Liberia: Taylor-Era Wartime Timber Company Penalized, Accused of PUP Breach

Feb 15, 2015 | Front Page Africa
View Original

The Danish timber giant Dalhoff Larsen and Horneman (DLH), a company accused of buying conflict timber during Liberia’s civil war, has been stripped of its certification by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) because it purchased illegal Liberian Private Use Permit (PUP) logs. Responding to a complaint submitted by Global Witness, the world’s largest timber certifier said that DLH can no longer use the FSC brand to claim that its timber is legal and sustainable. Additionally, FSC ruled that if DLH wants to regain its certification it must compensate Liberian communities for damage to their forests.

In 2012, DLH purchased timber worth US$304,870 from Global Logging and Liberia Hardwood, companies that held three PUPs in Grand Bassa and Gbarpolu counties. DLH bought this timber even though the Liberian government had announced a moratorium on PUP operations in February 2012. In December of that year, a government investigation reported that PUP logging licenses were illegal, having been obtained through fraud, corruption, and without the consent of local communities. The government has subsequently halted all PUP operations and cancelled 29 contracts.