Latest news with #EFA
Russia Today
15-07-2025
- Russia Today
Two African island sites added to UNESCO World Heritage list (PHOTOS)
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has added two West African island regions, the Bijagos Archipelago in Guinea-Bissau and Tiwai Island in Sierra Leone, to its World Heritage list, recognizing their outstanding ecological and cultural significance. The announcement was made on Sunday during the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee in Paris. According to UNESCO, both sites represent unique natural ecosystems. Located off the coast of Guinea-Bissau, the 88-island Bijagos Archipelago has been a UNESCO biosphere reserve since 1996. It is rich in biodiversity, hosting dugongs, dolphins, and over 870,000 migratory birds. Key sites include Poilao Island, a major sea turtle nesting area. Sierra Leone's Tiwai Island, a 12-square-kilometer island site on the Moa River, is part of the Gola-Tiwai complex, which also includes the nearby Gola Rainforest National Park. It is the country's first UNESCO World Heritage site. Known for its biodiversity, the island hosts 11 species of primates, including the endangered Diana monkey and Western chimpanzees, as well as over 130 species of birds. Nearly destroyed during the 1990s civil war, the island was preserved through efforts led by the Environmental Foundation for Africa (EFA). Two other African sites were added to the UNESCO list during the same session. Malawi's Mount Mulanje was included for its unique endemic flora and popular hiking trails. Cameroon's Diy-Gid-Biy cultural landscape, located in the Mandara Mountains and dating from the 12th to 17th centuries, was listed for its archaeological sites. The continent is currently home to over 100 World Heritage sites, including iconic places like the Okavango Delta, Botswana, Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela, Ethiopia, and Timbuktu, Mali. In May, UNESCO pledged support to the 11 remaining non-represented African countries to develop new nominations, as announced at a recent International Conference on Cultural Heritage in Kenya.
eNCA
14-07-2025
- eNCA
The activist who fought for Sierra Leone's first World Heritage site
Activist Tommy Garnett's decades of work paid off when Sierra Leone's Tiwai island -- a lush forest home to one of the world's highest concentrations of primates -- landed a spot on the UN cultural agency's World Heritage list. The 66-year-old and the conservation group he founded are the reason Tiwai, which was nearly destroyed during Sierra Leone's 1991-2002 civil war, still exists. "I feel very happy, relieved, hopeful," the environmentalist told AFP from the verdant island, ahead of the announcement. The Gola-Tiwai complex, which also includes the nearby Gola Rainforest National Park, will be Sierra Leone's first UNESCO site. UNESCO director general Audrey Azoulay called Gola-Tiwai "a jewel of biodiversity, a sanctuary for rare species and a model of community management." The wildlife and fauna in the two areas have been imperilled for years by threats such as deforestation. AFP | Saidu BAH Tiwai island, located in the Moa River, measures just 12 square kilometres and has 11 species of primates -- including the endangered western chimpanzee, the king colobus monkey and the Diana monkey. In 1992, Garnett, who has dedicated his life to environmental projects in west Africa, created the Environmental Foundation for Africa (EFA). In the early 2000s, he started working to save Tiwai. Today, the wildlife sanctuary is a gleaming success story for Sierra Leone. Even as the country descended into civil war or was ravaged by Ebola in 2014, Garnett was able to stave off deforestation, poaching and other threats. - Raising the alarm - As well its primates, Tiwai has animals such as the pygmy hippopotamus and the critically endangered African forest elephant. While Gola is the largest expanse of tropical rainforest in Sierra Leone, Tiwai, located to the south, serves as a centre for biodiversity research and a destination for ecotourism. In order to achieve this for Tiwai, EFA had to convince local communities to abandon certain activities to protect the forest. The tourism revenue in turn helps provide jobs, training and technical agricultural assistance. During the civil war, the island's wildlife was almost decimated, but Garnett, his NGO and donors brought it back from the brink. The centre's structures had become dilapidated, the ground covered in empty rifle cartridges and people began logging trees, Garnett said. "We raised the alarm that this place was going," he said. The environmentalist quickly found funding for reconstruction and raising awareness among local communities. - 'Country is grateful' - Since then, Garnett and his group have safeguarded the haven despite an onslaught of Ebola, Covid-19 and disastrous weather. "Our lives and livelihoods and cultures and traditions are so inextricably linked to the forest that if the forest dies, a big part of us dies with it," he said. AFP | Saidu BAH An avid cyclist and yoga enthusiast, Garnett's warm, welcoming approach has easily won him allies. "One of my first experiences in life