Managing Director, Forest Development Authority, FDA, is possionate about the presevation of Liberia’s forests for national development. This strategy has not only beefed up the national economy, but has also attracted foreign institutions and commercial entities into Liberia’s forest industry
By: F. Shelton Gonkerwon, Staff Writer
The Liberian Forest proudly stands at the vertex of the Liberian economy given its richness and high biodiversity level. Accordingly, and with all undeniable proofs Liberia remains proudly measured in the eyes of both regional and international communities as conservation hotspot. Practically, the greeness of the country as judged by its remaining forest could be doubtlessly identified far and near. It can therefore be safely described as golden heritage and a precious gift from God, a gift that SHOULD and MUST be preserved, reserved and protected at all times.
Certainly, nothing is more compelling as regards practicalizing the national policy of conservation other than protecting the life of the forest and the animals living there so that it can ever-so- long remain as an unhindered habitat of wildelife. Very firmly, the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) which legally oversees the sustainable management of the forest has and continues to conservationally wrap its hands around the remaining portion of the nation’s forest thereby making it to continue being a peaceful sanctuary for the animals.
The FDA Managing Director Hon. C. Mike Doryen leads a dream team including Hon. Benjimen Plewon and Hon. Joseph J. Tally thereby ensuring that this ‘golden’ heritage is protected at all times. Very consistently this team has and continues to remain firm and undaunted in the fight against illegal minners and poachers by using the dagger of the law govering the forest sector. Speaking recently at the program marking the unveiling of the five-year strategic plan of the Forestry Training Institute (FTI) in Tubmanburg, Bomi County, Hon. Doryen wholeheartedly extended to the conversation partners, President Weah’s best wishes and encouraged them to keep the spirit and passion of protecting our forest and all of its constituent elements flaming.
He also thanked the visiting Helix delegation for opening a salient chapter that promises to add a true dynamism to the FTI. Mr. Doryen hoped that in the sooner possible time and given the concerted efforts being explored behind the scene, the FTI will be an associate degree granting institution. In his own words, “ We are delighted that this place is being steadily restored from the debris of war as you can see the marked renovations of those delapidated buildings. We can now visibly measure the light of progress and we say hats off to the US Forest Service and the USAID families for their unrelenting supports which have elevated the face of this institution thus far.”
A five-year year strategic plan which basically aims to rejuvenate or refubish the Forestry Training Institute (FTI) and purge it from the debris of underdevelopment was officially unveiled to the public in Tubmanburg, Bomi County on December 22, 2022 during an elaborate program graced by several conservation partners including the visiting Helix Project Team. The primary objective of USAID education programming is to strengthen partner countries’ capacity to achieve sustainable, quality learning environment.
The strategic plan basically mirrors the envisioned FTI in terms of insfrastrutural , staff capacity building as well as an appreciable standard of the institution comparable to other institutions in the developing world. Essentially, the plan presents the previous condition of the FTI before, during and after the war and the challenges it’s currently faced with that need to be addressed to ensure its growth and development, one which will suit the dream of the government of Liberia whose philosophy for the conservation and protection of the forest remains unbent or candid.
As the consequence of the collaborative efforts of the US Forest Service and the USAID, the plan is certainly a tool that promises to give FTI a realistic and practical growth, one that will certainly make it a booming institution in Liberia, if not the subregion as a whole. Thus the FDA is delighted in such development and hopes the trend continues. Likewise other parts of Liberia, FTI was brought down to its knee as the result of the 15 -year dreadful Liberian civil. Its image as well as existence got erroded during the dark period and has remained at a doldrum point so that it continues to struggle to get away from the debris and ashes of the war.
Like any tree whose strength depends on the roots that keep it glued to the soil, the FDA collaborates with a number of conservation partners who are competitively working for the common good of the country as far as government’s conservation dream is concerned. The Elephant Research Conservation (ELRECO) is one of such partners that’s progressively enhancing wildlife protection, especially the elephants. ELRECO’s fresh data shows that Liberia contains approximately 50% of the remaining intact West African rainforest and about half of the remaining forest elephants live here. Thus, Liberia offers one of the best chances of survival for the animals. But even here, the threat of poaching as well as conflicts with humans is omnipresent.
A nationwide survey of the status of forest elephants in Liberia’s only two remaining forest blocks has been defined as a priority action in the “National Action Plan for Elephants in Liberia.” It is also part of the long-term ELRECO forest elephant conservation project. The status survey in the northwestern forest block was conducted between December 2018 and January 2021. It included focus group interviews in villages with good knowledge of forest and wildlife, conducting field surveys to record footprints, dung heaps, feeding sites and elephant trails, and sampling dung for genetic analysis.
The survey found that the local forest elephant population is still intact and reproducing. Signs of forest elephants were found in young as well as old forests, swamps, clearings, riverine forests, and croplands, among others. Age and size class distributions are consistent with the natural population structure of a long-lived and slowly reproducing species.
Seven subpopulations are estimated to still live in the surveyed area, with a total estimated number of 350-450 elephants. Status surveys in the southern forest block are currently underway. While the two forest areas are not connected, it is considered proven that elephants can sometimes migrate hundreds of kilometers through farmland. Even populations that are far apart are able to communicate with each other via acoustic signals in the infrasound range. The critical factor for the survival and long-term conservation of forest elephants in Liberia depends on rapid implementation of conservation measures. Specifically, this means creating protected areas and safe migration routes, as well as raising awareness of the pachyderms’ plight among the local population.
The ELRECO team therefore organizes awareness-raising events in local communities to present the project and provide information on the basics and the need for nature and species conservation. Local community members, students, and Forestry Development Authority (FDA) staff are also offered training in field survey techniques, interview methodology, and forest elephant biology and ecology. Through this initiative, five Forest Development Agency rangers and two students have already received intensive training to conduct field surveys.
In addition, 69 local community members have participated in field surveys and learned valuable conservation and wildlife skills. Supporting local communities is so crucial because human-elephant conflict is a serious challenge in Liberia. Five of the eight communities surveyed reported conflict with elephants. Mitigating these conflicts is key to gaining the support and commitment of local communities to elephant conservation Similarly, at a recent meeting with the US Forest Service, Mr. Doryen recounted the numerous assistance from the US Forest team and gladly acknowledged its meaningful involvement in the protection and promotion of Liberia’s dreams to keep conservation initiatives booming.
He recommended the need for the media, civil society groups, security agencies amongst others to review the definition of what constitutes illegal logging in the wake of the new definition of the forest. Mr. Doryen however expressed regret that some media insitutions were bent on intentionally writing stories that have and continue to paint an ugly picture of the FDA simply because they don’t know the modus operandi of the FDA. He said the formation of the task force will render transparency as it relates to the sustainable management of the forest. While thanking the US Forest Service for its enormous support, Mr. Doryen noted that no sector ever develops in the absence of capacity building, something he stressed remains the goal of the FDA.
He continued, “FDA’S presence at all checkpoints will from now be increased to ensure that there’s no free ride for those who believe in illegal activities.” He said FDA considers providing some incentives to authorized Community Forest to include the provision of scholarships to students of those areas as a means to desuade them from commercial logging. Mr. Doryen concluded by pledging a sustained collaboration with all partners while at the same time underscoring the natural relavance of the forest adding, “The forest is our golden heritage.
Simultaneously, the FDA operates at three distinct levels under the Conservation, Commercial and Community forestry programs. The Forestry Development Authority is a state corporation established by an Act of the Legislature in 1976 with the mandate of ensuring the sustainable management and conservation of Liberia’s forest and related natural resources for the benefit of current and future generations.