The Grebo National forest has an area of about 260,326 hectares and is home to numerous fauna species, some of which are listed as vulnerable and endangered on the IUCN Red List 2012. The forest host several species such as the West African Chimpanzee (Pantroglodytes verus), the forest elephant (Loxodonta africana cyclotis), the pygmy hippopotamus (Hippopotamus Hexaprotodon), the Jentink?s duiker (Cephalophus jentinki), the zebra duiker (Cephalophus zebra), the yellow-back duiker (Cephalophus silvicultor), the Liberian mongoose (Liberiictis Kuhni), the red colobus (Procolobus [piliocolobus] badius) and the Diana monkey (Cercopithecus diana). All of these species have been placed on the Liberia list of threatened and endangered species. However, the illegal hunting, consumption and trading of bushmeat are threatening their long-term survival. Mainly, hunting is carryout around and within protected areas and the rate of bushmeat hunting within this area including endangered species is estimated at around 1.2 million kg/year.

This project ?protecting endangered animals from illegal and unsustainable commercial bushmeat trade in communities within and surrounding the proposed grebo national park? responds to a socio-economic study of local populations around the proposed Grebo National Park in the southeast of Liberia. (Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, August 2013). The study focused on perceptions of forest conservation, diet and impact of environmental education in the region.

The long-term goal of this project is to reduce the illegal and unsustainable commercial bushmeat trade of endangered animal species in communities within and surrounding the Proposed Grebo National Park. This project aimed at increasing the capacity of the local communities by supporting their livelihoods and ability to have income to purchase external goods. The project targets local hunters, farmers, poachers and CBOs from ten (10) major villages within and surrounding the region. The project will involve local participation, which is at the core of its main goal. This project will develop educational conservation oriented materials related to Liberia?s endangered species, conduct community education and outreach programs. It will organize education workshops and train community members to monitor bushmeat trading specifically to identify vulnerable and endangered species and report cases. Moreover, the project will train the local farmers to initiate pilot alternative livelihood and source of protein projects ? vegetable growing, chicken production and livestock, fish farming and walnuts production for onward trading to urban markets. The project will also start-up a micro-loan scheme for market women and farmers in the region.

The project key objectives will include 1) to raise the level of awareness on the impact of endangered species hunting and trading in the area that will minimize the threats to vulnerable and endangered animal species in the region; 2) to engage local community leaders into dialogues for developing a community action plan favoring the conservation of endangered wildlife in the region; and 3) to build the capacity of local communities on sustainable alternative livelihoods, source of proteins and incomes.

The project key expected outcomes will include a) increase in the level of awareness and education amongst local communities thus reducing the level of threats to endangered species in the region; b) increase positive behavioral changes and approaches amongst local community members both men and women in the region; and c) improvement in the level of alternative source of proteins for local women within the surrounding communities in the region.

The performance period of this project is twelve (12) months, starting July 1, 2014. The project total budget is thirty-three thousand seven hundred thirty-five United States Dollars (USD 33,735.20). The total amount requested from SGP is twenty thousand United States Dollars (USD 20,000.00).

2. Organizational Background and Capacity
Liberia Endangered Species Association (LESA) is a local non-profit organization solely working to conserve and protect Liberia?s endangered fauna and flora species. The organization long-term aim is to recreate lost ecosystems by saving most of the nation?s rare species from extinction and restoring the local forest. The Coordinator of the LESA, Mr. John Kannah, founded the organization in 2011. The organization is registered as a charitable and community-based organization in Grand Gedeh County. LESA consist of a board of Advisors and four (4) permanent staff.
The organization will work in close consultation with the Forestry Development Authority (FDA), The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Wild Chimpanzee (WCF). During the life span of this project, these organizations will provide technical support to the project. The regional FDA and EPA inspectors will be a part of the consultative meetings with local leaders in the region. Currently, LESA is working in ten (10) communities within the region and will coordinate especially with other local organizations working in the region.

3. Project Objectives and Expected Results
Statement of need:
Liberia is among other countries considered as highest conservation priority area because it contains 42% of the remaining Upper Guinean Forest in the West African Region. The ecosystem of the Upper Guinean Forest is biologically rich and diverse, considered to be one of the world?s priority biodiversity conservation areas because its high degree of species endemism.

The Grebo National Forest is one of the six fragments of forest block left along the border of Cote d?Ivoire and Liberia. The forest is home to several fauna species, some of which are listed as vulnerable and endangered on the IUCN Red List 2012. Although apparently intact, the forest is threatened by mining, slash-and-burn agriculture and most notably unsustainable hunting. Today, hunting is considered to be the primary cause for the loss of biodiversity in the forest. The local people living in the area lack the basic knowledge about the importance of forest management and loss of biodiversity. They do not know about the impact this loss can inflate on human wellbeing. Further, the knowledge about protecting our nation?s endangered and rare species is low within the region. Local people tend to focus more on the present ? illegal and unsustainable commercial bushmeat trading. Also, the local government agencies responsible lack the full capacity to enforce wildlife laws and regulations within the region, thereby undermining the conservation of biodiversity in the region.