There are concerns that some of Liberia’s Community Forest Management Agreements (CFMAs) have not been allocated in line with due process, with negative consequences for affected communities. This briefing outlines these concerns, using the Bluyeama Community Forest as a case study, and urges the government to investigate.

As one community member reports, ‘The Community Forest Management Body has failed us, no meeting at all, we are all hurt, and the land and forests our Great-Grandfather left with us is being lost. Something must be done’.

The CS-IFM Brief concludes it is clear that ECOWOOD are illegally exporting timber from the Bluyeama Community Forest. This is taking place at the great expense of the Bluyeama community, who have received few benefits whilst suffering significant losses in terms of valuable natural resources. Liberia’s forest authority has an urgent duty to investigate this matter further in order to prevent further losses for both the Bluyeama community and Liberia itself.