Author: RRF Secretariat

In February 2024, the Sierra de las Minas Biosphere Reserve, a critical conservation area in southwestern Guatemala, faced devastating forest fires. These fires threatened the reserve’s diverse ecosystems, including the largest mixed cloud forest in Central America and species like

In January 2024, a lightning strike caused forest fires to break out in two areas of Lonquimay commune, Chile, within both the Araucaria Biosphere Reserve and the Kütralkura UNESCO World Geopark. These fires were unusual in the rate at which

In November 2023, severe and protracted forest fires affected the Pantanal Conservation Area World Heritage site and Pantanal Biosphere Reserve, threatening the integrity of this unique wetland habitat that harbours species such as jaguar, aquatic birds and giant otter. By

The Galapagos archipelago is a world-famous UNESCO Natural World Heritage site, known for its rich diversity of endemic species and as a living showcase for evolution. The islands’ biodiversity is closely linked with the surrounding ocean, making them a vital

The Simien National Park (SMNP) in Northern Ethiopia is a spectacular landscape, where massive erosion over millions of years has created jagged mountain peaks, deep valleys and sharp precipices dropping some 1,500m. The Park is of global significance for biodiversity,

The W-Arly-Pendjari Complex is a mosaic of nine protected areas spreading across three countries (Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger). Together these areas create the largest and most important continuum of terrestrial, semi-aquatic and aquatic ecosystems across in the West African

Virunga National Park (790,000 ha) is the first national park established on the African continent and comprises an outstanding diversity of habitats, including swamps, steppes, snowy mountain peaks, savannahs, and the two most active volcanoes in Africa. The park is

From mid-March 2022, fires scoured sections of the National Park, threatening key moorland and forest habitats on Mount Kenya. Some forest glades containing mature rosewood and cedar trees were lost early on and without a significant response, further losses to

The W-Arly-Pendjari Complex plays a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity, with the area supporting 85% of the remaining savannah elephants in West Africa, the only viable population of lions in the region and one of the few populations of cheetah