Read the article here: https://thinklandscape.globallandscapesforum.org/98881/sierra-leone-chimpanzees-conflict/ We’re delighted that the Global Landscapes Forum has featured an important story on the growing challenge of human and wildlife conflict in Sierra Leone. The article highlights community-led efforts to protect chimpanzees while supporting livelihoods, a mission that aligns closely with our work to restore landscapes and promote coexistence between people and the environment.
On October 3, 2025, SLEM officially launched its landscape restoration initiative in Bafawahun, marking the start of a long-term effort to restore degraded ecosystems and strengthen community resilience in eastern Sierra Leone. Backed by a €5,000 grant from the Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), the project aims to plant 10,000 native trees across four rural communities: Bafawahun, Diama, Kotomahun, and Nekabo, and in ten schools in Kenema City.
In just two weeks, over 3,500 trees were planted, and four community nurseries were established, collectively nurturing more than 14,100 seedlings, exceeding initial targets. Beyond tree planting, the initiative is expanding The Environmental Journey (EJ), SLEM’s flagship environmental education program, to ten more schools, empowering young Sierra Leoneans with knowledge and practical skills to care for their environment.
Each community has identified and begun restoring ecologically vital sites, from degraded riverbanks and deforested watersheds to newly designated school forests. Through community engagement, local bylaws, and signed MoUs, the project ensures long-term protection of restoration areas.
This initiative is more than a tree-planting campaign; it is a shared commitment between communities and SLEM to safeguard forests, protect livelihoods, and build resilience in the face of climate change.
Sierra Leone Environment Matters (SLEM), with the support of education experts, has successfully completed a comprehensive training program for school teachers and SLEM volunteers from Kenema and surrounding rural communities.
The training equips participants to deliver SLEM’s hands-on environmental education program across all school levels in Kenema District, fostering awareness and active engagement in environmental conservation among students.
This milestone was made possible thanks to funding support from the Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), enabling SLEM to strengthen environmental education and help to nurture the next generation of environmentally conscious leaders in Sierra Leone.
Date: 14 August 2025 Location: Kotomahun, Koya Chiefdom, Sierra Leone Yesterday, during an unannounced routine check in one of the community forests in Kambui South, our team uncovered alarming signs of environmental destruction. This section of the forest, located in Kotomahun, Koya Chiefdom, is under severe threat from illegal activities. Our field team discovered both old and newly dug alluvial gold mining pits scattered throughout the forest. Disturbingly, we encountered a group of young people actively dredging for gold deep within the forest reserve. This activity not only violates environmental protection regulations but also endangers the ecosystem and the community’s… Read more: Illegal Gold Mining Threatens Kambui South Community Forest in Kotomahun, Koya Chiefdom
Read the article here: https://thinklandscape.globallandscapesforum.org/98881/sierra-leone-chimpanzees-conflict/ We’re delighted that the Global Landscapes Forum has featured an important story on the growing challenge of human and wildlife conflict in Sierra Leone. The article highlights community-led efforts to protect chimpanzees while supporting livelihoods, a mission that aligns closely with our work to restore landscapes and promote coexistence between people and the environment.
On October 3, 2025, SLEM officially launched its landscape restoration initiative in Bafawahun, marking the start of a long-term effort to restore degraded ecosystems and strengthen community resilience in eastern Sierra Leone. Backed by a €5,000 grant from the Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), the project aims to plant 10,000 native trees across four rural communities: Bafawahun, Diama, Kotomahun, and Nekabo, and in ten schools in Kenema City. In just two weeks, over 3,500 trees were planted, and four community nurseries were established, collectively nurturing more than 14,100 seedlings, exceeding initial targets. Beyond tree planting, the initiative is expanding The Environmental Journey (EJ), SLEM’s flagship environmental education program, to ten more schools, empowering young Sierra Leoneans with knowledge and practical skills to care for their environment. Each community has identified and begun restoring ecologically vital sites, from degraded riverbanks and deforested watersheds to newly designated school forests. Through community engagement, local bylaws, and signed MoUs, the project ensures long-term protection of restoration areas. This initiative is more than a tree-planting campaign; it is a shared commitment between communities and SLEM to safeguard forests, protect livelihoods, and build resilience in the face of climate change.
Sierra Leone Environment Matters (SLEM), with the support of education experts, has successfully completed a comprehensive training program for school teachers and SLEM volunteers from Kenema and surrounding rural communities. The training equips participants to deliver SLEM’s hands-on environmental education program across all school levels in Kenema District, fostering awareness and active engagement in environmental conservation among students. This milestone was made possible thanks to funding support from the Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), enabling SLEM to strengthen environmental education and help to nurture the next generation of environmentally conscious leaders in Sierra Leone.
Date: 14 August 2025 Location: Kotomahun, Koya Chiefdom, Sierra Leone Yesterday, during an unannounced routine check in one of the community forests in Kambui South, our team uncovered alarming signs of environmental destruction. This section of the forest, located in Kotomahun, Koya Chiefdom, is under severe threat from illegal activities. Our field team discovered both old and newly dug alluvial gold mining pits scattered throughout the forest. Disturbingly, we encountered a group of young people actively dredging for gold deep within the forest reserve. This activity not only violates environmental protection regulations but also endangers the ecosystem and the community’s… Read more: Illegal Gold Mining Threatens Kambui South Community Forest in Kotomahun, Koya Chiefdom