By: Geeplay Ezekiel Geeplay| Contributing Writer
Monrovia, Liberia |April 11, 2026 | The Tardra Youth Association has issued a statement expressing concern over the expired term of the Tartweh/Drapoh Forest Management Body, calling on the Forest Development Authority (FDA) to conduct elections for a new management team.
In a letter addressed to the FDA dated April 11, 226, the association’s leadership, signed by Secretary General Abigail Doe and President Freeman T. Toe, stated that the current management body’s term expired on December 18, 2025, rendering it illegitimate to continue managing the forest’s affairs.
The letter expresses disappointment that the FDA has not conducted elections, citing financial constraints, despite receiving budgetary allotments.
The association warns that failure to hold elections could lead to tensions and urges the FDA to communicate its challenges to the Tartweh/Drapoh Community for possible assistance.
“We as conscious citizens will do all within our reach to act meaningfully against any action that will serve as hindrance for the institution of new forest management team,” the letter states, giving the FDA seven days to respond.
The association has copied the Office of the County Superintendent, the Tartweh/Drapoh Community, the Forest Management Body, and the press, among others.
The Tartweh Authorized Community Forest is located in Sinoe County, Liberia. Communities in this region have been advocating for their rights to manage and conserve their forests, emphasizing that these forests are not just resources, but also their birthplace, source of food, medicine, and refuge.
In Liberia, community forests are managed by local communities with support from organizations like the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
These efforts aim to promote sustainable forest management, conserve biodiversity, and improve livelihoods.
However, Liberia’s forests face threats from deforestation, logging, and mining.
Initiatives like the Liberia Forest Media Watch, Community-Based Forestry and Protected Area Management project and the “Leh Go Green” project aim to address these challenges.
