Community Forest in Liberia: The Interface between Sustainable Charcoal Production and Deforestation

The available data establishes a direct correlation between charcoal production and forest degradation and deforestation in Liberia. Charcoal is the primary energy source for Liberians, especially in urban areas where the bulk of the population lives. It is expected to be the mainstay energy source for years to come because it is affordable, accessible, and convenient to use compared to other forms of energy (i.e. electricity and petroleum gas). However, the current model of charcoal production, based on indiscriminate felling of trees, poses a danger to the environment as it results in widespread forest degradation and deforestation. Therefore, any successful effort to combat deforestation in Liberia must necessarily tackle the current unsustainable nature of charcoal production. One way of doing so is to empower Liberians who have ownership rights to their forests through what is known as the authorized forest community program to develop sustainable yet profitable charcoal enterprises that rely on strategic methods of sourcing fuelwood and producing charcoal while maintaining the health of Liberia’s precious forest ecosystems.