Proposed Moyen Bafing National Park

A(i)Site contains one or more globally threatened species, B(ii)Site contains an exceptional number of species of high conservation importance, C(iii)Site contains nationally threatened or restricted habitat or vegetation types, AND/OR habitats that have severely declined in extent nationally

The proposed Moyen Bafing National Park (MBNP) has 19 threatened species present across different vegetation types. It is the only known location where two Global endemic species are known to survive (Barleria asterotricha and Dissotis linearis) and has important populations of the globally threatened species Lipotriche felicis, Cyathula pobeguinii, Macropodiella garrettii, Danthoniopsis chevalieri and Leocus pobeguinii for which Moyen Bafing contains the only known records (or the only known recent records). Four potential new species have been identified in 2018, all of which are likely to prove critically endangered and potentially globally endemic to Moyen Bafing. In addition, three additional new records for Guinea were discovered. The landscape is under severe pressure from the large local population within the park and the sizeable herds of cattle.

The proposed Moyen Bafing National Park (MBNP) is in the north-east of the Fouta Djallon, straddling the prefectures of Tougué and Dinguiraye. The area extends southwards from the Mali border and encompasses six Classified Forests. It covers a large section of the Bafing river catchment, tributaries of the Falémé river, as well as the Koukoutamba and Téné rivers in the southern part of the park. It is a matrix of vegetation types, including lateritic bowal (bauxite based), wooded grassland, and woodland. It has an altitudinal range of 500m and the highest point (935m) is in the south of the park, at Kourousansan. The rivers have a number of cascades and rapid sections which are home to rare Podostemaceae. It has been designated largely for the large population of Chimpanzees (a population of 3,715 mature individuals) present, as well as other large mammals found predominantly in gallery forest and woodland within the park (listed as priority vegetation types for management in the park). There are 233 villages, 7 hamlets, and 15 camps within the provisional park boundary. This area is made up of three protected zones (ZIP, ZGR, and ZD).

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Three botanical expeditions to the MBNP in 2018 have shown that, despite the fragmented and highly disturbed nature of the vegetation, there are 19 threatened species present, found across a range of habitat types. In the rapids and cascades, five species of Podostemaceae have been found. In addition, the park has the largest global populations of Barleria asterotricha (EN) and Dissotis linearis (EN), both endemic to Guinea. A recent collection of Lipotriche felicis (EN) was the first collection in Guinea since 1937, and only the third collection globally. There were four potential new species and three new records for Guinea identified in November 2018. The whole park has not been surveyed, so it is possible that more threatened species could be discovered with further surveys.

The geology is mostly sandstone, argillite interlayered with limestone, and silica with igneous intrusions. It has a matrix of grassland including lateritic bowal (mostly bauxite based), wooded grassland, and woodland, with small areas of gallery forest. Several large rivers run through the park (Bafing, Koukoutamba, Téné – tributaries of the Falémé in the north and the Bakoun and Kokoun in the centre), with many tributaries and temporary rivers feeding into them. The length of the hydrological network within the park is 4,214km, including 148km of the Bafing River.

Due to the large human population (c. 67,000 people) within the park, there are significant threats from clearance for fields and cattle grazing. In addition, there are small-scale mining activities and the setting of uncontrolled fires. There are large herds of Ndama cattle across the park and this leads to burning of the grassland for pasture. The increased frequency of burning has almost certainly influenced the species diversity. Some of the bowal areas are also threatened from gravel extraction on a local scale and are also potential sites of mining activities (bauxite). The alluvial areas are also potential sites for gold panning. The potential construction of a hydroelectric dam at the Koukoutamba Falls on the Bafing river (a tributary of the Senegal river) will cause considerable damage to both the populations of threatened Podostemaceae species and threatened habitats. It is predicted that the reservoir for the dam will cover 3.5% of the southern part of the park. The park itself will protect 24% of the hydrological network that will feed the hydroelectric dam.

Provisioning, Habitat for species.

Charlotte Couch, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew

Denise Molmou, Herbier National de Guinee/ Simfer

Arnaud Gotanegre, Wild Chimpanzee Foundataion

Martin Cheek, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew

Pacifique Kizila, Wild Chimpanzee Foundataion

Melanie Sottocasa, Wild Chimpanzee Foundataion

Camille Reider, Wild Chimpanzee Foundation (WCF)