Monrovia – A two-day high-level forum on forest and climate resilience is scheduled to take place at the Ministerial Complex in Congo Town in Monrovia from February 2–3, 2023, with assistance from the government of Liberia, the Kingdom of Norway, and the World Bank.
Saah David, the national coordinator of the REDD Implementation Unit at the Forest Development Authority, revealed that the goal of this forum is to re-energize partnerships and strengthen commitments to sustainable forest management as a critical tactic supporting President George Weah’s pro-poor agenda.
At a news conference, Mr. David emphasized that because Liberia’s forest is focused on reducing climate change, its significance to economic development cannot be overstated. He claims that with over one-third of Liberians residing in forested areas, the country’s forest sector provides a substantial source of livelihood for rural Liberians.
He noted that Liberia’s forest makes up 43% of the surviving upper Guinea forest in West Africa, indicating that the nation has a hotspot for biodiversity on a worldwide scale. As of 2019, it encompassed over 69 percent of the country’s land area.
The forum will acknowledge the importance of forests in generating income, sustaining livelihoods, and mitigating and adapting to climate change, according to the FDA Implement Unit Coordinator. David stated that the event would also identify and evaluate future requirements, past experiences, and significant prospects to develop Liberia’s carbon market structure and investment.
Michael Saah, the Manager of Communication at the World Bank-Liberia, also spoke at the forum and stated that it is certain that discussions on sustainable forest management will focus on lessons learned from other nations, particularly those in the Mino River Union basin and West Africa.
“Due to the fact that Liberia is not an island, we must consider how the climate is changing, which is why we have decided to increase forest cover and climate resilience. Climate change has had a significant impact on us in Liberia, as evidenced by the erosion at Hotel Africa, the Township of West Point, the Borough of New Kru Town on Bushrod Island, and some areas of Buchanan in Grand Bassa County. You have all probably also heard about the severe flooding that occurs whenever it rains heavily. We will finally provide the next steps to prevent climate change by integrating forest management with the lifestyles of the forest people by emphasizing the value of protected forest areas to them.”
The Sarpo National Park, the Gola Forest, the East Nimba Forest, and the Lake Piso Multiple Reserved are currently the only protected forests in Liberia. Feasibility studies for the Krahn-Bassa proposed protected area, the Kpor, the Cesstor Sanquan, the Foyiah, and the Grand Kru-Rivergee Forest have been completed. Given this context, all farmers, miners, and hunters have been formed into cooperatives in order to cooperate and defend the protected forests from any intruders.
Reported by: Augustine Octavius
Contact: +231777463963
Email: augustineoctavius@gmail.com
