…sets up CFM Review Task Force

By Mark N. Mengonfia mmenginfia@gmail.com

MONROVIA-The management of the Forestry Development Authority (FDA)  is seeking all means to ensure that the forests are protected so that the country will benefit in the end result.

This is so because there have been some illegal occupants in some of the forest in the country. So, the management  has decided to embark on a rubout mission to preserve the forests by setting up a four member task force to review all forest agreement with communities.

Making the pronouncement at Press conference at the FDA head office, over the weekend, Mr.  C. Mike Doryen named Atty. Yabquoi Z. Dolo as chairperson, Mr. John McKay, Co. Chair, Atty. Gertrude Nyaley and Edward Mamara as members.

According to him, the mandate of the Committee  are  to carry on what he called a comprehensive review of the planning process of the third-party, manage Community Forest to ensure compliance and further enhance forest governance.

Manager Doryen said the review will closely look at the compliance of the level of planning and harvesting requirements of Community forests actors.

Over the past time, before the assumption  as head of the entity,  many of the forest were affected by some community dwellers and at times, some even enter the reserved ones. But he said,  his administration is working hard to ensure that these things are put under control  so that the country will benefit.

With the committee set up, the review process will capture all Community Forest management plans and auxiliary documents.

” The team will conduct an intensive field exercise to verify the level of compliance with the legal framework governing Community forestry in Liberia”  he said.

He furthered, “A comprehensive report detailing findings and recommendations for correction actions where necessary will be carried out as well.”

The FDA, said due to the urgency of the work, the team has been given  one hundred days which commenced from August 30,2021 to execute review process.

The 100 days review process is expected to start with a weeklong desk review before the team can conduct its first monitoring field visit.

As the review progresses, no new export permit from commercial Use Contracts will be processed, but the FDA boss said,” The Task Force will however process export permits that are already in the custody of the FDA only when desk review of the applicant communities and their respective contractors.”

The FDA boss indicated they are carrying out such process to provide an environment that both government and Communities will benefit from their Forest income.

Liberia has up to 43% of the remaining portion of the upper Guinea Tropical Rain Forest which constitutes large portion of forests in the region.

With this prospects, the FDA boss said they as management of Liberian forest, they have carried carried out reforms in the interest of the Communities.

Mr. C. Doryen said,” In addition, Communities have exercised their rights to forest resources that several means, including third party forests agreement.”

 

 

 

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