Monrovia – Conservation International and the Government of Liberia launched The Liberia Conservation Fund -Liberia’s first independent conservation fund to provide sustainable, long-term financing for the country’s protected areas.
Conservation International has committed $1million USD to the Fund via its Global Conservation Fund and the Government of Liberia has made a matching pledge to contribute to the Fund through the Liberia Forestry Development Authority
The Liberia Conservation Fund will direct funds from arrange of conservation finance sources and set up multiple endowments to support individual protected areas throughout the country. The Fund has already established an endowment for the East Nimba Nature Reserve, one of Liberia’s five existing protected areas.
“Sustainable finance mechanisms are essential to ensuring sustained protection of key reservoirs of nature across Africa. Conservation International is committed to working with governments, private sector, organized civil society and communities, to find innovative finance mechanisms that secure the nature Africa needs to thrive,” said Michael O’Brien-Onyeka, Conservation International Senior Vice President for Africa.
“Liberia’s protected areas are essential in maintaining the country’s rich biodiversity and eco systems and help mitigate global climate change,” said Jessica Donovan, Conservation International Liberia Country Director. “The establishment of the Liberia Conservation Fund means the country has a guaranteed source of funding for long-term conservation initiatives.”
“The Forestry Development Authority is committed to conserving at least 30 percent of Liberia’s forest in accordance withthe2006Forest Reform Law. Our relationship with Conservation International has led to the establishment of the Liberia Conservation Fund and is a testament to the Liberian government’s commitment to conserving Liberia’s vast natural resources for current and future generations,”said C. Mike Doryen, Managing Director of the Liberia Forestry Development Authority.
Conservation International’s work in Liberia spans nearly two decades and includes work in improved protected area management, incentive-based-community conservation, sustainable production, and national environmental policy support. Conservation International aims to demonstrate that we can achieve sustainable development in Liberia through an integrated landscape approach that seeks to balance nature conservation, production and economic development for Liberia’s people.
Conservation International uses science, policy and partnerships to protect the nature that people rely on for food, fresh water and livelihoods. Founded in 1987, Conservation International works in more than 30 countries on six continents to ensure a healthy, prosperous planet that supports us all. Learn more about Conservation International, the ground-breaking “Nature Is Speaking” campaign and its series of virtual reality projects: “My Africa”, “Under the Canopy” and “Valen’s Reef”. Follow Conservation International’s work onFacebook,Twitter,Instagram and YouTube.
Since2001, Conservation International’s Global Conservation Fund (GCF)has labored to ensure the permanent protection of natural areas most essential to human well-being through long-term financing solutions. Made possible by a grant from the Gordon &Betty Moore Foundation, the GCF has catalyzed more than US$340million for conservationinover35countries, supporting theconservationof15protected areas inover9countriesinAfrica.