A case study for Liberian agroforestry: science and the implementation of a co–management prospectus for agriculture and forestry

The tropical rain forest that is the climax vegetation of Liberia is in need of modern and preferential scientific management practices. Contemporary evaluations say that Liberia’s forest is dwindling, but Liberia still has one of the largest remnants of pristine forests in the world. The Amazon region in Brazil, South America, and the Congo Basin in Central Africa, can boast of larger forests, but the Liberian forest is large and a real economic resource for both agriculture and forestry. Response to the demand for timber, non–timber forest products, mining, and agricultural products is deforestation and land clearing, both of which are taking a negative toll on forest and agricultural lands. Land clearing, including the complete removal of large and otherwise robust trees, is typically imperative. A major focus of small farmers consequently involves tree felling, land clearing, and debris removal by burning. Moreover, improper extraction of forest trees, with other misuse of agriculture and forestry lands, is having very negative effects, including increasing erosion, poor drainage, low soil fertility, and the resultant poor land productivity.1