At Liberia Excellent News Network (LENN), we are deeply concerned by the recent call from Sinoe County Representative Thomas Romeo Quiah to de-gazette Sarpo National Park—Liberia’s largest protected area.
Such a move would not only be short-sighted, but also detrimental to our nation’s environment, economy, and cultural heritage.
Sarpo National Park, located in the heart of Sinoe County, is not just a stretch of forest. It is one of the last strongholds of intact tropical rainforest in West Africa, harboring hundreds of species of mammals, birds, butterflies, and plants—many of them rare, endemic, or on the brink of extinction.
The park represents a natural legacy that Liberia can neither afford to lose nor replace.
Beyond biodiversity, Sarpo plays a vital role in regulating the climate for surrounding communities. Forests like Sarpo absorb carbon, protect against extreme heat, and help maintain water cycles that reduce the risk of drought.
In an era where climate resilience is essential to national development, dismantling such a natural safeguard is not just environmentally risky—it is economically reckless.
Let us also not forget the global value of Sarpo. Protected areas like this draw international partnerships, ecotourism potential, and donor support.
Removing its protected status may open the door to short-term exploitation, but it will close the door on long-term benefits for generations of Liberians.
Instead of de-gazetting Sarpo National Park, we should be investing in its protection, its responsible management, and its integration into local development plans. Conservation and progress are not enemies—they are partners.
Liberia has long been recognized as a leader in forest conservation. Allowing political pressure to undermine this hard-won reputation would be a disservice to our people and our planet.
We at LENN urge all Liberians—especially our leaders—to stand for preservation, not destruction. Sarpo National Park must remain protected.
