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Liberia: conservation in a new era

The Upper Guinean Ecosystem is a large expanse of West African rainforest. Stretching from western Togo to eastern Sierra Leone it is a major global conservation priority because of its high levels of endemism, species rarity - and the extreme and immediate threats facing its survival: only 10% of the original forest ecosystem is thought to survive today, the majority of which, roughly 40%, lies in Liberia.

Since 1997, Fauna & Flora International has made Liberia the central pillar of its West African programme. In 2001 we were the first international environmental group to establish an office in the country. We have played a significant role in supporting the National Transitional Government of Liberia and were responsible for preparing three landmark environmental laws.

The first expanded Sapo National Park, one of the least disturbed forest ecosystems in West Africa. The second created the Nimba Nature Reserve, the product of an unprecedented transboundary agreement between Guinea, Liberia and Côte d'Ivoire. The third law reformed Liberia’s National Forestry Law that was initially drafted to promote logging and was used to devastating effect during the latter years of Charles Taylor’s presidency. During this time rates logging and forest disturbance increased dramatically.

As Liberia recovers from 14 years of conflict, war-torn communities are slowly returning to their ancestral lands and Fauna & Flora International is helping them to secure sustainable livelihoods.

Today, Fauna & Flora International intervenes at two levels in Liberia. First we are establishing a sound management structure at Sapo National Park and empowering rural Liberians by establishing communal forests. Second, we are working at the national level to review and adapt forestry sector legislation to incorporate and balance community, conservation and commercial interests. National ownership and capacity building will be critically important issues for us to address.

The risk of regression to war in post-conflict countries is high when the government and the international community are not able to make strong efforts at key moments, and sustain them over time. Liberia is at a crucial stage in its development and it needs all the support it can get. Fauna & Flora International is committed to giving that support.