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(see below) repealed the portion of the Export Schedule of the
Republic of Liberia Customs Tariff Act of 1940 which assessed
2 p per board foot of logs, timber and planks (14). The ••Customs
Tariff of 1940 also mentions a rate of 2 t per board foot (15).
It was increasingly realized by the Government of Liberia in the
1950's that the country's forests were among its most valuable
natural resources and offered the potential of contributing
significantly to the economic growth of the country. In the Five
Year Plan for the Economic Development of Liberia 1951-1956
proposed in 1950 (see Chapter 10) it was concluded that
"Liberia's forests merit a well managed programme of
conservation" and it was recommended that four United States
forestry experts be financed under the Development Plan. These
experts (three Area Conservationists and one Fish and Wildlife
Conservationist) would form an integral part of the (Liberian)
Department of Agriculture and Commerce and would advise and
assist in implementing a sound forestry programme (16).
The Plan, however, (as well as the law until 19 53) remained
vague about the policy and objectives of such a forestry
programme. On April 17, 1953 was approved an "Act for the
Conservation of the Forests of the Republic of Liberia" which
Act intended to provide for the protection, development and
(commercial) utilization of these forest resources. This Act
effectively created a Bureau of Forest Conservation within the
Department of Agriculture and Commerce created in 1948, it
defined this Bureau's functions, formulated the policies and
objectives of the programme which the Bureau had to carry out,
and provided for the staffing of this Bureau. Noticeable among
its main functions were the following:
- to establish a permanent forest estate;
- to devote all publicly owned forest lands to their most
productive use for the permanent good of the whole people;
- to stop needless waste and destruction of forest and
associated natural resources;
- to bring about the profitable harvesting of all forest
products while assuring that supplies of these products are
perpetuated;
- to conserve recreational, fish and wildlife resources of the
country concurrently with the development of a forestry
programme (17).
The Act furthermore allowed for the creation of Government
Forest Reserves, Native Authority Forest Reserves, Communal
Forests and National Parks. It also charged the Secretary of
Agriculture and Commerce with the protection in its broadest
sense of the country's forest, fish and wildlife resources
(which protection would include the efficient utilization and
wise conservation of these natural resources).