Top: A log yard in Greenville, Sinoe County, in 2023. The DayLight/Derick Snyder
By Esau J. Farr
BOEGEESAY TOWN – A community forest in River Cess County has chosen to conserve its forests after a four-year contract with loggers ended.
Central Morweh Community Forest made the decision earlier this year that Kisvan Timber Corporation had terminated its contract.
“Everyone is now looking at the future because the future can benefit you than the present,” said Clinton Cephus, chief officer of the Central Morweh. “It is not good to eat all today, and tomorrow you get nothing.”
In 2021, Central Morweh signed the logging contract with Kisvan to operate in the 19,091-hectare southcentral forest. Kisvan agreed to pay land rental and harvesting fees, as well as provide hand pumps and build a school.
That did not go as planned. Kisvan delayed in paying locals their fees and benefits soon after signing the contract.
This sparked an internal wrangle in Central Morweh, causing locals to rethink their agreement with Kisvan.
While that went on, Kisvan opted to terminate the contract, paying all its debt to Central Morweh, Cephus said. Kisvan did not respond to queries for comments.
Locals welcome the termination as an opportunity to conserve their forest. Before the Kisvan deal, townspeople had floated the idea of conservation.
Established in 2019, Central Morweh Community Forest is home to endangered pygmy hippos, western chimpanzees, red colobus monkeys and others.
“Conservation is good and very key to us. All over the country, people are talking conservation and carbon just in the interest of the community,” said James Gbordoe, a Central Morweh leader.
It joins several communities that are conserving their forests, as Liberia drafts its carbon policy.
“I believe that conservation is more beneficial [than logging] because you keep your forest, while you benefit and receive cash,” said Cephus. They are not touching any of the trees.”
This story was a Community of Forest and Environmental Journalists of Liberia (CoFEJ) production.
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