Liberia is rolling out an innovative plan to conserve its rainforests by directly rewarding local communities for protecting their lands. In a pilot program covering 28 communities in the southeast, residents will receive area-based payments in exchange for preventing illegal logging, mining, unsustainable farming, and unplanned settlements. Funded by the Irish government and implemented by a Liberian NGO, the initiative offers a simpler alternative to traditional carbon credit schemes. The urgency is clear: in 2024 alone, Liberia lost over 38,000 hectares of primary humid forest—the highest deforestation rate in the nation’s history.
The program empowers communities to actively manage and monitor their forests, with support from the Forestry Development Authority, including training for patrols and verification using satellites and site inspections. Communities that meet conservation goals receive cash payments to invest in local priorities. However, challenges remain, particularly the arrival of cocoa farmers from neighboring Ivory Coast, which contributes to deforestation pressures. Despite these hurdles, Liberia’s approach offers a promising model for linking environmental stewardship with community development, potentially creating a sustainable path for rainforest protection. More