Seeds of change: BirdLife’s successes show that nature can lead the way

We are proud to be at the forefront of transformative efforts to protect and restore one of the planet’s most important biodiversity hotspots. By combining research, conservation and community action, we work to create a sustainable future for nature and people in West Africa.

We support the new West Africa Nature Transformation Initiative (WANTi)! This ambitious initiative brings together research and conservation to promote innovative approaches to protecting West Africa’s globally important Guinean forests, while meeting the socio-economic needs of 300 million people who rely on the forests. WANTi partners include the University of Cambridge, RSPB, IUCN and Fauna & Flora, as well as a variety of regional stakeholders such as national universities and BirdLife partners.

Last month, we hosted a WANTi regional workshop with our partner, the Ghana Wildlife Society, which identified key priorities including collaborative research, creating a unified regional voice for Guinea’s forests, and promoting action to support sustainable agriculture. A key biodiversity hotspot, Guinea’s forests provide essential ecosystem services such as fresh water, climate regulation, wood fuel and medicine – making their protection critical for people and the planet.