What Conservation Society of Sierra Leone (CSSL) does

Conservation Society of Sierra Leone (CSSL), founded in 1986, is Sierra Leone's oldest environmental NGO and operates as a non-profit, membership-based organization headquartered at 86A Main Road, Congo Town, Freetown. The organization delivers community-led natural resource governance, science-informed conservation, environmental education, and policy advocacy, working through direct engagement with 69 coastal communities and 230 forest-fringe communities across Sierra Leone's key landscapes including the Gola Rainforest, Yawri Bay Marine Protected Area, Kambui Hills, Lake Sonfon, and the Western Area Peninsula. Its core programmatic offerings are the Mangrove Conservation and Restoration Program (62.5 hectares restored with 312,500 seedlings at a 90% survival rate; 17 additional hectares in Tissanah), the Community Forest Governance Program (anchored by the Gaya-yei Community Forest with formal MOU, bye-laws, and Forest Management Committee), the Conservation Education and Awareness Campaign (80,000+ individuals reached across 50+ communities; 24 school-based nature clubs), the REDD+ Program, Wildlife Conservation and Species Protection, and a documentary media series covering national parks and reserves.

The technology base is operational rather than digital: science-informed community governance, restoration agronomy, biodiversity monitoring, and benefit-sharing structures. The Gola Rainforest REDD+ program has generated over £10 million in cumulative benefit-sharing revenue, and the organization played a catalytic role in the 2022 passage of Sierra Leone's Customary Land Rights Act and National Land Commission Act, embedding Free, Prior and Informed Consent into national law.

CSSL does not sell products or services; revenue is grant-based, with named institutional funders including Brot für die Welt, BirdLife International, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Hans Wilsdorf Foundation, Welthungerhilfe (BMZ-funded), GOAL Sierra Leone/Jersey Overseas Aid, FAO, PRCM, Maliasili, and the Government of Sierra Leone. The Board is led by President Charles Showers; day-to-day operations are run by Executive Director Dr. Sheku Kamara together with a senior team covering programmes, finance and administration, advocacy and communications, M&E, and community mobilization. Strategic go-to-market is partnership-led, with distribution executed through direct field engagement with communities, MOUs, and joint implementation with government and international counterparts.

Name

Conservation Society of Sierra Leone (CSSL)

Legal name

Conservation Society of Sierra Leone

Website

https://cs-sl.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sierra Leone's oldest environmental NGO (founded 1986) delivering community-led mangrove restoration, forest governance, REDD+, and conservation education across 69 coastal and 230 forest-fringe communities via grant-funded programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Support Activities for Forestry (11531), Support Activities for Forestry (115310), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Forestry (800), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Forestry, Land Use & REDD+ Programs (BPADALAF), Nature, Biodiversity & Ecosystem Conservation (BPADALAE), Conservation, Restoration & Biodiversity Services (Habitat, Wetlands, Riparian) (IMAMAJAH), Community Forestry & Indigenous Land Stewardship Services (IMAMAJAM), Wildlife, Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation Administration (BPAIAMAG)

Keywords

• Environmental conservation services
• Community forest governance
• Mangrove restoration programs
• Biodiversity protection programs
• REDD+ forestry programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Freetown

HQ country

Sierra Leone

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Project Grants and Donations: CSSL operates as a membership-based NGO funded through project grants, donations from international partners, and institutional funding from organizations such as Brot für die Welt, BirdLife International, Hans Wilsdorf Foundation, and government partnerships.

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

CSSL delivers community-led environmental conservation services across Sierra Leone, including mangrove restoration in the Yawri Bay Marine Protected Area, community forest governance programs (such as the Gaya-yei Community Forest model), REDD+ program implementation at Gola Rainforest National Park, wildlife and endangered species protection, and environmental education campaigns reaching over 80,000 individuals across more than 50 communities. Its work combines field-based conservation action with national policy advocacy, including a catalytic role in the 2022 passage of the Customary Land Rights Act and the National Land Commission Act.

