The Sierra Leone activist who championed its first World Heritage site

UNESCO Recognizes Sierra Leone’s Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary

Garnett’s Decades‑Long Conservation Legacy

The lush Tiwai Island, home to a world‑class primate concentration, has just earned a place on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The achievement marks the first UNESCO designation in Sierra Leone, and it stands as a testament to the relentless work of Tommy Garnett and the Environmental Foundation for Africa (EFA).

The Gola–Tiwai Complex

• Gola Rainforest National Park – the largest tropical rainforest in the country.
• Tiwai Island – a 12‑square‑kilometre (4.5 square‑mile) haven that supports 11 primate species, including the endangered western chimpanzee, the king colobus monkey and the Diana monkey.
• Other Wildlife – the pygmy hippopotamus and the critically endangered African forest elephant.

Challenges Over the Years

During the civil war (1991‑2002) and later health crises such as Ebola (2014) and COVID‑19, deforestation, poaching and other threats nearly erased the island’s biodiversity. Garnett mobilized communities to curb destructive practices, secured funding for revitalisation, and raised awareness in the region.

Impact on Local Communities

Ecotourism initiatives stemming from the sanctuary’s status generate employment, training and agricultural support for residents. The financial benefits help communities maintain stewardship of the forest and protect its ecological integrity.

Garnett’s Personal Journey

Born in 1959 in Kono district, Tommy Garnett returned to Sierra Leone after studying abroad in the 1990s. Witnessing the war’s devastation and its reliance on mining—especially diamonds—he founded the EFA in 1992 and has since planted over two million trees across the country, including 500,000 from 2020 to 2023.

Recognition and Hope

Minister Jiwoh Abdulai declared the UNESCO listing a source of “hope and optimism.” He also thanked Garnett for safeguarding Sierra Leone’s natural heritage.

As the country moves forward, the preservation of Tiwai Island remains pivotal, illustrating that the well‑being of local cultures is tightly bound to the survival of their surrounding ecosystems.