Head of Mission

Liberia / Côte d’Ivoire

May 2017 – June 2018

AHT, Germany

Head of Mission

Conservation of the biodiversity in the Tai-Grebo-Sapo complex

KfW

Intermittent short term missions. Two missions conducted May-June 2017 and May-June 2018..  The project concerns the establishment of biodiversity corridors to ensure ecological connectivity in the Taï-Grebo-Sapo complex, which consists of the Sapo National Park and Grebo Proposed Protected Area in Liberia, and Taï National Park in Côte d’Ivoire.  Responsible for identifying synergy and transboundary cooperation or coordination options, technical support to the long term project teams. Working  mainly on national level and engaging with the government project partners Forestry Development Authority (FDA) in Liberia, and the Direction de l’Ecologie et de la Protection de la Nature (DEPN) and the  Office Ivoirien des Parcs et Réserves  (OIPR) in Côte d’Ivoire. The Liberia part concerns the establishment of a corridor between Sapo NP and Grebo PPA, and improving management capacity of the Forestry Development Authority. The Côte d’Ivoire part concerns a feasibility study for one or more biodiversity corridors between Parc National de Taï (PNT) and the Cavally River that separates Liberia from Côte d’Ivoire; and if found feasible, the design of one or more corridors and drafting a corridor implementation plan.  Specific tasks included:

• Reviewing and editing the inception report for the Côte d’Ivoire module.
• Analysis of potential relations with and implications for corridor establishment of the triple status of Parc National, World Heritage Site, and Man and Biosphere Reserve of PNT in terms of location, management, financial aspects, and institutional options.
• Analysis of the implementation sequence of study steps in Côte d’Ivoire and identification of key decision moments to determine whether a biodiversity corridor would be feasible, based on key aspects of a/o remaining forest cover, social acceptance, and socioeconomic support measures.
• Drafting various technical guidelines, including a strategy for human-wildlife conflicts and concerning the application of social and environmental safeguards. These guidelines are part of the overall project strategy.
• Transboundary risk analysis.
• Preparation of spreadsheet based project monitoring tools.