"I am speaking as Youth Chair; we welcome the commercial aspect for the development of this district," said Thomas, a resident of Kongba District, Gbarpolu County.
Thomas explained that the community's support for logging stems from their restrictive experience with the nearby Gola Forest National Park.
"We provided the largest forest area within the Gola Park," he said. "But our youth are struggling to survive. Where they used to hunt to feed themselves, they have now been stopped. They are no longer entering the forest."
Thomas spoke during an outdoor meeting in December 2025 with the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) regarding the establishment of a new logging concession. Thomas and a score of residents, including town leaders and elders, were assembled to discuss the FDA plan to issue permits to any companies interested in felling logs to sell.
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After the civil wars, Liberia's forests were partitioned into 26 major zones, identified by letters A through Z. Although these areas were officially designated, technical and logistical challenges prevented several of them, such as the Gbarpolu block, from being issued to logging firms.
Forest Management Contracts (FMCs) represent long-term partnerships between the state and timber firms, typically spanning 25 years and encompassing areas from 50,000 to 400,000 hectares. Currently, FDA records indicate that only the Geeblo and Euro-Liberia logging companies are operating under active FMCs. The proposed Kongba concession would mark the first time in more than 15 years that a new agreement of this scale has been issued.
The lack of infrastructure in the region has left residents feeling isolated.
"Today, even if you harvest your crops, it takes two to three weeks before you see a vehicle," Thomas noted. "Even NGO vehicles are stopped from entering because there are no roads. As youth, we want to embrace the commercial aspect of forestry to bring development."
The meeting with Thomas and his townspeople is a compulsory requirement that the FDA must carry out, known as the socio-economic surveys and forest inventories, in line with the Forestry Reform Law. This legal framework requires the FDA to obtain the Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) of local populations before any commercial logging begins.
"Government needs resources to continue infrastructural development, and we must manage those resources within the communities for the benefit of all," said Rudolph Merab, Managing Director of the FDA. "Our people in rural areas have lived in abject poverty for years. Our intervention has to be real."
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During the outdoor meeting in Tima Town, FDA Consultant Ekema Witherspoon explained the next steps to the landowning communities.
"The team will talk with the community and go into the bush to identify tree species," Witherspoon said. "They will hire local youth to work with the team from Monrovia because your children know the forest best."
Local leaders expressed a desperate need for change.
"We don't want any more talk; we want a company that will come and improve our living conditions," said Blama Kanneh, Paramount Chief of Kongba District.
Aaron Momo, Zuie Clan Chief, echoed these sentiments: "If you compare Gbarpolu County--especially Kongba--to other counties in Liberia, you will feel for us. Development here is very slow."
Once the FDA completes its field report, the forest block will be opened for competitive bidding through the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC). Following legislative ratification, the winning firm must sign a formal Social Agreement with the local communities to guarantee they receive direct benefits from the harvested timber.
