BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION

THE TAÏ PROJECT, CÔTE D’IVOIRE

Led by the conservation NGO Leadership for Conservation in Africa (LCA), in collaboration with the Ivorian Office of Parks and Reserves (OIPR), the Taï Project is an ambitious initiative to protect and restore one of West Africa’s last great rainforests — Taï National Park and its surrounding ecosystems.

The project combines two synergistic strategies: robust, science-based biodiversity conservation and the development of adventure tourism as a tool for environmental protection, local income generation, and increased security presence in remote forest areas.

Working in close partnership with OIPR and Eburny Biodiversity Conservation (EBURCO), LCA is also leading field-based conservation efforts. These include biodiversity monitoring, community-engaged forest restoration, and the creation of ecological corridors through a growing network of local partnerships. A pilot reforestation initiative will soon launch with two villages in the Taï-Grébo corridor, with further expansion planned in subsequent phases.

GLOBAL IMPORTANCE OF TAÏ NATIONAL PARK

Taï National Park is one of the most biologically rich and ecologically significant tropical rainforests on Earth.

As one of the last major remnants of the Upper Guinean Forest, a globally recognized biodiversity hotspot, it harbors an extraordinary concentration of endemic and endangered species. These include the western chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes verus), classified as Critically Endangered (CR) by the IUCN; the forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis), also listed as Critically Endangered (CR); and the elusive pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis), which is considered Endangered (EN). The park also shelters several threatened primates and bird species unique to the region, such as the Diana monkey (Cercopithecus diana) – Endangered (EN) and the white-breasted guineafowl (Agelastes meleagrides) – Vulnerable (VU).

Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Taï is not only vital for species conservation but also plays a crucial role in global climate regulation. Its vast forest cover acts as a major carbon sink, helping to mitigate climate change. The park is equally important for watershed protection, safeguarding the headwaters of rivers that support agriculture and livelihoods across the region.

Beyond its ecological value, Taï serves as a living laboratory for tropical forest science, contributing to global understanding of rainforest dynamics, primate behavior, and ecosystem resilience. For decades, it has hosted pioneering research that has informed international conservation strategies.

In a world where tropical forests are vanishing at alarming rates, protecting Taï is of global urgency. Its survival represents not only a commitment to a key portion of global biodiversity but also to climate stability, cultural heritage, and the future of conservation in West Africa and beyond.

  • KAYAKING FOR CONSERVATION

    At the heart of the Taï Project’s tourism strategy is the Hana River, a stunning and little-known waterway that flows through the forest.

    By developing guided kayaking expeditions on the Hana, the project offers visitors an immersive experience of the region’s wildlife and landscapes while creating a steady, non-invasive presence along the river. This presence acts as a powerful deterrent to poaching and illegal activities, bringing visibility to otherwise inaccessible stretches of the park’s boundary zones.

    Moreover, the project is equipping rangers with inflatable kayaks and training them to use the river system for rapid response and routine patrols. This greatly improves surveillance capacity and enables more effective protection of riverine habitats—which are often poaching hotspots and essential to many key species.

  • DOCUMENTARIES FOR IMPACT

    To raise the profile of Taï National Park both locally and internationally, the Taï Project will produce two documentaries.

    One will target a national audience, highlighting the park’s importance for Côte d’Ivoire’s natural heritage and featuring local voices—rangers, communities, and Ivorian scientists—to build national pride and support for conservation.

    The second, aimed at a global audience, will showcase Taï’s exceptional biodiversity and innovative protection efforts, such as kayaking patrols and community-led reforestation, to attract international attention, partnerships, and funding. Together, these films will position Taï as both a national treasure and a global conservation priority.

THE NEED FOR SUPPORT

To achieve its full potential, the Taï Project urgently requires financial support to strengthen its foundations.

 Key funding needs include:

  • Training, equipping and supporting rangers for river and forest patrols;

  • Capacity building for EBURCO  as a key player in Taï landscape and to become a leading conservation actor in the region;

  • Investments in biodiversity baseline and long-term monitoring to establish a science-informed, adaptive conservation strategy.

With the right support, the project can become a model for integrated, community-driven conservation in tropical forest landscapes across Africa.

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