USAID Funding Cut Leaves Liberia Eco‑Guards Unpaid
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- USAID was dismantled by the Trump administration and its funding for the Society for the Conservation of Nature of Liberia was abruptly suspended in late January 2025.
- Eco‑guards—a corps of up to 80 community members—patrol Liberia’s forests for illegal logging and mining, earning salaries that fund children’s education and home building.
- Michael E Taire, SCNL programme manager, travelled rough forest roads to inform the eco‑guards of the funding cut, and they expressed shock and fear of returning to illegal hunting.
- USAID historically financed global biodiversity protection, including the Parks in Peril program (1990‑2007), Congo‑basin forest conservation, and partnerships with the Jane Goodall Institute.
- Endangered Wildlife Trust in South Africa lost about $1.2 million for rhino‑poaching and vulture‑monitoring projects after U.S. conservation grants were halted.
- USAID accounted for more than 2.5 % of Liberia’s gross national income in 2025, the highest share of any country worldwide.
Why it matters: Liberia’s eco‑guards and park rangers lose their pay, forcing some to revert to illegal hunting, while global conservation NGOs face program shutdowns and funding gaps; the US administration saves money but sacrifices critical biodiversity protection and community livelihoods.
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