Capacity building and community conservation pilot in Tewor district, Grand Cape mount county Liberia

The goal of the project is to support collaboration between FACE, NCRC, and the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) to enable 13 communities to establish a community forestry pilot project in the Lake Piso Multiple Use Nature Reserve by adapting the successful Community Protected Area model from Ghana. The project is important for Liberia because it will showcase the first tangible example of community conservation leading to reduced REDD. In addition to the expected conservation benefits, we will begin to alleviate poverty by using communal approaches to the management of natural resources, social and economic benefits will come to the project area. The implementation approach is an innovative and pragmatic approach to conservation which enables communities to be in control of the management of their natural resources. Successful implementation will result in the following expected results: Opportunities for income generation created through the establishment of NTFP processing sites for pilot species of known market potential. Opportunities for income generation created through the rehabilitation of existing agro-forestry canopy and the expansion of forest canopy through planting in degraded lands. Decision-making body established in Tewor District for the successful management of the community forestry initiative. Capacity of community forestry management group strengthened. Technical, financial and administrative skills of local implementing organization strengthened (i.e. FACE) District-wide environmental education program completed with particular emphasis on topics such as living with wildlife; NTFP awareness; and the use of environmentally friendly farming and agro-forestry practices. Behavioral ecology, population status and habitat use of faunal species of District mapped to inform intervention of bushmeat industry. Public awareness of the process and pilot in Tewor district developed