When visiting the volcanic islands of São Tomé and Príncipe off the coast of West Africa, one is immediately struck by how unusual these tropical islands are. The steep, volcanic mountains seem to be swathed in impenetrable, story-book jungle. But, as ecologists know, first impressions can be deceiving.
When São Tomé and Príncipe were discovered by Portuguese navigators in 1470 the land was entirely covered by forest. In more than five centuries of human occupation, most of this native forest has disappeared. Indeed, most of the green one sees from the air today comes from shade plantations and degraded forests.
A Biodiversity Hotspot
The islands have been called the “African Galápagos,” in reference to the Pacific island archipelago famous for its high level of endemism. But, though they are nowhere near as famous as their South American counterpart, they win hands-down when it comes to unique biodiversity: São Tomé and Príncipe are home to more endemic species in an area that is eight times smaller than the Galápagos.
This is perhaps no surprise, as tropical forests are biodiversity hotspots that hold far more species than any other terrestrial biome. They also provide key ecosystem services like food, timber, and climate regulation.
But forests are being lost at an alarming rate. Between 1990 and 2015, 129 million hectares of forests were lost in the world—an area similar to that of South Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa itself registered some of the highest deforestation rates: up to 14 percent in the south and east, and 10 percent in central and west Africa.
