Sierra Leone has been awarded its first UNESCO World Heritage Site, following the official inscription of the Gola-Tiwai complex during the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee. The newly designated site comprises the Gola Rainforest National Park and Tiwai Island, a protected area in the southeastern part of the country that contains some of the last remaining tracts of Upper Guinean rainforest.

The Gola-Tiwai complex spans over 700 square kilometers and is home to a high concentration of biodiversity, including several rare and endangered species. Among these are the western chimpanzee, the pygmy hippopotamus, Diana monkey, king colobus, and the critically endangered African forest elephant. The site also supports over 1,000 plant species and more than 330 bird species, many of which are endemic to the region.

The area’s conservation history dates back more than three decades. During Sierra Leone’s civil war (1991–2002), much of the country’s natural environment came under threat from deforestation, mining, and bushmeat hunting. In response, the Environmental Foundation for Africa (EFA), founded in 1992 by environmentalist Tommy Garnett, began efforts to protect Tiwai Island and the surrounding rainforest. Despite prolonged conflict and subsequent health crises, including the 2014 Ebola outbreak, conservation initiatives continued.

In the early 2000s, the EFA led a campaign to rebuild Tiwai Island as a center for biodiversity research and ecotourism. Working with local communities and international partners, the organization helped reduce poaching and illegal logging, established environmental education programs, and promoted sustainable forest management practices.

The UNESCO designation formally recognizes the ecological and cultural value of the Gola-Tiwai forest. According to the World Heritage Committee, the site represents an “outstanding example” of biodiversity conservation in West Africa and serves as a refuge for species threatened across the wider region.

Community involvement has been central to the site’s management strategy. Local stakeholders have participated in governance, tourism development, and habitat restoration. The approach has been praised by conservation groups as a replicable model for integrating environmental protection with socioeconomic development.

With the Gola-Tiwai complex now listed among the world’s most important natural heritage sites, Sierra Leone joins a growing number of African nations working to preserve their ecological assets through global partnerships and long-term conservation planning. The government has welcomed the listing as a step forward for environmental protection, tourism development, and national pride.

Africa News

Sierra Leone Gains First UNESCO World Heritage Site with Gola-Tiwai Complex