Liberia Environmental Threats and Opportunities Assessment (LETOA) FY 2009 Work Plan

The specific objectives of the ETOA are to identify key environmental threats and their causes across ecosystems, examine interactions between ecosystems, and provide educational tools, maps, and training sessions to inform Mission staff, the Government of Liberia, and others on present data on Liberia's environmental issues. The FY 2009 work plan expands on results from the FY 2008 work plan, including the completion of the State of the Environment Report and FAA Sections 118/119 assessments, as well as groundwork on environmental data collection and monitoring. The work plan was developed in collaboration with USAID/Liberia and key Government of Liberia partners, including the Forestry Development Authority (FDA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS). The FY 2009 work plan includes three main sections: a narrative description of the work plan organized by task and activity, a Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP), and project administration, including estimated funding requirements for the work year. The work plan aims to provide a systematic approach to spatial data development, integration, and dissemination, promoting coordination between actors and integration of geospatial information related to environmental issues. Key stakeholder consultations have already been held with the Government of Liberia, USAID-supported projects, and other donors, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The ETOA team will meet with key GOL spatial data stakeholders and data base developers to discuss the implementation of a Liberia Geospatial Data Committee (LGDC) and a systematic approach to spatial data development, integration, and dissemination. The FY 2009 work plan includes several key tasks and activities, including the presentation of ETOA results to various stakeholders, the preparation and distribution of a reference CD, and the development of a work plan for Geographic Information Systems (GIS) capacity building. The work plan also includes the development of a series of workshops on mapping and decision making and the use of metadata. The ETOA team will provide support to a Liberian spatial data infrastructure (SDI) that will enable standardized spatial data creation, data documentation, and sharing across Ministries, the private sector, academia, and non-governmental institutions. The SDI will promote integration of geospatial information related to environmental issues with the tropical forests and biodiversity objectives associated with the Mission's rural development activities. The FY 2009 work plan aims to provide a comprehensive approach to environmental data collection, monitoring, and adaptive management, promoting coordination between actors and integration of geospatial information related to environmental issues. The work plan will enable the ETOA team to provide the necessary tools and information to facilitate Mission planning and decision making in the environment sector.