Experience and Future of Community Forest Management Agreements Presented By: Saye Thompson...
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Transcript of Experience and Future of Community Forest Management Agreements Presented By: Saye Thompson...
Experience and Future of Community Forest Management
Agreements
Presented By: Saye Thompson
Chairman, Blei JCFMB/ENNR Co-Management Committee
Table of Content
• Community Participation in the ENNR• CFMAs in Northern Nimba• Opportunities/Experiences in CF Management• Unresolved Expectations• Perspectives for CF Future in Liberia
Views of Northern Nimba Forest
Community Participation in the ENNR
• 2007 - The East Nimba Nature Reserve (ENNR) became widely popular in Northern Nimba
• 2009/10 (Sept 18) – USAID-Liberia, through the LRCFP program, facilitated negotiations between the communities and FDA, resulting in the drafting and signing of a co-management arrangement for the ENNR
• 2010 – Demarcation of the ENNR, following improved communication between the government, conservation partners and the communities– Adjusted contested boundaries to accommodate closer
communities farm land in April 2010
Community Participation in the ENNR• Communities and FDA with support from partners
mutually implement the co-management agreement of the ENNR
• With support from AML, FFI worked with communities and FDA to draft the ENNR Management Plan – signed in 2014
• By laws and constitution for co-management committee is in place, in which the community serves as CHAIR
• Co-management committee consistently conduct outreach and awareness on the implementation of the management plan
CFMAs in Northern NimbaESTABLISHMENT• Three CFs established in Northern Nimba with support
from USAID – Blei, Gba and Zor– The Blei CF evolved as a result of joint claims over the Blei forest– The Gba, Sehyi and Zor communities formed a JCFMB to jointly
manage the CF through a special arrangement• All three CFs signed their CFMAs in Oct. 2011• Following the adoption of the CRL Regulation (2011), the
CF governance bodies were restructured in 2013, with support from USAID-PROSPER, to make them compliant with the Regulations
CFMAs in Northern NimbaCAPACITY BUILDING• Benefited from extensive and sustained training in forest
management, fiscal management and conflict management by USAID-PROSPER– These skills have supported community members to attract jobs
outside of the forest • Participate in continuous education and outreach
campaigns on CF issues– Include annual outreach campaigns and launching ceremonies in
Monrovia• Through Community Forest Guard system, monitor activity
in and around the forests
CFMAs in Northern NimbaIMPROVED COMMUNITY PROFILE• Developed a good rapport with the key private sector
partner in Northern Nimba – Acelor Mittal Liberia– Constructed the CFMB offices– Consistently support CFMB programs, including the Community
Forest Guard system – Consulted on community settlement issues– Compensated
• CF institutions feel well recognized by all partners – Participates in County development forums and activities– Become the reference point for community forestry in Liberia– Consulted by the GoL, donors, development partners, NGOs
CFMAs in Northern NimbaOPPORTUNITIES• Informal employment for CF community members • Increased community voice in decision making processes• Ability to negotiate as a result of working as a collective
governance institution– The Gba CF negotiated an MoU for the AML Tailing Management
Facility, resulting in $150,000 and rights to harvest remaining timer • Legitimate access high forest product through a forest
management plan– NTFPs harvesting– Potential for low impact small-scale timber enterprise
• Eco-tourism potential
CFMAs in Northern Nimba - The Future
• Support communities to identify practical livelihood options alongside conservation of CF resources– Explore Conservation Agreements
• Research and improve the potential for ecotourism in the CFs, including facilities and sites
• Identify and support practical and sustainable farming systems such as agroforestry
• GOL support to enforce regulations and CF rules to prevent encroachments