Gola – What is it?

The Gola Forests were first ‘documented’ in a survey to the forest in 1909 by the forestry officer of the day. The officer noted that ‘very few areas appear to exist in the country, suitable for forest reserves, so it is a matter of some urgency that this one should immediately be set aside for that purpose’.

The bulk of the reserve was then formally declared a Forest Reserve between 1926 and 1930 and extended in the 1950s to its current area of almost 75,000 hectares (750 square km), the largest protected forest in Sierra Leone.

The Gola Forest is a remnant of a once vast rainforest that stretched across West Africa - commonly referred to by conservationists and scientists as the Upper Guinea Forest. This forest type is one of the Global 25 Biological diversity hotspots - that is, if we want to protect the natural habitats of the world that best represent the world's diversity then these 25 sites are the most important to protect first.

This is something that Sierra Leone should be proud of and should do what it can to protect this national and global asset. These forests are becoming more and more threatened due to population growth, conversion to agriculture, mining concessions and plantations.

The Gola Forest covers a 110km stretch of land on the international border with Liberia. It is within the seven Gola Forest chiefdoms of Malema, Gaura, Koya, Nomo, Tunkia, Barrie and Makpele –spread across Kailahun, Kenema and Pujehun Districts. The forest is bordered on the East by the Mano river, which also marks the international border with Liberia and on the west by the Moa river and Tiwai Island.