Enabling Community-Led Forest Conservation in Liberia. Briefing
Liberia holds the largest remaining tract of Upper Guinea rainforest — 6.6 million hectares (ha), over two-thirds of which is on community customary land. Yet deforestation exceeds 2% per year, driven by unregulated mining and the expansion of migrant cocoa production. The logging concession model has clearly failed: US$43m in unpaid taxes, abandoned concessions, communities owed about 75% of their share of area fees, and accelerating forest loss. REDD+ payments are unlikely anytime soon. Integrated Development and Learning (IDL) has developed a simpler alternative: Payment for Stewardship; direct area-based payments to communities who protect their forest, backed by support for livelihood enhancement and better community governance. With funding from Irish Aid, via the Embassy of Ireland in Monrovia, the pilot is also showing promising results.