Monrovia – The Forestry Development Authority (FDA) and its collaborating partners have successfully concluded three regional stakeholders consultation meetings aimed at updating the 2006 Forest Policy.
The consultations, which commenced on November 30 – Dec 8, 2023, took place in three regional capitals (Tubmanburg, Ganta and Grand Bassa). Basically, the consultations engaged relevant local institutions/organizations aimed at gathering inputs from major stakeholders in the forestry sector for the purpose of updating the national forest policy.
The consultation covered a wide range of stakeholders including community representatives, the private sector, political actors, civil society, women’s groups, forest sector working group across the 15 counties and bilateral partners.
Organized by the FDA with support
from the UNDP through the Climate Change promise 2.0 and USAID-Conservation Works Activity and FAO, the regional consultations also included FDA’s closest allies including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
This review and update was premised on previous studies FAO had undertaken through a SIDA-funded Sub-regional project in ECOWAS states aimed at Strengthening the Forestry Legal Framework.
The exercises also took into account “transboundary Challenges and Deforestation Trends in the Upper Guinea Rainforest Ecosystem; and a Legal Gap Assessment on Carbon Rights and Benefit Sharing in the Context of REDD+ in Liberia,” undertaken by FAO and FDA, with funding from the World Bank.
The update of Liberia National Forest Policy and Implementation Strategy has been identified as an activity that draws from the output of the programme on inclusive policy, strategies, plans, and climate-resilient frameworks.
The reform of Liberia’s forest sector in 2005 resulted in the enactment of the Forest Reform Law and the development of a National Forest Policy and Implementation Strategy that identified three pillars (Commercial Forestry, Conservation Forestry, and Community Forestry) for achieving sustainable forest management.
The Policy implementation began in 2006, with an expected review in 2016. However, there hasn’t been a policy revision since it was adopted in 2006. Given the changing parameters and interests in forest management both nationally and internationally, it is imperative that current forest management issues like climate change, forest carbon management etc. are incorporated in an updated National Forest Policy.
The National Legal Consultant hired by UNDP, Attorney Al-Varney Rogers, provided an overview and outlined the objectives of the consultation. Atty. Rogers explained that the primary purpose of the consultation is to engage key stakeholders in the process of updating 2006 forest policy adding that the update is deemed necessary after seventeen years to incorporate new processes and procedures for managing Liberia’s forest resources and to identify current issues in forest governance.
A representative from the UNDP, Spencer Salime, said the consultations marked a significant milestone in Liberia’s forest sector, as many world leaders had gathered in Dubai to discuss the planet in light of climate change concerns.
Salime added that Climate change has emerged as a global challenge that affects all of us, including Liberians.
“We frequently wonder why specific weather patterns are occurring, and this is most likely linked to our resource and environmental management practices.” Salime added.
Salime noted that the challenges we face today can be attributed to our conservation practices, such as tree cutting, animal hunting, and other activities that contribute to climate change and our vulnerability.
“There are ways to mitigate the current environmental challenges we face, such as developing strong policies for managing our forests and other natural resources,” Salime said.