Product overview

CSSL operates as a single, unified conservation organization offering community-led environmental programs rather than a tech platform or modular product suite. The core offerings include mangrove conservation and restoration in Yawri Bay, community forest governance (including the Gaya-yei model), conservation education and awareness campaigns reaching 80,000+ individuals, REDD+ program implementation, wildlife and species protection, and documentary media content covering Sierra Leone's protected areas. These programs are integrated components of the NGO's mission to foster community stewardship of natural resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 80,000+ individuals reached through conservation awareness campaigns
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Brot für die Welt (Bread for the World)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational Christian development agency providing funding and support for CSSL's conservation and community development programs in Sierra Leone.
• BirdLife InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal partnership of nature conservation organizations, working with CSSL on bird conservation and broader biodiversity initiatives.
• Government of the Republic of Sierra LeonecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partnership for national conservation policy, protected area management, and environmental governance.
• Partenariat Régional Pour La Conservation De La Zone Cotière Marine (PRCM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partnership for coastal and marine conservation in West Africa, supporting CSSL's coastal ecosystem work.
• MaliasilisupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit organization supporting conservation organizations with organizational development and capacity building.
• The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK-based bird conservation charity partnering on biodiversity protection and conservation initiatives.
• Welthungerhilfe (WHH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman humanitarian organization partnering on the 'Oasis on the Coast' project for Yawri Bay Marine Protected Area conservation. Funded by BMZ for 3 years, supporting 2,880 participants in 8 communities.
• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in Sierra LeonecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUN agency collaborating on REDD+ sensitization, communications strategy development, and forest conservation initiatives.
• GOAL Sierra LeonesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational humanitarian organization through which CSSL received funding from Jersey Overseas Aid (JOA) for mangrove restoration projects.
• Gola Rainforest Conservation LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal organization managing Gola Rainforest National Park, working in partnership with CSSL on community engagement and conservation.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Conservation International: Global environmental organization working on biodiversity hotspots, REDD+, and community-led conservation in Africa. Comparable in operating model and conservation focus, with substantially larger funding and geographic reach.
• BirdLife International: Global partnership of nature conservation organizations and a core partner of CSSL for bird conservation and biodiversity initiatives. Comparable in its NGO membership/partnership model and conservation focus, though operating globally.
• African Wildlife Foundation (AWF): Africa-focused conservation NGO working on protected area management, wildlife protection, and community-based conservation. Comparable in geographic focus and community-led operating model, but with a broader continental span.
• Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS): Global conservation NGO with active West Africa programs focused on protected area management, wildlife protection, and community-based conservation. Comparable in mission and target landscapes, with greater scale and funding access.
• Wetlands International: Global NGO dedicated to wetland conservation and restoration, with relevant overlap on mangrove restoration and coastal ecosystem management. Comparable in mission focus but operates at a global scale.
• Fauna & Flora International (FFI): Global conservation NGO working in West Africa on species protection, habitat restoration, and community engagement. Operates at a much larger scale but shares the community-based conservation model and partnership structure with CSSL.
• Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB): UK-based bird conservation charity partnering directly with CSSL on biodiversity protection in Sierra Leone. Highly comparable partner model and conservation mission, though RSPB is a much larger, established organization.

Direct peers

• Environmental Foundation for Africa (EFA): Sierra Leone-based environmental NGO working on community-led conservation, reforestation, and biodiversity protection. Most directly comparable peer given shared geography, mission focus, and community-based operating model.
• Gola Rainforest Conservation Ltd: Local organization managing Gola Rainforest National Park in Sierra Leone, working in direct partnership with CSSL on community engagement and conservation. Most directly comparable functional peer for the Gola landscape work.

Others

• Welthungerhilfe (WHH): German humanitarian organization partnering with CSSL on the Yawri Bay MPA project. Comparable in international development model and Sierra Leone presence, but focused more on food security and disaster response than pure conservation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ConservationSocietySL
• Facebookfacebook.com/conservationsl
• Instagraminstagram.com/conservation.sl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/conservation-society-of-sierra-leone-cssl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Conservation Society of Sierra Leone (CSSL)