GOLA FOREST NATIONAL PARK (GFNP) MANAGEMENT PLAN GRAND CAPE MOUNT AND GBARPOLU COUNTIES LIBERIA July 2019 1 GFNP-MP-2019 Contents ABBREVIATIONS & ACRONYMS .................................................................................................................................... 8 Authorisation ............................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. 1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................................... 11 1.1. Site Description of the Gola Forest National Park ..................................................................................... 12 1.1.2. Area .......................................................................................................................................................... 12 1.1.3. Access ....................................................................................................................................................... 12 1.1.4. Administrative authority .......................................................................................................................... 12 1.2. Biophysical Description ................................................................................................................................... 13 1.2.1. Climate ..................................................................................................................................................... 13 1.2.2. Soils .......................................................................................................................................................... 13 1.2.4. Hydrology ................................................................................................................................................. 13 1.3. Socioeconomic Description ............................................................................................................................. 14 1.4. Biodiversity ...................................................................................................................................................... 14 1.4.1. Faunal overview ....................................................................................................................................... 14 1.4.2. Floral overview ........................................................................................................................................ 15 1.5. Key Values ....................................................................................................................................................... 15 1.6. Threats to the Park .......................................................................................................................................... 15 1.7. Vision ............................................................................................................................................................... 15 1.8. Goal and Objectives ........................................................................................................................................ 16 1.8.1. Goal .......................................................................................................................................................... 16 1.8.2. Specific objectives .................................................................................................................................... 16 1.8.3. Summary of Main Policies, Actions and Guidelines ................................................................................. 16 1.8.4. Purpose of the Plan .................................................................................................................................. 23 1.8.5. Period of validity of the Plan .................................................................................................................... 23 1.9. Guiding Principles ............................................................................................................................................ 23 1.9.1. Feasibility principles ................................................................................................................................. 24 1.9.2. Park management effectiveness .............................................................................................................. 24 1.9.3. Community engagement .......................................................................................................................... 24 1.9.4. Sustainable resource management and environmental responsibility .................................................. 25 1.9.5. Social inclusion ......................................................................................................................................... 25 1.9.6. Benefit sharing and livelihood improvement........................................................................................... 25 2.1. National Policy Instruments ............................................................................................................................ 25 2 GFNP-MP-2019 2.1.1. Constitution of Liberia .............................................................................................................................. 25 2.1.2. National Forest Reform Law .................................................................................................................... 25 2.1.3. National Forestry Policy and Implementation Strategy ........................................................................... 25 2.1.4. Community Rights Law ............................................................................................................................. 25 2.1.5. Expansion of the Protected Areas Network ............................................................................................. 25 2.1.6. Wildlife and Protected Area Management Law ....................................................................................... 26 2.2. International Agreements and Conventions ................................................................................................... 26 2.2.1. Convention on Biological Diversity .......................................................................................................... 26 2.2.2. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) ................. 26 2.2.3. Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of wild animals (CMS) ....................................... 26 2.2.4. International Plant Protection Convention .............................................................................................. 26 2.2.5. Ramsar Convention .................................................................................................................................. 26 2.3. Governance Context ....................................................................................................................................... 26 2.4. National Context ............................................................................................................................................. 27 2.4.1. Demography and ethnicity ....................................................................................................................... 27 2.4.2. Community engagement and involvement ............................................................................................. 27 2.4.3. Agricultural system .................................................................................................................................. 27 2.4.4. Institutional context ................................................................................................................................. 28 2.4.5. National-scale forest management support ............................................................................................ 28 2.5. International Significance................................................................................................................................ 28 2.5.1. The Liberia-Sierra Leone Transboundary Cooperation. ........................................................................... 28 2.5.2. An internationally recognized biodiversity hotspot ................................................................................. 28 2.6. The National Environmental Commission and Environmental Policy and Acts ............................................ 28 2.6.1. National Environmental Commission of Liberia (NECOLIB) ..................................................................... 28 2.6.2. Liberia’s National Biodiversity Strategy & Action Plan (NBSAP). ............................................................. 28 3. MANAGEMENT OF THE PARK ................................................................................................................................. 29 3.1. The Management Approach ........................................................................................................................... 29 3.1.1. Identification of key and genuine stakeholders ....................................................................................... 29 3.1.2. Consultation with communities ............................................................................................................... 29 3.1.3. Formulation