Biodiversity Conservation in the Taï-Grebo-Sapo Forest Complex
The forest complex Taï-Grebo-Sapo stretches over an area of 5,775 km2 and is composed of the Taï National Park in Côte d'Ivoire and of the Grebo Krahn National Park and the Sapo National Park, both of which are situated in Liberia. This complex hosts over 1,200 plant species and hundreds of animal species, such as the West African chimpanzee and the world's largest population of the pygmy hippopotamus, an endangered species.
Ivory Coast and Liberia have been implementing the project “Conservation of the Biodiversity in the Taï-Grebo-Sapo forest complex", funded by the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through KfW.
After a two-year preparatory process (phase 1), which elaborated a plan to strengthen ecological connectivity in close cooperation with the local communities, in April 2019, the Ivorian government decided to create a 4 km linear eco corridor, following the course of a river located in the commune of Taï. The corridor must eventually be managed by the communities themselves and take the status of "Voluntary Natural Reserve”. The specific objective of this project (phase 2) is to restore ecological connectivity between the Tai National Park and the Grebo Krahn National Park to the local communities and other local stakeholders.
Disciplines
- Sustainable Natural Resources Management
Companies
Dorsch Impact GmbH
Client
Département de l'Écologie et de la Protection de la Nature (DEPN), financed by KfW
Duration
From 2020 to 2025
Location
Taï-Grebo-Sapo, Cóte d'Ivoire
Project Activities
Launching Phase: Institutional anchoring through technical committees, inception workshop, awareness campaign, and establishing a Monitoring and Evaluation System.
Preparatory Phase: Develop and implement a compensation and resettlement plan; define the corridor’s status with local input; prepare the corridor technically, including a management plan.
Establishment of the Corridor: Implement the management plan, develop a human-wildlife conflict strategy, and carry out accompanying measures in affected communities.
Consolidation and Exit Strategy: Ensure legal recognition of the corridor, integrate it into regional planning, and establish sustainable financing mechanisms.
Contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals
We are committed to making a positive impact and supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This project contributes to the following SDGs:
