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Protected Area Management Plan Development - SAPO NATIONAL PARK

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Protected Area Management Plan Development - SAPO NATIONAL PARK Technical Assistance Report Protected Area Management Plan Development - SAPO NATIONAL PARK - Sapo National Park -Vision Statement By the year 2010, a fully restored biodiversity, and well-maintained, properly managed Sapo National Park, with increased public understanding and acceptance, and improved quality of life in communities surrounding the Park. A Cooperative Accomplishment of USDA Forest Service, Forestry Development Authority and Conservation International Steve Anderson and Dennis Gordon- USDA Forest Service May 29, 2005 to June 17, 2005 - 1 - USDA Forest Service, Forestry Development Authority and Conservation International Protected Area Development Management Plan Development Technical Assistance Report Steve Anderson and Dennis Gordon 17 June 2005 Goal Provide support to the FDA, CI and FFI to review and update the Sapo NP management plan, establish a management plan template, develop a program of activities for implementing the plan, and train FDA staff in developing future management plans. Summary Week 1 – Arrived in Monrovia on 29 May and met with Forestry Development Authority (FDA) staff and our two counterpart hosts, Theo Freeman and Morris Kamara, heads of the Wildlife Conservation and Protected Area Management and Protected Area Management respectively. We decided to concentrate on the immediate implementation needs for Sapo NP rather than a revision of existing management plan. The four of us, along with Tyler Christie of Conservation International (CI), worked in the CI office on the following topics: FDA Immediate Capacity Supply List and Budget for Sapo National Park Sapo National Park Property Inventory and Transfer Accountability Biodiversity and Forest Planning Workshop Presentation Sapo National Park Capacity Building 6-month Implementation Plan Sapo National Park Employee Organizational Structure Sapo National Park Staff Terms of References (Job Descriptions) On Friday 3 June 15, 2005 we conducted a 2 hour workshop on Biodiversity and Forest Planning, and introduced the 6-month Implementation Plan to about 12 FDA and CI employees including CI Country Director Alex Peal. Week 2 – Theo, Morris, Steve and Dennis continued to fine tune the Supply list, Implementation Plan, Terms of References (TOR), and Organizational Structure. We also worked on the following topics: Sapo National Park 6-18 Month Implementation Plan Sapo National Park Vision Statement Sapo National Park Desired Conditions Sapo National Park Trail System and Construction Standards Various Species Lists for Liberia and Sapo National Park in Word Document Format On Tuesday, Dennis, Steve and Morris were interviewed during a live 30 minute radio program on our purpose for assistance and the value of biodiversity for Liberia. On Thursday 9 June 2005 we boarded a UN helicopter flight to Greenville. That day we toured the city, the port (minor sawmill operation occurring from old decked logs), met with the County Superintendent - 2 - and had dialog with Alex Peal and Theo Freeman. From 10 – 13 June we toured the park offices, met with some local officials in Greenville, Putu-Jarwadee, Chebioh Town and Doodwicken, and worked with the Park staff, hosted by Chief Park Ranger Blama Gol, on implementation planning, capacity supplies, staff TORs and the park vision statement. We also met with the Ethiopian UNMIL Commander to coordinate our immediate travel needs. We stressed the importance of UNMIL support for success of mission to halt the illegal activities inside the park. We have to express our sincere thanks to Tyler Christie for his assistance in working with the UN staff to get flights and security for us as we traveled outside Monrovia for these six days! Week 3 – We continued our tour of the park offices and awareness discussions with local officials and park staff. Discussions included the need for people illegally living and working inside the park to leave the park voluntarily before the evacuation begins; resources inside the park need to be preserved for the people outside the park to receive some benefits; and funds for community projects are also being secured to assist in communities based on the presence and preservation of Sapo National Park. Morris Kamara and John Flomo led these discussions. We were joined one day with UN Civil Affairs advisor Erin McCandless. On all days UNMIL supplied 2-3 Ethiopian guards/interpreters and actively engaged in discussions with the park staff and community/Paramount Chiefs regarding the current situation and needs inside the park. We think the presence of UNMIL appeared to be a good link in not only showing the communities an UNMIL presence but also in conveying the local situation to the new Commander at Greenville. On 14 June we returned to Monrovia. During 15-16 June, Steve, Dennis, Theo and Morris prepared and reviewed the final documents to be presented to the FDA during our 17 June closeout meeting. We also debriefed Bob Simpson, the Forest Service representative to the Embassy, on our trip to the Sapo area. Final Documents: (Annex 1). Organizational Structure for Sapo National Park (Annex 2). 14 Terms of Reference (General Purpose and Main Tasks and Duties completed) for Sapo National Park Organizational Structure (Annex 3). Immediate Capacity Budget for Sapo National Park (Annex 4). Transfer of Property Inventory and Transfer Form for Sapo National Park Annex 5. Immediate Capacity (Six-Month) Implementation Plan for Sapo National Park Annex 6. Patrol Form for Sapo National Park Annex 7. Vision Statement for Sapo National Park Annex 8. Desired Conditions for Sapo National Park Annex 9. Biodiversity and Forest Planning Seminar for FDA Staff Additional Documents Completed or In Draft - 3 - Annex 10. Six-Month to 18-Month Implementation Plan for Sapo National Park Annex 11. Trail System and Construction Standards Word documents for information to place on a future website o Annex 12. Indicator Species List for Sapo National Park o Annex 13. Amphibians of Liberia List o Annex 14. CITES listed species for Liberia o Annex 15. Birds of Liberia List CD and Hard Copies of Liberian, Biodiversity and Planning Documents Collected Electronically Conclusion We like to thank our counterparts in FDA, Theo Freeman and Morris Kamara, and CI for their gracious hospitality and cooperation, and for their determination to get us to see the park and meet with the park staff. We believe our technical assistance was more effective by working closely with our assigned FDA counterparts and the products we worked on will be most appropriate once the illegal activities inside the park are addressed and laws and regulations enforced. Afterwards, the park and its outstanding resources should begin to recover. The site visit did bring to our attention the desire of the park staff to preserve the park and the needs for the community. It’s obvious that people management is the key for immediate reversal of the effects of the recent illegal activities within the park. The distances, road conditions, lack of transportation (public or FDA), and lack of communications hinder effective park management and enforcement, supervision of employees, communication with employees, and public awareness. The long-term successful park management is directly tied to continued and effective community awareness, community infrastructure improvement, and community livelihood development. It seems that FDA personnel could supervise many local people for trail clearance, demarcation clearance and maintenance, adjacent road maintenance projects in the immediate future, and be a leader in agro-forestry demonstration projects. Also, the park cannot function alone in the long term without the immediate multi-agency, multi-community and planning and cooperation for a well-coordinated forest land management effort that involves the public, other Liberian agencies, adjacent countries along with local and international NGOs. Recommendations Continue to provide FDA counterpart(s) for each technical assistance program, Have a very quick and successful community assistance/development project or program as soon as possible to show some immediate returns (make work projects). Start an agro-forestry or small domestic farm animal demonstration project at selected locations around Sapo N. P. Provide some community assistance in alternative protein sources. - 4 - Access is terrible and needs improvement; the Chief Park Ranger cannot adequately manage his staff or the park given the current road conditions Include protected area land designations as the country proceeds with the return of commercial timber harvest. Initiate a PA personnel training exchange program with international partners/governments such as the US Forest Service. Steve Anderson, Flathead National Forest, 1935 Third Avenue East, Kalispell, MT 59901 [email protected] Dennis Gordon, Colville National Forest, 255 W 11th, Kettle Falls, WA 99141 [email protected] - 5 - Annex 1. Organization Structure for Sapo National Park. - 6 - Annex 2. 14 Terms of Reference (General Purpose and Main Tasks and Duties completed) for Sapo National Park Organizational Structure Forestry Development Authority Division of Wildlife Conservation and Protected Area Management Terms of Reference and Scope of Work ________________________________________________________________________ Position: Chief Warden for Sapo National Park General Purpose: Is directly responsible for the planning, implementation and monitoring of all resource management programs; enforcement of FDA regulations, policies and
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