Monrovia – Several international conservationist have alarmed over a proposed plan by the Forestry development Authority (FDA) to develop a regulation to allow for forest destruction or conversion for oil palm and/or rubber plantations.

In a communication dated June 30, 2016 address to Mr. Harrison Karnwea, Managing Director of the FDA, a number of international individuals working on forest related issues expressed that the plan by the FDA contradicts the government’s pledge to work with the international community to reduce deforestation and forest degradation.

“We are, however, deeply concerned that the FDA plans to develop a regulation to allow for forest destruction or conversion for oil palm and/or rubber plantations. We note that this does not only contradict the government’s pledge to work with the international community to reduce deforestation and forest degradation, and the restoration of degraded landscapes, it places the future of one of the most viable tract of rainforest in West Africa in danger”, stated the communication signed by 50 individuals from different countries.

The conservationists stated in the letter that they are expressing support to the Sustainable Development Institute (SDI) Liberia and are also calling on the Government of Liberia to abandon the plan to legalize forest destruction by removing the current restriction on the export of timber from forest conversion.

Stated the communication “With this letter, we express support for the Sustainable Development Institute’s (SDI) call on the government of Liberia to abandon its plan to legalize forest destruction by removing the current restriction on the export of timber from forest conversion”.

The conservationists express that the Government of Liberia endorsed the New York Declaration on Forrest in 2014 and also signed a Partnership agreement with the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway and should therefore maintain commitments under these agreements.

“We note the Government of Liberia’s endorsement of the New York Declaration on Forest in 2014;Liberia’s Voluntary Partnership Agreement with the European Union; and its partnership with the Kingdom of Norway, and we encourage the government to follow through on its commitments under these initiatives”, added the letter.

The conservationists expressed support to the FDA for its decision to deny Golden Veroleum Liberia request for permit to allow logging for export in its Concession area.

“We are pleased that the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) of the Republic of Liberia denied Golden Veroleum Liberia’s request for a permit to allow logging for export in its Concession Area”, they noted. They continued “We congratulate the FDA for this decision and encourage the authority to continue its efforts to manage Liberia’s forest in a sustainable manner”.

Some of those who signed the communication are Leng Ouch, Cambodia, Luis Jorge Rivera-Herrera, Puerto Rico, Howard Wood, Scotland, Europe 2015, Jean Wiener, Haiti, Island & Island Nations, Ramesh Agrawal, India and Desmond Mathew D’Sa, South Africa, Africa.

In September 2014, Liberia reached a deal with Norway where the country was expected to become the first African country to completely stop cutting down its trees in return for development aid. As per the agreement Norway will pay $150 m to Liberia for the country stop deforestation by 2020.

Liberia’s forests are not as big as other countries but the country is home to a significant part of West Africa’s remaining rainforest, with 43% of the Upper Guinea forest.

Managing Director of the Forestry Development Authority after Liberia reached the deal with Norway said the agreement is not against legal logging activities in the country.

Karnwea told FrontPageAfrica at time of the pronouncement of the Norway deal that the agreement is intended to protect the Liberian forest against illegal logging activities, but under the terms of the agreement logs from legal sources with logging companies in compliance with laws will be permitted for export.

Said Managing Director Karnwea: “The VPA, Volunteer Partnership Agreement, we signed with the European Union says that logs coming from Liberia must come from legal sources, legal source, meaning that company is complying with everything under the law, so it says we must review it. “

He also said “”If the gravity of the non -compliance is grave well the appropriate steps will be taken also, because Liberia cannot be seen as doing different from what they have signed up to with the European Union”.

Liberia’s forest has been a subject of abuse of years with dozens of logging companies operating in the country during crisis years.

London – (Global Witness) In a move critical for the future of Liberia’s forests, Liberia and the World Bank have now published their plan for spending US$37.5 million to reduce deforestation within the country. (1) The plan, which uses money promised in 2014 by Norway to save Liberia’s forests, includes much needed support for communities who want to manage their forests.

