The East Nimba Nature Reserve (ENNR) was gazetted in 2003 by an act of legislation. It covers over 11,553 hectares and forms part of the Mount Nimba Range that spans across Liberia, Guinea and Cote d’Ivoire. Despite formal gazettement and both its national and international reputation for conservation importance, the reserve has a reputation of being “one of the most severely threatened forest systems in the world” by illegal poaching, farming and burning, and commercial agriculture. ©Fauna & Flora International
The current protected area of ENNR was home to the famous Liberian-American-Swedish Mining Company (LAMCO). It is a defunct Liberian corporation that mined for iron ore in the Nimba range in Liberia during the second half of the twentieth century. Founded in 1955 by American and Swedish investors, the company established the first large-scale mining operation in Liberia following the discovery in the 1950s of the Nimba ore body by geologist Sandy Clarke.
The East Nimba Nature Reserve (ENNR) is an isolated refuge covered with montane forests, making the landscape an exceptional site from the ecological perspective. The 11,553 hectares reserve comprises of grassy plains at its peak followed by, montane forest, and lowland savannah, and Raphia swamp. The ENNR is every environmentalists’ dream; the region is home of some of nature’s must precious and elusive creatures. Other jewels are the African Swallow-tail butterfly, the world’s largest butterfly and the nearly extinct Nimba Otter Shrew. Other animals include the Nimba Toad, Nimba flycatcher (Vulnerable), and the endangered Chimpanzees, which are famous for their distinctive tool use repertoire.
There are also more than 671 non-forest tree classes, 83 reptile and 479 butterfly species are recorded in the ENNR. Approximately 170 birds make the reserve its habitat; of which 6.4% are either vulnerable or near threatened; while the majority falls within the “least concerned” (LC) classification. Some of the LC species are the White breasted Guineafowl, Red-thighed Sparrowhawk, and the powerful, Congo Serpent-Eagle. Some of those near threatened species are: the Shelly’s Eagle-Owl, Rufous-Winged and the Green-tailed Bristlebill. Vulnerable birds in the Reserve include the Yellow-bearded Greenbul, Yellow-casqued Hornbill, Brown-cheeked Hornbill and more.
The ENNR is a treasure chest, and Liberia’s largest biodiversity hotspot, the perfect mix for a thriving ecotourism industry. Our intervention in the landscape has been made possible through the co-investment opportunity provided by USAID Liberia through the West Africa Trade & Investment Hub. The “Development of Nimba Ecolodge & Reserve” project was on this backdrop of the United States Forest Service (U.S.F.S) “Nimba ecotourism assessment” to identify “ECOTOURISM OPPORTUNITIES IN THE MOUNT NIMBA LANDSCAPE OF LIBERIA” conducted in 2020.
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