The Society for the Conservation of Nature of Liberia (SCNL) has officially launched the Restoring Coastal Resilience: Community-led Mangrove Conservation and Sustainable Livelihoods in South-East Liberia project, a major three-year initiative supported by Irish Aid, the Government of Ireland’s international development programme.
Launched at the Sinkor Palace Hotel in Congo Town, Monrovia, the project brings together SCNL, the Embassy of Ireland in Liberia, government institutions, civil society organizations, academia, conservation partners and members of the diplomatic community around a shared goal: strengthening the resilience of Liberia’s vulnerable coastal communities.
With €1.5 million in funding from Irish Aid, the initiative forms part of a total programme budget of approximately €1.97 million, including contributions from SCNL and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).
The project will be implemented from September 2026 to August 2029 in selected coastal communities in Sinoe and Maryland Counties, where coastal erosion and other environmental pressures are affecting ecosystems and livelihoods.
At the heart of the initiative is an ambitious target to restore 70 hectares of coastal ecosystems, including 50 hectares of mangroves and 20 hectares of coconut-based coastal buffers and livelihood planting. The restoration will prioritize protecting existing mangroves and supporting natural regeneration, with planting undertaken where technically appropriate.
Speaking at the launch, His Excellency Gerard Considine, Ambassador of Ireland to Liberia, emphasized that climate and development progress must reach the communities facing the greatest challenges.
“We recognize that the true measure of progress cannot be judged in the carbon alone. It must be measured in the places that are hardest to reach involving those coastal communities like Sinoe and Maryland Counties.”
Beyond ecosystem restoration, the project will invest directly in people. Approximately 3,500 beneficiaries are targeted, with a minimum of 40 percent women, representing at least 1,400 women. Priority groups include small-scale fishers, women fish processors and traders, youth, climate-vulnerable households and people living with disabilities.
The initiative will strengthen Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), sustainable fishing practices and climate-resilient enterprises. It will also support fishing equipment, efficient fish-drying technologies and a 20-foot solarized cold-storage unit to strengthen fisheries and reduce post-harvest losses.
Community governance will remain central, with stronger Community Management Associations, local rules, grievance mechanisms, environmental education and practical training.
Through the partnership between SCNL, Irish Aid, the Embassy of Ireland in Liberia, RSPB, government institutions and coastal communities, the project aims to create healthier ecosystems, stronger livelihoods and more resilient communities.
As implementation begins, the message is clear: restoring Liberia’s coast is about restoring nature while investing in the people who depend on it.