was having a forest as backyard and recognising the richness of it," he said. Garnett was born in 1959 in the rural district of Kono in the country's east, and lived there until age 18. After studying agriculture and development economics abroad, he returned home in the 1990s to reconnect with his family and help Sierra Leone during the war. He began working in environmental protection after witnessing the conflict's destruction and its reliance on mineral resources and mining, particularly diamonds. For 30 years, he and foundation colleagues have travelled the country confronting traffickers and conducting community meetings. AFP | Saidu BAH Over the past 20 years, EFA has planted more than two million trees in deforested areas across Sierra Leone, Garnett said, including 500,000 between 2020 and 2023. The country's environment minister, Jiwoh Abdulai, told AFP he was "really excited and thrilled" about UNESCO's decision, adding that Garnett gave him a lot of "hope and optimism". His contributions to preserving nature are something "that the entire country is grateful for", he said.
The Hindu
14-07-2025
- The Hindu
Decades of activist's work results in Sierra Leone World Heritage site
Activist Tommy Garnett's decades of work paid off when Sierra Leone's Tiwai island — a lush forest home to one of the world's highest concentrations of primates — landed a spot Sunday on the UN cultural agency's World Heritage list. The 66-year-old and the conservation group he founded are the reason Tiwai, which was nearly destroyed during Sierra Leone's 1991-2002 civil war, still exists. 'I feel very happy, relieved, hopeful,' the environmentalist said from the verdant island, ahead of the announcement. The Gola-Tiwai complex, which also includes the nearby Gola Rainforest National Park, will be Sierra Leone's first UNESCO site. The two areas have a spectacular biodiversity that has been imperilled for years by threats such as deforestation. The island, located in the Moa river, measures just 12 sq. km. and has 11 species of primates. In 1992, Mr. Garnett, who has dedicated his life to environmental projects in west Africa, created the Environmental Foundation for Africa (EFA). In the early 2000s, he started working to save Tiwai. Today, the wildlife sanctuary is a gleaming success story for Sierra Leone. Even as the country descended into civil war in the 1990s or was ravaged by Ebola in 2014, Mr. Garnett was able to stave off deforestation, poaching and other harms. Raising the alarm Gola-Tiwai is a treasure chest of biodiversity: The primates include the endangered western chimpanzee, the king colobus monkey and the Diana monkey. And its forests and waters are home to animals such as the pygmy hippopotamus and the critically endangered African forest elephant. While Gola is the largest expanse of tropical rainforest in Sierra Leone, Tiwai, located to the south, serves as a centre for biodiversity research and a destination for ecotourism. In order to achieve this for Tiwai, the EFA had to convince local communities to abandon certain activities to protect the forest. The tourism revenue in turn helps provide them jobs, training and technical agricultural assistance. During the civil war, the island's wildlife was almost decimated, but Mr. Garnett, his NGO and donors brought it back from the brink. The centre's structures had become dilapidated, the ground covered in empty rifle cartridges and people began logging trees, Mr. Garnett said. 'We raised the alarm that this place was going,' he said. The environmentalist quickly found funding for reconstruction and raising awareness among local communities. 'Country is grateful' Since then, Mr. Garnett and his group have safeguarded the haven despite an onslaught of Ebola, COVID-19 and disastrous weather. 'Our lives and livelihoods and cultures and traditions are so inextricably linked to the forest that if the forest dies, a big part of us dies with it,' he said. An avid cyclist and yoga enthusiast, Mr. Garnett's warm, welcoming approach has easily won him allies. 'One of my first experiences in life was having a forest as backyard and recognising the richness of it,' he said. Mr. Garnett was born in 1959 in the rural district of Kono in the country's east, and lived there until the age of 18. After studying agriculture and development economics abroad, he returned home in the 1990s to reconnect with his family and help Sierra Leone during the war. He began working in environmental protection after witnessing the conflict's destruction and its reliance on mineral resources and mining, particularly diamonds. For 30 years, he and foundation colleagues have travelled the country confronting traffickers and conducting community meetings. Over the past 20 years, the EFA has planted more than two million trees in deforested areas across Sierra Leone, Mr. Garnett said, including 5 lakh between 2020 and 2023. The country's Environment Minister, Jiwoh Abdulai, said he was 'really excited and thrilled' about UNESCO's decision, adding that Mr. Garnett gave him a lot of 'hope and optimism'. His contributions preserving nature are something 'that the entire country is grateful for', the Minister said.
Malay Mail
13-07-2025
- Malay Mail
Sierra Leone World Heritage site testament to decades of activism, celebrates spectacular biodiversity
FREETOWN (Sierra Leone), July 14 — Tommy Garnett's decades of work paid off when Sierra Leone's Tiwai island—a lush forest home to one of the world's highest concentrations of primates—landed a spot yesterday on the UN cultural agency's World Heritage list. The 66-year-old and the conservation group he founded are the reason Tiwai, which was nearly destroyed during Sierra Leone's 1991-2002 civil war, still exists. 'I feel very happy, relieved, hopeful,' the environmentalist told AFP from the verdant island, ahead of the announcement. The Gola-Tiwai complex, which also includes the nearby Gola Rainforest National Park, will be Sierra Leone's first Unesco site. The two areas have a spectacular biodiversity that has been imperilled for years by threats such as deforestation. The island, located in the Moa river, measures just 12 square kilometres and has 11 species of primates. In 1992, Garnett, who has dedicated his life to environmental projects in west Africa, created the Environmental Foundation for Africa (EFA). In the early 2000s, he started working to save Tiwai. Today, the wildlife sanctuary is a gleaming success story for Sierra Leone. Even as the country descended into civil war in the 1990s or was ravaged by Ebola in 2014, Garnett was able to stave off deforestation, poaching and other harms. Raising the alarm Gola-Tiwai is a treasure chest of biodiversity: The primates include the endangered western chimpanzee, the king colobus monkey and the Diana monkey. And its forests and waters are home to animals such as the pygmy hippopotamus and the critically endangered African forest elephant. While Gola is the largest expanse of tropical rainforest in Sierra Leone, Tiwai, located to the south, serves as a centre for biodiversity research and a destination for ecotourism. In order to achieve this for Tiwai, EFA had to convince local communities to abandon certain activities to protect the forest. The tourism revenue in turn helps provide them jobs, training and technical agricultural assistance. During the civil war, the island's wildlife was almost decimated, but Garnett, his NGO and donors brought it back from the brink. The centre's structures had become dilapidated, the ground covered in empty rifle cartridges and people began logging trees, Garnett said. 'We raised the alarm that this place was going,' he said. The environmentalist quickly found funding for reconstruction and raising awareness among local communities. 'Country is grateful' Since then, Garnett and his group have safeguarded the haven despite an onslaught of Ebola, Covid-19 and disastrous weather. 'Our lives and livelihoods and cultures and traditions are so inextricably linked to the forest that if the forest dies, a big part of us dies with it,' he said. An avid cyclist and yoga enthusiast, Garnett's warm, welcoming approach has easily won him allies. 'One of my first experiences in life was having a forest as backyard and recognizing the richness of it,' he said. Garnett was born in 1959 in the rural district of Kono in the country's east, and lived there until age 18. After studying agriculture and development economics abroad, he returned home in the 1990s to reconnect with his family and help Sierra Leone during the war. He began working in environmental protection after witnessing the conflict's destruction and its reliance on mineral resources and mining, particularly diamonds. For 30 years, he and foundation colleagues have travelled the country confronting traffickers and conducting community meetings. Over the past 20 years, EFA has planted more than two million trees in deforested areas across Sierra Leone, Garnett said, including 500,000 between 2020 and 2023. The country's environment minister, Jiwoh Abdulai, told AFP he was 'really excited and thrilled' about Unesco's decision, adding that Garnett gave him a lot of 'hope and optimism'. His contributions preserving nature are something 'that the entire country is grateful for', he said. — AFP
News.com.au
13-07-2025
