Liberia Relaunches €4.7M Taï-Grebo-Krahn Conservation Project

MONROVIA — After nearly seven years of suspension, Liberia has relaunched the Taï-Grebo-Krahn Complex Biodiversity Protection Project, a €4.7 million initiative aimed at strengthening the protection of the Grebo-Krahn National Park, improving livelihoods in surrounding communities and enhancing cross-border conservation along the Cavalla River. By Patience M. Jones, [emailprotected] The project, funded by Germany through KfW Development Bank and implemented by the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) in collaboration with the Wild Chimpanzee Foundation (WCF) and local communities, was officially relaunched Thursday at the Royal Grand Hotel in Sinkor, Monrovia. The project, which was initially valued at €6 million, was launched in 2017 but was suspended in July 2019 following delays in implementation and the failure to meet several financial and administrative conditions required by KfW. Following discussions between the FDA and KfW after the assumption of office of FDA Managing Director Hon. Rudolph J. Merab, Sr. in February 2024, the project was restructured and its budget reduced to €4,718,065.74. Under the revised arrangement, the project will focus exclusively on the Grebo-Krahn National Park (GKNP). The original plan to include the Sapo National Park and establish an ecological corridor between the two parks has been removed because of the reduced funding. The three-year project is scheduled to run from July 2026 to June 2029. FDA: Conservation Must Benefit Local Communities Speaking at the launch, FDA Managing Director Rudolph J. Merab said the success of conservation efforts depends heavily on whether surrounding communities see tangible benefits from protected forests. Merab said Liberia must rethink how its forest resources are managed so that conservation can coexist with sustainable economic opportunities for communities. His central message was that conservation should not be separated from the needs of people living around protected areas. “What I am going to bring, whether conservation or commercial, must impact the lives of our people. And if it doesn’t, then we have a problem,” Merab said. He called for the project to create meaningful benefits for communities while maintaining the protection of Liberia’s forests. According to Merab, activities around protected forests can create jobs, generate income and contribute to rural economic development, while resources generated through responsible forest utilization can also support conservation. He urged stakeholders to ensure that the project produces visible and sustainable results for communities. Project Targets Infrastructure, Rangers and Law Enforcement Under the redesigned project, the FDA plans to improve infrastructure and equipment for the protection and management of Grebo-Krahn National Park. The project includes the construction or rehabilitation of ranger posts, headquarters, park warden offices and other facilities, as well as improvements to water and solar power systems. Infrastructure will be developed in areas including Ziah Town, Tempo, Freetown, Glayway and Youbor. A dock post will also be constructed to support boat-based monitoring along the Cavalla River. The project will further provide equipment such as motorbikes, boats and high-beam lights to strengthen surveillance and law enforcement. By May 2029, the project is expected to support the employment of 33 regularly employed rangers for the protection of the Grebo-Krahn National Park. It will also support ranger training, community forestry, livelihood programs, small-scale community infrastructure development, road maintenance, community engagement, research and buffer-zone activities. The project document states that wildlife populations of selected indicator species are expected to increase or remain stable by early 2029. Dr. Annika Hillers, Country Director of the Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, welcomed the relaunch, describing Grebo-Krahn National Park as an important part of the Taï-Greb