Community Forest Governance in Liberia - An Overview of the Process
Apr 25, 2014
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US Forest Service
Washington, DC
The presentation will highlight the program called People, Rules and Organizations Supporting the Protection of Ecosystem Resources experience” which supports the establishment of community forests in Liberia. The program builds on USAID’s previous investments in the forestry and agricultural sectors, particularly the Land Rights and Community Forestry Program (2007-2011) and the Liberia Forestry Support Program (2011-2012). In May 2012, USAID contracted Tetra Tech to implement this new, five-year program. The overall goal of People, Rules and Organizations Supporting the Protection of Ecosystem Resources is to introduce, operationalize, and refine appropriate models for community management of forest resources for local self-governance and enterprise development in targeted areas of the country. The three primary objectives of the program are:
1) Expand educational and institutional capacity to improve environmental awareness, natural resource management, biodiversity conservation, and environmental compliance;
2) Improve community-based forest management leading to more sustainable practices and reduced threats to biodiversity in target areas; and
3) Enhance community-based livelihoods derived from sustainable forest-based and agriculture-based enterprises in target areas.
To implement People, Rules and Organizations Supporting the Protection of Ecosystem Resources, Tetra Tech leads a consortium composed of Liberian and international partners with distinct skill sets and extensive experience in Liberia. Working with and through stakeholder partners (including educational institutions, government agencies, civil society organizations, private sector partners, community-based organizations, communities, and other donor programs), at all levels of implementation (i.e., national, landscape, and community), People, Rules and Organizations Supporting the Protection of Ecosystem Resources is designed to improve human, legal, regulatory and institutional capacities in environmental awareness and wise stewardship of natural resources with the aim of extending community-based forest management as well as community-based forestry and agricultural enterprise development throughout Liberia.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Dominic Dormenla Nanda Kweme is People, Rules and Organizations Supporting the Protection of Ecosystem Resources Organizational Development & Governance Advisor, working for the Center for Justice and Peace Studies, a Liberian non-profit and People, Rules and Organizations Supporting the Protection of Ecosystem Resources partner. He currently advises and leads the organizational development, governance and conflict management aspects of the program. He has worked for more than six years in the natural resources governance, first with Tetra Tech ARD’s Land Rights and Community Forestry Program (2007-2011) and now with People, Rules and Organizations Supporting the Protection of Ecosystem Resources (since 2012). He has supported the development and organization of community forestry governance institutions in 12 sites in Liberia and led conflict management and leadership initiatives for both of these USAID-funded community forestry programs. His work involves facilitating stakeholder dialogues and gathering and linking communities to national level stakeholders to support community rights. At the Center for Justice and Peace Studies prior to his work on USAID-funded programs, he supported the amalgamation of youth groups into an umbrella organization, gaining recognition and space for their views and aspirations and attracting the attention of elected leaders.
Dominic holds a BA degree in Sociology and Management from the University of Liberia and has studied community forestry, land tenure and natural resource management and governance in Liberia and Nigeria. He has received short and long term training in conflict management, leadership and youth development, advanced participatory methodology, mental health and behavior change, forest management, and land tenure in Liberia and the Republic of Sierra Leone.
Please R.S.V.P. to Pari Henkai 202-644-4587 or phenkai@fs.fed.us
For more information on US Forest Service International Programs, please visit http://www.fs.fed.us/global/.