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Surveys of Liberia's Forest Potential
The botanical exploration of Liberia began with the arrival of
Theodore Vogel, a German botanist, who accompanied the British
Niger Expedition of 1841. The best known botanical study, however,
is Sir Johnston's (1906) who based his work on Liberia's
flora mainly on data collected and reports written by Otto Stapf
(Principal Assistant, Herbarium, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew,
England) and Alexander Whyte (Superintendent of the Botanic Garden
at Entebbe, Uganda). Less known, but noteworthy, is the botanical
work done by Max Dinklage, a German who arrived in Liberia
in 1894. During his stay in the country as manager of the
Woermann factory and also after his retirement, he amassed a
large collection of hitherto unknown species (5),
The first really noteworthy survey of the Liberian forests dates
from the late 1920's and was a direct result of the start of
Firestone's operations in the country.
Before carrying out the necessary land clearing Firestone
sponsored a study by the Yale School of Forestry, and with the
assistance of the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, England, this
study was carried out. Not all timber was found to be
commercially exploitable but in general it was concluded that
Liberia's forests offered a vast number of possible uses:
a) 21 species were found useful for furniture and interior trim;
b) 27 species for general carpentry, boxes and utility veneer;
c) 20 species for heavy and durable construction;
d) 16 species for tool handles etc. and
e) 20 species for wood pulp (6).
However, this investigation was not followed by any action.
The first professional forester who made a reconnaissance
survey of virtually the entire country's forest potential was
Karl G. Mayer. Assigned in 1947 as forest products specialist to
the U.S. Economic Mission to Liberia, he made the first volume
and area estimates of Liberia's forest resources between 1947
and 1949- One of the main conclusions of his investigation was
that over eighty per cent of the total land area of Liberia was
covered with forests: Primary high forest occupied 8,950,000
acres (over 37 per cent of the country's area) and secondary
high forest 4,850,000 acres (over 20 per cent). Altogether 58
per cent of Liberia's land area was thus reported to be covered
by dense tropical forest (13«8 million acres). This figure is
higher than that of a more recent estimation which ended up
with a figure of 12.0 million acres (7).
Subsequent reports on Liberia's forest potential were published
in the 1950's, notably by Torkel Holsoe (8) and E.W. Fobes (9).
The former was forestry advisor to the United States Operation
Mission (U.S.O.M.) to Liberia for over eight years (1951 -
1959). Fobes served as his assistant for two and a half years.
Important work with respect to the study of Liberia's forests