The Society for the Conservation of Nature of Liberia (SCNL) has taken note, with grave concern, recent statements made by Hon. Thomas Romeo Quiah, Representative of District #1, Sinoe County, advocating for the degazettement of the Sapo National Park. While we acknowledge the developmental and economic challenges facing forest-edge communities, we strongly caution against any policy decision that would reverse decades of conservation progress, place Liberia in breach of its international conservation obligations, and risk long-term economic and ecological stability. After the establishment of Sapo National Park in 1983, the next National Park established was the Gola Rainforest National Park in 2016. Degazetting Sapo takes away over three decades of conservation efforts in Liberia. Sapo National Park is not just Liberia’s premier protected area—it is a national treasure, globally recognized for its biodiversity and its role in climate mitigation as a major carbon reservoir.
Under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, Liberia has committed to preserving 30% of its terrestrial and marine ecosystems by 2030 (the “30×30” target). More than just international obligations, the country also committed in its National Forestry Reform Law of 2006 to set aside 30% of its forest land as protected areas. Liberia is progressing as one of the leading African nations to develop its 30×30 National Action Plan, and Sapo National Park, the country’s largest protected area, constitutes an essential part of this commitment, given its unique ecological makeup and geographic scale. Any move to degazette the Park would be a direct contradiction of this international obligation, potentially undermining Liberia’s standing and limiting access to critical biodiversity and climate financing mechanisms. As a key part of the Upper Guinean Rainforest, one of West Africa’s last remaining intact forest, Sapo’s biodiversity value cannot be overstated.
Additionally, under the Paris Agreement of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Liberia’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) commit the country to a 64% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Central to this pledge are targets to reduce deforestation by 50%, decrease emissions from forest conversion by 40%, and restore degraded lands through reforestation. Protected areas like Sapo are indispensable to achieving these goals. Degazettement would impair Liberia’s ability to meet its climate targets and likely result in the withdrawal of multilateral and bilateral support from partners such as the Global Environment Facility, Green Climate Fund, United Nations Development Program, United Nations Environment Program, United States, European Union, United Kingdom, Norway, , Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Rainforest Trust, and the Climate & Clean Air Coalition. It would also undermine international trust in Liberia’s conservation leadership and threaten its role as a key biodiversity partner.
Moreover, Liberia’s commitments under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) require the country to safeguard endangered species and their habitats. Sapo National Park is home to numerous species found nowhere else on Earth, including the pygmy hippopotamus and western chimpanzees. The Park is situated in an ecosystem that boasts the most diverse mammal species of any region in the world. The conventions call for not not only maintaining but also strengthening the protection of such critical habitats. Sapo, therefore, offers significantpotential for sustainable tourism and conservation-friendly livelihoods. We must emphasize that environmental protection and economic development are not in conflict—they can and should advance together when approached strategically and responsibly.
In light of the above, SCNL urges all relevant authorities, lawmakers, and the Liberian public to reject any proposal seeking the degazettement of Sapo National Park. Instead, we must strengthen our environmental governance and commit to solutions that address economic concerns without compromising ecological integrity. To this end, SCNL recommends the following:
- That the Government of Liberia allocates increased budgetary support for the effective management of Protected Areas, including Sapo. Enhanced financial support will allow for the recruitment and training of more rangers, improve enforcement against illegal mining and poaching, and ensure long-term ecological integrity.
- That Liberia actively pursues REDD+ readiness and implementation, leveraging the substantial funding potential available under carbon finance mechanisms. By becoming REDD+ compliant and operational, Liberia can unlock sustainable financing for community development and forest conservation, providing lawful and long-term alternatives to environmentally harmful activities.