The sub sahelian sector located between the North Sudanian and the Strict Sahelian sectors; its rainfall varies from 600 to 750 mm. The population density is estimated at 36 to 50 inhabitants per sq km, .corresponding to 19% of the total population.

Aware of the importance of the biodiversity conservation, the country ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in September 1993 and has set necessary instruments facilitating its implementation. Burkina Faso confirmed its perception of the importance of PAs as strategic areas for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity through its commitment to the Programme of Work on Protected Areas (PoWPA). This programme, hence, strengthens the country’s capacity in implementing its Strategy and Actions Plan on biodiversity. In addition the Project is in harmony with the general principles on decentralization, in particular the decentralization law N° 055-2004/AN of 2004 of December 24 adopted General Code of Territorial Collectivities in Burkina Faso, which sanctions the right of the territorial collectivities (areas and communes) to manage and manage freely their own businesses, in particular those linked to natural resources.

Despite the important efforts initiated with the support of its technical and financial partners, the civil society, the private and research sectors, the country is still facing a rapid population growth (2,4% per year), the current population (2006) being estimated at more than 13 millions  increasing pressure on land and related resources. The economy is mainly based on the exploitation of natural resources (agriculture, livestock, mining, traditional energy, etc.). This, in turn generated high pressure on these resources, which added to the climatic change cause an increasing erosion of the natural capital. Burkina Faso is facing important threats including land degradation, vegetation and forests degradation, climate change, reduction of the biodiversity capital and the accelerated development of urban environmental problems. The protected areas (PA) represent more than 16% of the territory, and constitute the biodiversity concentration areas in terms of species (fauna and flora) as well as ecosystems. The national PA system is a network of parks, total and partial reserves, gazetted forests and community reserves. The wildlife is composed of more than 128 mammalian species including more than 477 bird species and 60 reptiles and amphibians. Including, some emblematic ones such as Elephant (Loxodonta africana), lion (Panthera leo), buffalo (Syncerus caffer brachyceros) and roan antelope (Hippotragus equinus) are well represented. Forest land covers more than 16.620.000 Ha, including 880.000 Ha represent gazetted forests   (Parkan, 1986) which contribution to the GDP is estimated at 1%.

The threats and constraints to PA management system were identified and described in the PCGRFF and the CPP Documents. They are summarized in this section with reference to the results of the initial analysis PoWPA. There are three categories:

Threat 1: Agricultural encroachments
More of 80% of the population of Burkina Faso lives on agriculture. The majority of PAs are located in the most agricultural endowed zones (East, South, South-West and West), and consequently are facing high pressure of agricultural land demand. The introduction of cash crops such as cotton using large areas has contributed to increase this deficit of cropland. The consequence is permanent risks of forests clearing for agriculture in the vicinity and more often within the PAs.

Farmers are still using extensive production systems and fire clearing while pastoralism remains the major livestock traditional production system. These production systems bring about erosion and land degradation around the PAs, hence increasing the vulnerability of the giving ecosystems.

Threat 2: Fragmentation of ecosystems by illegal and/or non rational exploitation, even excessive exploitation of natural resources

(Siltation) silting and pollutions of water resources:
We noticed the utilization of more and more chemical products in some crops production (cotton and legumes) and non rational exploitation of lowlands and rivers during the dry season. These practices induce siltation and pollutions of water resources considered as the central points of the ecosystems balance in the PAs.

Transhumance and settlements:
The migration of population to the vicinity of PAs is associated with important move of flocks and herds through transhumance or settlements. The majority of PAs are also located at borders of the country. Hence, they are continuously facing the consequences of transnational transhumance. This co-existence represents an important threat to PAS (disturbance of wildlife, competition over the use of feed resources, risks of zoonosis contamination, risks of poisoning of wild carnivores by herders, poaching, etc.).

Poaching:
Poaching is still an important threat as favored by low operational capacity of the institutions in charge of PA management and also by the low income and limited alternatives among surrounding populations. Other factors like the easy availability of firearms, the development of numerous channels for the marketing of hunting products (bushmeat, wildlife by-products), and the high level of demand for bushmeat are also contributing. As a consequence, several species are threatened or disappeared.

Over exploitation of forest products:
The excessive wood cutting continues to threaten severely the biodiversity of the PAs. The forest products concerned are wood, charcoal, and non timber products (fruits, leaves, roots, etc.) used for human, livestock feeding and handcraft. Several endemic species of the PAs are threatened by these exploitations.

The uncontrolled bush fires:
Despite the efforts made by government to sensitize and raise awareness of all the population since 1980’, uncontrolled bush fires are still reported. Most of them occur towards the end of the dry season when vegetation is too dry. These types of fires have severe consequences of the capacity of resilience of biotopes and species and contribute to the destruction of a major part of small wildlife and micro fauna.

Threat 3: Acceleration of the degradation of the climate conditions 
The climate change and variability add up to the consequences of unsustainable practices related to natural resources exploitation by local communities. The recurrent droughts, flooding decreasing rainfall and increasing temperature are threatening the populations’ livelihoods, species and ecosystems.

