Building the Knowledge Base

The research team has developed considerable expertise in biodiversity assessments, carbon measurement and monitoring. The team is provided with technical guidance from an international Technical Advisor based in-country and with support from the Conservation Science Department of the RSPB.

The team has also benefitted from a wide range of visiting experts from organisations and universities worldwide who have provided specialist training and worked with the research team to build capacity and expertise in key areas such as botany, herpetology, ornithology, and primatology.

Core monitoring activities centre around key indicators related to the impact of the REDD+ project. These include:

• Remote sensing of forest cover

• Measurement of forest carbon stocks and changes in above-ground biomass

• Camera trap surveys of large mammal species

• Transect surveys of primate populations

• Chimpanzee nest surveys

• Pygmy hippo surveys

• Bird point counts

• Picathartes colony monitoring

• Leaf litter surveys of amphibians

These surveys are conducted on a regular cycle by the research team.

Visiting Researcher?

If you are interested in conducting research or research-related activities in Gola, please refer to our External Research Flowchart for an overview of the application process. For more information, you can review the documents below:

• Guidelines for Researchers

• Application Form

• Code of Conduct for Researchers

If you have any further questions, please use the contact form

Research Aims & Strategy

The research programme at Gola aims to develop and maintain a comprehensive social and biodiversity database and monitoring system to ensure the availability of accurate, relevant and timely information to inform and enhance project management and the effective delivery of outcomes, using adaptive management processes. Beyond that, we hope to promote Gola as a regional centre for excellence in rainforest conservation research.

For more information feel free to read our Biodiversity Monitoring Plan.