Conservation Society of Sierra Leone
Region
Africa
Country
Sierra Leone
Flyway
East Atlantic flyway
Initiative
WLI Africa
About
Name of organisation
Conservation Society of Sierra Leone (CSSL)
Funding support
Membership annual contributions and donor funding support
Number of staff
38
Number of visitors per year
At least 25 visitors. These are mostly national and international partners and donors.
Overall aims of the centre
CSSL is a national environmental NGO with the overall aim to promote the wise use and management of Sierra Leone’s precious natural resources through communication, education, policy development and implementation as well as through advocacy, research and site action to conserve important and critical sites.
Description of the centre
CSSL currently operates in 5 sites across Sierra Leone. These are protected areas and national reserves with serious protection challenges. The sites vary in sizes, and are located in all the nation’s geographical locations (West, South, North, East and North-west).
The organisation supports the protection of endangered species including the White-necked Picathartes, Western Chimpanzee, Pigmy Hippos, White and White Colobus Monkey, mangroves, Timneh Parrot, among many others. This is done through environmental education in schools and communities, communication, advocacy and roundtable discussions/engagement interventions.
Work Areas
Main CEPA work area
CSSL undertakes designing, production and distribution of IEC materials in communities, schools and among government policy makers. The organisation also works with School Nature Clubs and Site Support Groups to improve their capacity to be able to disseminate environmental education messages among their peers. CSSL also organises periodical radio and TV programmes to raise public awareness on species conservation and environmental protection.
Top three successes
1. The Gola Rainforest transboundary programme in the East of Sierra Leone, which is CSSL’s flagship programme, has been one of the most successful programmes.
2. Yawri Bay conservation projects
3. Establishment and operations of School Nature Clubs
CSSL’s approach of working with communities, schools, relevant government institutions and the right donors has been the biggest secret of the organisation’s success in most of the projects it implements.
Top three challenges
1. The quest for government to increase its revenue to the detriment of the environment has been a serious challenge of CSSL in sustaining its gains in protecting one of the sites, Lake Sonfon. This site hosts huge deposit of gold.
2. Meeting community expectations has been very challenging especially when their demands do not tie with donor requirements.
3. Reduction of donor support to projects due to global economic meltdown.
Expertise
Interpretation techniques
Creating signage / site information; Producing written materials; Using audio-visual tools; Developing nature trails
Visitor centres
Setting up a new visitor centre; Managing / creating habitat; Running a visitor centre; Building / maintaining structures
Participation
Working with disabled people; Engaging hard-to-reach groups; Engaging young people; Engaging the local community; Working with volunteers
Education and communication
Early years education; Delivering adult education; Working with primary schools; Lobbying / running campaigns; Working with secondary schools; Developing resources / materials
General
PR and marketing; Health and safety; Project planning.
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