Liberia: Illegal Miners Encroach on Wonegizi Forest
GANTA, Nimba County – Illicit miners have encroached on the Wonegizi Proposed Protected Forest in Lofa County, according to a ranger and a community leader. Illegal miners have overrun this critical habitat, smuggling gold and diamonds into neighboring Guinea.
By Varney Kamara, withThe DayLight
“We are just starting to tackle these issues. We are working hard to minimize them,” said Momo Ricks, an FDA ranger stationed in that area. “Illegal activities like these harm the environment.”
Ricks revealed this information at a recent community forestry meeting in Ganta, Nimba County, where regional leaders discussed sustainable ways for communities to benefit from forest resources.
His comments were supported by Anthony Sumo, the chairman of the Community Land Development and Management Committee (CLDMC) of the Wonegizi Proposed Protected Forest. Sumo added that locals were making efforts to combat illegal mining.
“We are actively fighting against these activities, especially in areas close to the river,” Sumo said.
The 28,894-hectares Wonegizi Proposed Protected Forest is a part of the Wonegizi-Wologizi Ziama (WWZ) cross-border landscape, linking Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. It hosts endangered species like chimpanzees and pygmy hippopotamus. It is one of Liberia’s protected areas, covering over 1.3 million hectares of humid rainforests.
Despite legal safeguards, unlawful practices continue in the vast forest. Community resistance, weak law enforcement, and limited deterrents have worsened illegal activities.
“The community has requested more forest guards, better salaries, and stronger partnership support, but resources have yet to materialize,” said Sumo. “For conservation to succeed, we need consistent backing. Without it, we risk losing the forest and its benefits.
“We are focused on resisting illegal activities, like logging, while promoting sustainable practices that support our community,” Sumo added.
The news of illegal mining supports a 2020 report by Fauna & Flora International, which found habitat loss from illegal mining, unregulated fishing and illegal wildlife hunting.
Between 2002 and last year, Liberia lost 347,000 hectares of humid forests, according to Global Forest Watch, which monitors deforestation and forest degradation worldwide. Total area of humid primary forest decreased by nearly eight percent during this period.
This story first appeared in The DayLight and has been published here as part of an editorial collaboration. The story was a production of the Community of Forest and Environmental Journalists (CoFEJ).
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