Less Than 200 Meters to Go!

We have faced innumerable setbacks and successes in the last two decades. There was several days when bush fire spread to the green corridor, and we were so stunned that we could only stand there speechless and stare at the devastated land. Despite such obstacles, the project has moved forward step-by-step and we have eventually succeeded in making huge progress. According to video-records taken from camera trap devices that we set up within the green corridor, two male Bossou chimpanzees have been seen to walk in the green corridor. This video footage also demonstrated that more savanna monkeys are using the area than in recent years. This year marks the 20^th anniversary of the Green Corridor Project. This year is likely to be an especially significant year for the project; the green corridor is about to reach the Nimba Mountains. We have just 150 more meters to go!

Of course, completing the green corridor doesn't mean that the project is over. We still have more work to do. Expanding the green corridor toward the foot of the Nimba Mountains, where local people are living, also means increases in conflict between the project aims and local residents wishing for urban development. Cultivated land is found within Mount Nimba Nature Reserve, a World Heritage Site. It was also discovered that the boundaries of the World Heritage Site have been altered by non-authorized persons.

The future of the green corridor depends on working together with local residents to share in the value of this forest and its rich biodiversity, focusing on long-term gains.

In 2016, we introduced drones to the Green Corridor Project. Using drones will help us to: find suitable areas in which to plant new trees; to monitor and manage the growth of trees and watch out for bush fires; and to assess the continued positive effects of the green corridor. Photographs taken by drones have given us a wide and detailed view of the landscape, allowing us to plant effectively in order to unite disparate forest fragments. Videos taken by drones enable us to show local residents that the current level of cultivation is unsustainable. These precious images illustrate the value of the forest and the importance of leaving it intact or improved for children and grandchildren. These videos play an important role in our environmental education program. Together with the local people, we seek to promote more efficient and harmonious management of the entire Bossou-Nimba region.