The Forestry Development Authority (FDA), in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Webb Essentials, has made a significant stride in modernizing forest governance in Liberia.
Through the Joint Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM) Project, funded by Sweden, a new cloud-based digital solution has been launched to enable real-time forest monitoring across the country.
From August 12–13, 2025, eleven FDA staff participated in a two-day Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop aimed at building national capacity for scaling the system.
These trained officers will now pass on their expertise to frontline forest rangers, the first line of defense in safeguarding Liberia’s rich biodiversity, who will serve as the primary data collectors in the field.
Key Features of the Digital Monitoring System include the mobile application, which allows rangers to report incidents instantly using geolocation tagging, photo documentation, voice recordings, and text input, and the Web Dashboard that aggregates and validates incoming data, offering advanced analytics to identify trends, generate reports, and support evidence-based decision-making.
After the training, Ms. Weedor H. Gray, Technical Manager of FDA’s Community Forestry Department, hailed the event as a transformative milestone and a turning point for forest management in Liberia.
“This technology will revolutionize how we monitor and respond to threats in our forests. With faster and more accurate reporting, we can act swiftly to protect our resources and ensure transparency in forest governance,” Gray noted.
CBFM Programme Manager Robert Senkungu echoed the sentiment, highlighting the broader impact of digital innovation.
“Harnessing technology for environmental management is no longer optional, but essential. This advancement not only strengthens forest protection but also empowers communities and fosters a more accountable and resilient forestry sector,” Senkungu emphasized.
By enabling real-time, data-driven responses to forest degradation, the new system enhances transparency, improves the accuracy and timeliness of environmental reporting, reinforces Liberia’s commitment to sustainable forest management, and drives sustainable forest management.
The Joint CBFM Project remains aligned with both national and global climate action goals, advancing biodiversity conservation, community empowerment, and the fight against climate change.
