Vegetation Mapping of the Pic de Fon, Guinea

The great tropical rainforests of Africa are some of the most species-rich natural habitats in the world. Powered by sunlight, heat, and abundant rainfall, these ancient, complex ecosystems teem with life, providing homes to a unique assemblage of plants, animals, and fungi, most of which are found nowhere else on earth. Many of these habitats, and their species, are threatened with destruction before their species are even inventoried.

Simandou in Guinea-Conakry, West Africa, is a priority site for Rio Tinto resulting from the occurance of high grade Iron Ore. The company is committed to developing the mine in such as way as to minimise impacts and maximise opportunities for conservation. Rio Tinto Iron Ore, Guinea, has engaged with a number of conservation organisations including Conservation International, BirdLife International, Fauna and Flora International, Guinea Ecology and others, for advice and guidance.

The Wet Tropics of Africa Team at Kew is working with a range of Guinean organisations to survey the Pic de Fon area of the Simandou range to provide Rio Tinto with valuable information to help guide mine design.

Outputs from this project, to be completed in December 2006, include;

• Species database identifying any particular species of conservation importance (threatened, rare, endemic etc.) and associated location.
• Vegetation map of the region, identifying vegetation types.
• Map of the degradation levels of the vegetation and causes.
• Physiognomic Vegetation classification (vegetation structure) system following White (1983), further divided by species composition and physical characteristics (soil, elevation, rainfall etc)
• Description of Vegetation types, with photographs
• Recommendation of regions for further inventory
• Conservation recommendations.

Developing the botanical capacity of Guinean scientists is another priority of this project. Thomas Williams, from Guinea Ecology, is currently spending nine months at Kew to assist in the processing and identification of the specimens collected. By working with some of the best botanists in the world, Thomas has rapidly learnt to identify species, database and mount specimens. On return to Guinea, Thomas will be able to train others in these essential herbarium techniques.

It is hoped that Kew's engagement with Rio Tinto Iron Ore will continue as the move to the next phase of mine development in 2007.

Tropical rainforest, Guinea

Remote sensing image of the Simandou range, showing the smaller Pic de Fon area where Kew has been working

Guinean Scientists working with staff from Kew to collect plant specimens