The support of LifeWeb Initiative is expected to contribute to a deep analysis of the national PA system in order to improve its participatory management, a political option set by the government for the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. The priority activities identified by stakeholders for this application are 3.1.2, 3.1.1, 1.1.4, 4.1.2, 2.1.2, 2.2.3, 2.2.4. It is expected that their effective implementation will contribute significantly to the management of forest and wild life resources as stated in the National Framework Programme (PCGDRFF, 2006-2015), and also the Institutional and legislative reform for the decentralized management of Natural resources (PRIJD-SF, 2006). << Read less

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The national PA system (NPAS)covers an area of 4.3 million ha, representing nearly 16% of the territory (Ref: MECV, 2006. Programme Cadre de Gestion des Ressources forestières et faunique - PCGRFF). The largest PA is a partial reserve located in the Sahel and bordering Mali and Niger with an area of 1.6 million ha, or 5% of the country. The NPAS is composed of:

• Two national parks (National Park of W and National Park of Po); The Park W-Burkina is also a transboundary biosphere reserve since 2002 and a Ramsar site
• Four total reserves (Arly, Singou, Madjoari and Bontioli);
• Six partial reserves (Arly, Koutiagou, Pama, Bontioloi, Nabéré, Comoé-Léraba,  and the sylvopastoral and partial reserve of wildlife of the Sahel;
• One anch of wildlife (Nazinga);
• Two Biosphere reserves (Park W and Mare aux hippopotames);
Fifteen (15) Ramsar sites (Mare aux hippopotames, Mare Oursi and Park W, Barrage de Bagre, Barrage de la Kompienga, Barrage de la Tapoa, Cône d’épandage de Banh, Forêt Galerie de Léra (Nan, Tchèfoun), La Forêt Classée et Réserve Partielle de Faune Comoé-Léraba, La Vallée du Sourou, Lac Bam, Lac de Tingrela, Lac Dem, Lac Higa et Réserve Totale de Faune d’Arly (Parc National d’Arly);
• Seventy two gazetted forests including twelve specifically managed as wildlife reserve.

There are developed setting-up sites managed by local populations, which contribute significantly to the conservation of biodiversity. They are known as village forests, sacred forests, ZOVIC, sanctuaries, refuges, etc. these areas are part of village or communes territories not totally identified nor gazetted. The project will in long term enable Burkina Faso to maintain from now to 2015 a complete national system, managed well and ecologically representative of protected areas for national and international interest, contributing to biodiversity conservation, poverty reduction and climate change mitigation. << Read less

The national PA system (NPAS) covers an area of 4.3 million ha, representing nearly 16% of the territory.

There are developed setting-up sites managed by local populations, which contribute significantly to the conservation of biodiversity. They are known as village forests, sacred forests, ZOVIC, sanctuaries, refuges, etc. These areas are part of village or communes territories not totally identified nor gazetted.

In response to the insufficiency of financial resources to conduct an appropriate management of PAs, Burkina Faso has initiated an important political and legal reform which improved the involvement of private sector and local communities around the PAs. Twelve Unities of Wildlife Conservation (UCF) were identified in 1996  and a forestry code adopted in 1997. The forestry code defines the conditions of access and gives the legal background for the participation of private sector to PAs management contracts (Concessions). These UCF evolved recently into Unities of Protection and Conservation of Wildlife (UPC). Each UPC comprises one or several linked PAs. As such UPC are monitored and managed by a Conservator appointed by the government. However the effective management and commercial exploitation of the PAs are contracted to private companies (Concessionaries) which in return share the earnings with the government and local communities.

These reforms stress also the effective participation of all categories of stakeholders, specifically private sector and local communities based on the principles of equity and accountability regarding benefits sharing. In 2006, Burkina Faso has drafted a new programme (PCGDRFF) to more put the stress on practical orientations for the development of partnership “Government-Local communities-private sector”.

In 2008, a National Office for PAs was created (OFINAP). It is a public company set to contribute to ensure an effective management of the NPAS. The specific mandate of the OFINAP is to contribute to the implementation of the orientations from the National Forest Policy as stated in the PCGDRF. Its specific missions include :
- To ensure the sustainable management of the forests Owned either by State or decentralized territories.
- To enhance the participatory management of wildlife and forest resources,
- To develop the partnership between Government, municipalities (decentralized territories bodies)and private sector,
- To promote all type of wildlife and  forest management aiming at the reduction of poverty,
- To establish a financial system adapted for the accomplishment of its missions. << Read less

Economic activities of more than 84% of the population depend on natural resources such as agriculture, livestock, forest products (traditional energy, non timber products), etc. In addition, the decentralization law confers to local community the responsibility to manage, conserve and sustainably use the natural resources of their territories. The sacred forests are initiated by the local communities and the project will help them to manage and conserve them. So, the local communities will not hesitate to participate in the activities of the best management of the protected areas for their interest, as the benefits arising from the project belong to them. For example, such benefits are among others :
- The increase of the number of wild animals in the protected areas will make it possible for bordering populations to practice profitable village hunting,
- The potentialities of non-wood products are many in the protected areas and the mobilization of the actors to develop them. << Read less