Kangari Hills

A(i)Site contains one or more globally threatened species, C(i)Site contains globally threatened or restricted habitat or vegetation types

This site qualifies as an IPA due to the presence of at least seven threatened species that trigger criterion A(i), as well as criterion C(i) as this site contains >10% of threatened low altitude evergreen forest habitat nationally.

The Kangari Hills IPA is located across the boundary of Tonkolili and Bo Districts, spanning the Northern and Southern Provinces of Sierra Leone. It falls within the Kunike Barina Chiefdom. The nearest large towns are Baomahun on the southern border of the IPA, Matotaka, approximately 10 km to the northwest, and Yele, about 12 km to the southwest.
This IPA corresponds to the Kangari Hills Forest Reserve (KHFR), a forest reserve designated for utilization. In 2021, a large-scale gold mining license was granted to FL Gold Limited, with 27% of the IPA now occupied by the mining concession (GoSL, 2024). Mining activities are expected to continue until the lease expires in 2091 and are anticipated to have substantial long-term impacts on the site. Additionally, a smaller gold mining license (0.23 km²) was granted to XIN YIN Company Limited from 2021 to 2033 along a northern waterway, but this license is currently suspended.
The IPA’s core boundary has been delineated to reflect the most intact habitat remaining outside the main mining concession. This area is considered the highest priority for protection and was defined in consultation with the Director of Forestry, Mrs. Karemo-Garnett (pers. comms. 2025).

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The Kangari Hills IPA supports one of the largest remaining areas of primary forest in Sierra Leone (GFW, 2011) and lies within the Guinean Forests of West Africa Biodiversity Hotspot (CEPF, 2015). The site is of high botanical importance due to its botanical richness and the presence of globally threatened species. A recent survey recorded 68 tree species from 38 families within the Kangari Hills Forest Reserve (Fayiah et al., 2022), highlighting the site's conservation value.
Several plant species of global conservation concern have been recorded within the IPA. Oxyanthus andjigae (Luke #15205), an Endangered tree, is known from only four localities globally, with this site representing the only confirmed occurrence in Sierra Leone. Placodiscus pseudostipularis, also known from the site and listed as Endangered, is a small tree restricted to relatively undisturbed moist forest in the Upper Guinea region. Cassia aubrevillei (Luke #15145), another Endangered species, is known in Sierra Leone only from this locality.
Additional threatened species documented at the site include Cryptosepalum tetraphyllum, Guibourtia leonensis, and Lophira alata, are all valuable timber species assessed as Vulnerable. The site also provides habitat for the near-endemic liana Landolphia macrantha (Vulnerable), which is threatened across most of its range in Sierra Leone.
A possible occurrence of Tarenna hutchinsonii (Luke #15263), a Critically Endangered tree species previously known only from a single historical collection in Sierra Leone, was noted during surveys; however, due to uncertainty in the identification, this record has not been included in the formal assessment. The Upper Guinea endemics Asystasia scandens and Sclerochiton vogelii subsp. vogelii have also been recorded at the site, although both taxa remain unassessed for extinction risk.

The Kangari Hills IPA is characterised by lowland evergreen forest (Cole, 1968), with some riverine forest and minimal representation of deciduous forest (ESA, 2017). While the core area remains largely intact, the forest edges show significant signs of disturbance, ranging from farmbush to secondary forest stands. Ochthocosmus africanus (syn. Phyllocosmus africanus, Ixonanthaceae) has been identified as a dominant tree species within the site (Kargbo et al., 2022), indicating the presence of secondary forest structure (Savill & Fox, 1967). Geologically, the Kangari Hills lie within the Sula Mountain greenstone belt. This formation is rich in economically valuable minerals, including diamonds.

There is currently extensive artisianal gold mining occurring along the northeastern periphery of the IPA, as well as within the formal mining lease area. These activities are contributing to ongoing habitat degradation. Since 2001, primary forest cover has declined dramatically, particularly in the southern portion of the reserve, which is now highly fragmented and largely degraded. Slash and burn agriculture is steadily eroding remnant forest at the site.

The Kangari Hills IPA provides key ecosystem services to surrounding communities, particularly through the provision of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) (Kargbo et al., 2022). These products contribute significantly to local livelihoods, offering income, nutritional value, cultural importance and medicines.

Gabriella Hoban, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Date of first assessment: 1st May 2025

Xander van der Burgt, The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew

Fanny Massally, The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew