The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is leading implementation and oversight of the project, working closely with the Sierra Leone Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, which is responsible for execution and management. Local communities are actively involved in restoration activities and will benefit from improved livelihoods and access to basic services. The private sector is engaged in developing financing mechanisms and supporting market-based approaches. National NGOs, including the Conservation Society of Sierra Leone (CSSL), will contribute to the development of nature-based tourism as a sustainable financing pathway for restoration.
GEF grants
co-funding
Sierra Leone is focusing its restoration efforts on degraded forests and land systems in Koinadugu and Falaba districts. These ecosystems are vital for biodiversity, carbon storage, and local livelihoods, but face increasing pressure from deforestation, poor land management, and climate change. The project aims to strengthen climate resilience and sustainable land management through policy reform, institutional capacity building, and community-driven restoration.
The project will support the development of policies, laws, and regulations that enable sustainable land management, while also strengthening institutional capacity at national, district, and community levels to improve governance and coordination of restoration efforts.
Restoration activities will focus on degraded lands and the sustainable management of agricultural and grazing areas. These efforts will be paired with support for alternative livelihoods that reduce pressure on ecosystems and contribute to long-term sustainability.
Improving the management of Loma Mountain National Park is a key component of the project, alongside the promotion of gender-progressive ecotourism opportunities that link conservation with local economic development.
The project will identify and pilot innovative financing mechanisms to support restoration, while also enhancing knowledge exchange, experience sharing, and the implementation of environmental and social safeguards.
Photo credit: © Conservation International/photo by Dan Rothberg