- News.com.au
The activist who fought for Sierra Leone's first World Heritage site
Activist Tommy Garnett's decades of work paid off when Sierra Leone's Tiwai island -- a lush forest home to one of the world's highest concentrations of primates -- landed a spot Sunday on the UN cultural agency's World Heritage list. The 66-year-old and the conservation group he founded are the reason Tiwai, which was nearly destroyed during Sierra Leone's 1991-2002 civil war, still exists. "I feel very happy, relieved, hopeful," the environmentalist told AFP from the verdant island, ahead of the announcement. The Gola-Tiwai complex, which also includes the nearby Gola Rainforest National Park, will be Sierra Leone's first UNESCO site. UNESCO director general Audrey Azoulay called Gola-Tiwai "a jewel of biodiversity, a sanctuary for rare species and a model of community management." The wildlife and fauna in the two areas have been imperilled for years by threats such as deforestation. Tiwai island, located in the Moa river, measures just 12 square kilometres (4.5 square miles) and has 11 species of primates -- including the endangered western chimpanzee, the king colobus monkey and the Diana monkey. In 1992, Garnett, who has dedicated his life to environmental projects in west Africa, created the Environmental Foundation for Africa (EFA). In the early 2000s, he started working to save Tiwai. Today, the wildlife sanctuary is a gleaming success story for Sierra Leone. Even as the country descended into civil war or was ravaged by Ebola in 2014, Garnett was able to stave off deforestation, poaching and other threats. - Raising the alarm - As well its primates, Tiwai has animals such as the pygmy hippopotamus and the critically endangered African forest elephant. While Gola is the largest expanse of tropical rainforest in Sierra Leone, Tiwai, located to the south, serves as a centre for biodiversity research and a destination for ecotourism. In order to achieve this for Tiwai, EFA had to convince local communities to abandon certain activities to protect the forest. The tourism revenue in turn helps provide jobs, training and technical agricultural assistance. During the civil war, the island's wildlife was almost decimated, but Garnett, his NGO and donors brought it back from the brink. The centre's structures had become dilapidated, the ground covered in empty rifle cartridges and people began logging trees, Garnett said. "We raised the alarm that this place was going," he said. The environmentalist quickly found funding for reconstruction and raising awareness among local communities. - 'Country is grateful' - Since then, Garnett and his group have safeguarded the haven despite an onslaught of Ebola, Covid-19 and disastrous weather. "Our lives and livelihoods and cultures and traditions are so inextricably linked to the forest that if the forest dies, a big part of us dies with it," he said. An avid cyclist and yoga enthusiast, Garnett's warm, welcoming approach has easily won him allies. "One of my first experiences in life was having a forest as backyard and recognizing the richness of it," he said. Garnett was born in 1959 in the rural district of Kono in the country's east, and lived there until age 18. After studying agriculture and development economics abroad, he returned home in the 1990s to reconnect with his family and help Sierra Leone during the war. He began working in environmental protection after witnessing the conflict's destruction and its reliance on mineral resources and mining, particularly diamonds. For 30 years, he and foundation colleagues have travelled the country confronting traffickers and conducting community meetings. Over the past 20 years, EFA has planted more than two million trees in deforested areas across Sierra Leone, Garnett said, including 500,000 between 2020 and 2023. The country's environment minister, Jiwoh Abdulai, told AFP he was "really excited and thrilled" about UNESCO's decision, adding that Garnett gave him a lot of "hope and optimism". His contributions preserving nature are something "that the entire country is grateful for", he said. lp/bfm/jhb/rw/yad
