Achieving the Cestos–Senkwehn Proposed Protected Area (CSPPA) Gazettement through Partnership
Spanning an impressive 80,348 hectares across Rivercess and Sinoe Counties, the Cestos–Senkwehn Proposed Protected Area (CSPPA) is more than just land, CSPPA is a living sanctuary for Liberia’s natural heritage.
Home to some of West Africa’s most iconic and endangered species — the Western Chimpanzee, Forest Elephant, Pygmy Hippo, Diana Monkey, Red and Black Colobus Monkeys, Black and Zebra Duikers, and countless amphibians, reptiles, birds, and flora species — the CSPPA stands as one of the last strongholds of Liberia’s biodiversity.
At the heart of this landscape are 49 communities, whose traditions, culture, and livelihoods are deeply intertwined with the forest.
Partnership for Progress
The Forestry Development Authority-FDA has designated The Nature Compact as the lead organization for the gazettement of the CSPPA — a critical step toward officially protecting this ecological treasure.
In line with our collaborative approach, The Nature Compact team met with Hon. Byron Zarnwea, Superintendent of Rivercess County, to discuss the pathway to gazettement and sustainable management.
Superintendent Zarnwea welcomed the initiative, emphasizing the importance of community participation, ownership, and stewardship. Together, we agreed that CSPPA gazettement must go beyond “business as usual” — it must represent a new model of conservation:
“Conservation not imposed on people, but done with people.”
Charting the Path Forward: As a first strategic step, the Superintendent underscored the need for a Comprehensive Opportunities Assessment around the CSPPA.
This will help identify practical pathways for:
• Community wellbeing and inclusive participation
• Sustainable livelihood opportunities
• Local development linkages
• Long-term financing for conservation success
We welcome a shared vision for the future.
We are inspired by the commitment of Rivercess local leadership, who recognize that conservation and development are not opposites — they are partners.
Together, we are laying the foundation for a Protected Area that works for people and nature alike — where forests thrive, communities prosper, and biodiversity finds refuge.
CSPPA: Conservation with People, for People, and for the Planet.
