On January 28, 2021, the 1st regular meeting for Community Forest Working Group (CFWG)in 2021 was conducted at the Society for Conservation of Nature of Liberia office in Monrovia. Amongst the several agenda items for that day, the Normon and Tonglay clans Community Forest (CF) Status was discussed. SCNL under the GolaMA project has been working with these clans/communities to ensure their livelihood alternatives are provided in other to stop encroachment on the Gola Forest National Park (GFNP). This proposed Community Forest is around the Gola Forest National Park (GFNP) in Kongba District, Gbarpolu County, Liberia.
The Normon and Tonglay clans started their CF applications process since 2015, and they have completed step eight (8) out of the nine-step process under to the Community Rights Law (CRL 2009). The CFWG committee is currently reviewing the two clans CF files/documents to ensure due diligent was met during their past processes before the committee can approve the final stage/step of the two Community Forest Application process.