The PONASI Complex refers to a large area in southern-central Burkina Faso dominated by parklands and protected areas (PAs). With the surrounding areas, the Complex composes a landscape where a key feature is the presence of the country’s second most important elephant range, which is shared with neighboring country - Ghana. The wider PONASI Landscape – and Complex – is the object of management under the proposed project.

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Lands that immediately surround the PAs that form the PONASI Complex have been experiencing a proliferation of unsustainable land-uses that lead to the degradation of landscapes, livelihoods and ecosystems. This enhances the so called “park edge effect” and poses a direct threat to the integrity of PA sites. In certain areas of PA buffer zones, the indiscriminate use of fire for restoring land productivity in the short-term reached an unsustainable scale. The increased demand for firewood to supply not just the capital Ouagadougou, but also other urbanized areas near the PONASI Landscape, is posing an additional pressure on its scarce forest resources.

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The objective of the project is to promote an integrated and sustainable management of Burkina Faso’s Protected Area PONASI Complex and surrounding landscapes, by stabilizing land-use, strengthening biodiversity conservation measures and safeguarding a stream of ecosystem services.