BUCHANAN CITY, Grand Bassa County – The United States Forest Service (USFS) led a four-day joint law enforcement training for the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) and the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) to strengthen Liberia’s capacity to detect and disrupt illegal logging and transboundary timber trafficking. This project is part of a broader regional endeavor spanning Ghana and Senegal, generously funded by the US State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).
The training, held in Buchanan City from April 23 to 25, brought together senior FDA officials and customs officers from the LRA. The opening event was graced by representatives from the U.S. Embassy, Madam Gertrude W.K. Nyale, Deputy Managing Director for Commercial and Technical Services at the FDA, and senior advisors from the embassy.
Madam Nyale thanked the United States government for supporting capacity building in Liberia’s forestry sector, noting that governance frameworks established since 2003 have helped protect natural resources and increase national revenue. She urged customs officers to apply the training at borders and ports of entry to ensure a legal timber trade.
Mr. Stephen Kissik, Senior Police Advisor at the U.S. Embassy, and Mr. Gabriel Ryan Goanue, INL Program Assistant, attended the opening session. Mr. Kissik praised the strong turnout and described the training as part of a longstanding U.S. Government commitment to Liberia’s civilian, security, and justice institutions. He said the program aims to equip frontline officers, investigators, and regulators with the tools and interagency networks needed to identify and disrupt illegal timber trafficking before it causes widespread environmental and economic harm.
Mr. Kissik highlighted specialized tools introduced through the initiative, including an AI-based wood identification application designed to support investigations and strengthen law enforcement, and emphasized the importance of regulatory frameworks and robust chains-of-custody systems.
The USFS Liberia team, represented by Dr. Benedictus Freeman and Mr. Sayon Fofana, provided an overview of an AI-based wood identification tool called Xylorix Enforcer, an application developed to enhance timber identification and processing at critical checkpoints across the country. The FDA team, led by Technical Manager of Commercial Forestry Mr. Albert Blanyon, delivered sessions on timber law enforcement and operational procedures.
Other presenters and topics included Mr. Abenego Gbarway: CITES regulations and CITES-listed species in Liberia, Edward Appleton (FDA Law Enforcement Manager): Role of law enforcement officers in timber operations, Joseph Bowier, Mr. Abraham Sheriff, and Mr. Bill M. Tuweh: Chain of custody, scaling, volume calculation, LiberTrace, and container loading, Augustine Saah Korsor: Code of forest harvesting practice and environmental considerations, and Alexander Yougbah: Practical demonstrations on log verification, scaling, volume calculation, and reporting using TDF & LDF systems.
On the third day, FDA Managing Director Rudolph J. Merab, Sr., visited the training site in Buchanan. He commended the USFS for organizing the program, urged participants to take the training seriously, and reiterated the need to protect border posts and entry points from illegal timber trafficking. He also expressed gratitude to the U.S. government for its continued support of Liberia’s forestry sector.
During the conclusion of the training, a demonstration was performed at the Krish Veneer Industries log yard in Grand Bassa County by all participants. Participating in the practical aspects of the various logs on the log field.
