The Forestry Development Authority (FDA) has deployed forest rangers and Liberia National Police officers to Marlay Town in Nimba County, Liberia, following complaints of encroachment by Burkinabè nationals on community forestland. Residents claim that the foreign nationals have restricted access to farms and contributed to an unresolved boundary dispute. The FDA delegation, which included officials and police personnel, visited the community on November 8 to assess conditions and listen to residents' concerns.
The FDA's Deputy Director General for Administration and Finance, Victor W. Kpaiseh, stated that the mission aimed to identify the issues and determine an appropriate response. He described the situation as a potential national-security concern, citing reports of foreign nationals occupying community forestland. Kpaiseh warned that uncontrolled forest clearing and unclear land arrangements could deepen conflict if not addressed promptly.
The FDA has deployed three forest rangers and three Liberia National Police officers to Marlay Town to investigate reports of forest occupation and destruction. Their task is to identify those involved and gather information for a formal report. Additional security personnel may be deployed as the investigation progresses. The FDA also expressed concern about deforestation around the disputed area, which reflects broader pressures on Liberia's forests.
The dispute in Marlay Town highlights a growing tension in Liberia between conservation, community land rights, agricultural expansion, and migration. Under Liberia's Community Rights Law, authorized forest communities may access, manage, use, and benefit from forest resources through Community Forest Management Agreements negotiated with the FDA. The FDA plans to use drone technology to help identify and re-demarcate the disputed forest boundary.
Residents have raised concerns about land reportedly taken from the community near the reserve, with some claiming that community members had previously sought 500 meters of land from the reserve for farming, but land was instead taken from the community side. The FDA delegation agreed that re-identifying the boundary should be part of the resolution emerging from the meeting. Community members also called for a fresh demarcation exercise to clearly mark the boundary.
Some residents accused the Community Forest Management Body of failing to establish clear boundaries between Kpablee and the Boe and Quella districts. However, Boe and Quella Executive Committee Chairman Samuel Dweh denied allegations that local leaders encouraged the presence of foreign farmers. Kpaiseh cautioned residents against giving forestland to foreign nationals under so-called "sixty-forty" farming arrangements, which could trigger future land conflicts.
The concerns in Marlay Town echo earlier complaints from residents, who have called on the government to investigate alleged unequal enforcement of forest regulations and provide a lasting solution to the dispute. The FDA also requested the Liberia Immigration Service to conduct an enumeration exercise to establish the number of foreign nationals living in the affected communities. A recently announced registration exercise aims to document foreign nationals' identities, locations, and immigration status amid concerns over land use and unauthorized economic activity.
Key points
- The FDA has deployed rangers and police to investigate forest-land disputes between residents and Burkinabè nationals in Marlay Town, Nimba County.
- The dispute highlights tensions between conservation, community land rights, agricultural expansion, and migration in Liberia.
- The FDA plans to use drone technology to re-demarcate the disputed forest boundary and resolve the conflict.
