Presentation of the Bossematié Natural Reserve (BNR)

The Bossematié Natural Reserve (BNR) is one of the priority forests identified under the Cocoa & Forests Initiative (CFI) facilitated by IDH.
Located at the crossroads of the Indénié-Djuablin region and the Abengourou department, the reserve covers an area of 21,960 hectares.

Its management is ensured by the Southeast Zone Directorate of the Ivorian Office of Parks and Reserves (OIPR), in collaboration with a Local Management Committee (LMC) composed of administrative and traditional authorities, local NGOs, technical and financial partners, and economic operators from the area.

Originally a classified forest, Bossematié was reclassified as a natural reserve in accordance with Law No. 2019-675 of July 23, 2019, establishing the Forest Code.
This law allows certain well-preserved classified forests to be upgraded into national parks or natural reserves.
In line with this legal framework, Decree No. 2022-243 of March 30, 2022 officially created the Bossematié Natural Reserve, based on the boundaries of the former classified forest of the same name.

The Local Management Committee (LMC), established on March 31, 2023, is composed of 15 members representing the CRID, prefectural and traditional authorities, local NGOs, OIPR, and other regional stakeholders.
Chaired by the Regional Prefect, the committee meets quarterly to monitor the conservation status and guide management decisions.

Ecologically, the BNR represents one of the last remaining forest blocks in southeastern Côte d’Ivoire that is still relatively well preserved.
It is recognized as a Key Biodiversity Area (KBA), hosting several threatened species, including the forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis), duikers, and various species of primates and endemic birds.
As a true refuge for wildlife, the reserve also plays a crucial role in local climate regulation, water resource conservation, and soil stabilization.

Operationally, the reserve has a management structure equipped with monitoring and visitor facilities, enabling effective ecological monitoring, environmental awareness, and the promotion of ecotourism activities.
These facilities are supported by a network of access roads and control posts, which facilitate patrols and the monitoring of illegal activities.
The actions carried out by the OIPR, in close collaboration with local communities, aim to strengthen participatory governance and promote sustainable management practices that reconcile conservation and local development.

Integrated within the broader framework of the Cocoa & Forests Initiative, the Bossematié Natural Reserve benefits from technical and financial partnerships with IDH and other cocoa sector stakeholders, with the aim to:

• Reduce deforestation linked to agricultural expansion;
• Promote coexistence between cocoa production and forest conservation;
• Strengthen sustainable livelihoods of surrounding communities; and
• Restore degraded areas around the forest block.

Today, the Bossematié Natural Reserve stands as a national success story in forest reclassification and sustainable management.
It embodies the Ivorian Government’s commitment to preserving critical ecosystems while supporting local development goals.
Through coordinated efforts involving OIPR, local authorities, communities, and CFI partners including IDH, the BNR has become a model of environmental governance, where conservation, ecological resilience, and community inclusion converge to build a sustainable and nature-friendly agriculture.