“Liberia has made good on key promises in its 2014 agreement with Norway to protect rainforests, committing support to upwards of 75,000 Liberians so they can manage forests covering 6,000 km2.

By helping communities plan and develop governance systems, providing information on different economic uses of forests, and supporting NGOs that work with communities, the Liberian government and the World Bank have outlined a plan that may help Liberians benefit from their forests.” – Alice Harrison, Global Witness Communications Adviser.

However, if Liberia is to successfully turn the page on a history of destructive logging it must also make good on pledges to investigate illegal contracts and ensure communities’ right to free, prior, and informed consent is respected.

Liberia contains some of West Africa’s best remaining rainforest and an estimated half of the country’s population is dependent upon forests for their livelihoods. The country has a history of forest mismanagement, including trade in conflict timber and widespread illegal logging.

However, in recent years Liberia’s government has striven to reinstate the rule of law, prosecuting former officials who have broken the law and cancelling some illegal contracts. Particularly promising, in 2014 Liberia and Norway signed a US$150 million deal designed to switch Liberia from logging to community forestry and conservation.

“Liberia has made good on key promises in its 2014 agreement with Norway to protect rainforests, committing support to upwards of 75,000 Liberians so they can manage forests covering 6,000 km2,” said Alice Harrison, Global Witness Communications Adviser. “

By helping communities plan and develop governance systems, providing information on different economic uses of forests, and supporting NGOs that work with communities, the Liberian government and the World Bank have outlined a plan that may help Liberians benefit from their forests.”

The timing of the plan, contained in a World Bank Project Assessment Document (PAD), could not be better.

In October 2015, the Liberian government hosted a conference in partnership with Global Witness, Rights and Resources International, and the NGO Coalition of Liberia. (3) At the conference, titled Rethinking Liberia’s Forests, participants called for support to communities wishing to manage their forests, including data on how they should sustainably manage resources.

Reforms of Liberia’s forest sector cannot succeed, however, if they do not also tackle illegal logging.  The failure to address illegalities in the sector has undermined the effectiveness of Liberian and donor reform programmes since the end of the country’s civil war in 2003.

The 2014 Liberia-Norway agreement recognized this need, and included pledges by Liberia to conduct an independent investigation into potential illegal contracts, and cancel those it found to be breaking the law.

Unfortunately this investigation is missing from the World Bank plan, and appears to have been replaced by a commitment that existing contracts will be reviewed only if new contracts are to be assigned.

“Liberia’s promise to investigate remaining illegal logging contracts served as a cornerstone of its agreement with Norway,” said Harrison.

“Nearly ten percent of the country is still covered by logging concessions, many of which were awarded illegally and are held by companies who have failed to pay their taxes.

In May, the government took steps to address some of this illegality by halting the operation in one concession, but there is a great deal left to do.

If Liberia is to successfully conserve its forests and if communities are to manage their forests free from illegal loggers, it is crucial that the government maintain its promise to investigate and cancel illegal contracts.”

Also important to the success of the plan is ensuring that rights of communities to make decision about the use of their land are respected when Liberia and the World Bank are creating new forest reserves.

In the 2014 deal, Liberia committed to create reserves called “protected areas” as a means of conserving forests.

These would be created with the agreement of communities who own the forest, employing the procedure recognized internationally as free, prior, and informed consent.

In the recently-published PAD, however, the Liberian government and the World Bank commit to establishing new reserves covering 3,200 km2, but make no promise to respect communities’ right to decide what happens to the forests they own.

“Research, including that published in February by Rights and Resources International, shows that forest reserves cannot succeed if the FPIC rights of forest owners are not respected,” said Harrison.

“And while this week’s plan implementing the Liberia-Norway agreement contains important support for some communities, critical changes should be made to ensure forest laws are enforced and communities in proposed reserves are not disenfranchised.”