Conservation Agreements Help Minimize Loss of Critical Forests in Liberia

Farmers of the Zodua Clan Communities getting ready for the planting season in Liberia’s Garwula District, Grand Cape Mount County. ©PHOTO: Edward L. Massaquoi Jr.

Conservation Agreements (CAs) piloted by Conservation International-Liberia and partners to help minimize loss of high-conservation value forests and improve livelihoods of communities in North West Liberia are showing initial signs of success.

The CAs were negotiated and signed with the Kamga, Falie and Gohn communities of the Zodua Clan in Garwula District, Grand Cape Mount County in February this year under the Good Growth Partnership (GGP) that’s funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) provided through UNDP.

“We signed the agreements with three Zodua Clan Communities to help protect their 20,000-hectare community forest and surrounding forests in exchange for a package of benefits. It’s encouraging to note that the agreements are working well so far, and no significant violations have been reported,” said Edward L. Massaquoi, Jr., CI-Liberia’s GGP Project Manager.

“Independent evaluations of the effectiveness of the Conservation Agreements will eventually be conducted but our initial reviews on the ground show that they are largely working. We hope this positive trend will continue,” he added.

Under the CA, the communities committed to forgo a range of unsustainable activities within the Zodua forest and adjacent forests in exchange for a package of benefits from CI. The activities include logging, hunting, charcoal production, unsustainable farming and fishing. They also committed to help the Forest Development Authority (FDA) to control bushfires in the forests among other things.

In exchange, CI committed to train and employ community members as Frontline Conservationists (FCs) to strengthen forest patrols and protection as well as provide agricultural inputs and equipment, medical supplies, education scholarships and livestock to the communities as agreed during CA negotiations. CI also agreed to support the village saving loans association, pay volunteer teachers and fund renovations and equipping of the offices of the Zodua Land Management Committee.

Elementary and high school students in Garwula District receive 30 scholarships and learning materials from Conservation International in October 2019 as part the Conservation Agreement with the Falie Community of the Zodua Clan. ©PHOTO: Edward L. Massaquoi Jr.

The CAs, which are valid for an initial one year before renewal, were negotiated and signed after feasibility analyses to assess the viability of implementing pilot agreements to promote biodiversity conservation and sustainable forest management while improving livelihoods of the communities involved.

Rights-based Approaches (RBA) and the principle of Free, Prior, Informed Consent (FPIC) were applied during the design and negotiations of the CA.

Thirty-Five Frontline Conservationists (male and female) recruited from the Zodua Clan Communities and trained to help prevent illegal logging, charcoal burning, and hunting of protected species in their forests. They were employed as part of the Conservation Agreement. ©PHOTO: Edward L. Massaquoi Jr.

An assortment of medicines delivered by Conservation International to the Kanga community of the Zodua Clan in Garwula District, Grand Cape Mount in August 2019 as part of a Conservation Agreement. ©PHOTO: Edward L. Massaquoi Jr.