Act – 1976 – Act creating the Forest Development Authority – Liberia

Abstract

The Act creates a Forestry Development Authority, the objective of which is, among others, to establish a permanent forest estate made up of reserved areas upon which scientific forestry will be practiced; devote all publicly owned forest lands to their most productive use for the permanent good of the whole people considering both direct and indirect values; stop needless waste and destruction of the forest and associated natural resources and bring about the profitable harvesting of all forest products while assuring that supplies of these products are perpetuated; correlate forestry to all other land use and adjust the forest economy to the overall national. The Authority shall further take all actions necessary to create and establish Government Forest Reserves, Native Authority Forest reserves, Communal Forest and national parks.

Amendments

Section 16 of the Act creating the Forestry Development Authority has been repealed in 1988 by the Act to Amend the Act creating the Forestry Development Authority, in order to specify the representation of the Government in negotiations concerning the awarding of a Forest Products Utilization Agreement as well as to provide for the protection of Liberian salvage permit holders. In addition, the amended Act deals with wood processing in Liberia, including with respect to the export of logs and processed woods.

Further the 1976 Act to amend Section 6, Subsection 6.1 of the Act creating the Forestry Development Authority revised the composition of the ‘Board of Directors’.

Lastly, the National Forestry Reform Law of 2006 contains numerous provisions regarding the Forestry Development Authority. It notably states that the FDA shall assure the sustainable management of the Republic’s Forest Land, conservation of the Republic’s Forest Resources, protection of the Republic’s Environment, and sustainable development of the Republic’s economy, with the participation of and for the benefit of all Liberians, and to contribute to poverty alleviation in the Nation. The 2006 Law repealed Sections 16 to 23 of the Act creating the Forestry Development Authority.

Furthermore, Section 4 (f), (g) and (i) of the Act creating the FDA has been affected subject to the provisions of the 2005 Act creating the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission.