Environmental Awareness, Forest Protection, and Reforestation, August 2025.

As we are committed to mitigating global warming, the everyday gandhis team had another opportunity to travel to Medicorma in the northeast of Liberia, a bordering town to Sierra Leone and Guinea Conakry. During the three-day visit, eighty-seven (87) farmers were invited from eleven (11) towns and villages across the region. The objective of the visit and discussion was to determine whether farmers in the region are aware of the significant changes occurring in their environment and their impact on daily life. Therefore, the circle highlighted the importance of forests and their conservation, as well as the need for reforestation strategies.

As always, the discussion began with an opening prayer from one of the elders, followed by welcoming remarks from the town chief and a self-introduction. Participants were asked to share their views on forests and their importance. Julius, from Koindu, Sierra Leone, shared his thoughts about forests, saying, “Comparing the forest area before the civil crisis and now, I have observed that the forest in the region is disappearing, probably due to the slash-and-burn farming method and charcoal production being the main influences.” Kpama Moses buttressed Julius, saying logging and local chainsaw wood processing for income generation are also crucial to the disappearance of thick forests.

Other impacts highlighted by many participants include infertile soil due to erosion, resulting in food scarcity; a shortage of freshwater fish due to rivers drying up; and chemical-intensive, lowland farming. Additionally, the extinction of wildlife is attributed to overhunting for income generation.

After sharing views on the importance of forests, the causes and impacts of deforestation, and reforestation and awareness as strategies for forest restoration and protection, the discussion concluded with a demonstration of tree planting. Trees were planted in backyards, on rice farms, and in open spaces. Three hundred trees were given to participants to take home for planting, as some had requested that they needed trees to plant on their farms and in their backyards. Three hundred fifty trees were planted on the land provided by the community, and 1,500 trees were planted in Foya and Mendikorma.

To keep the reforestation ongoing, farmers were given biodegradable bags to make their own nursery and continue planting trees even in the absence of everyday gandhis. Five thousand (5,000) bags have been distributed to farmers in eleven (11) towns; some of the farmers plan to establish cocoa and coffee nurseries. Participants from Guinea Conakry received 1,500 bags; those from Sierra Leone received 1,500, while those from Liberia received 2,000 biobags.

In conclusion, the everyday gandhis team has done an incredible job, engaging more farmers and communities in forest protection and its benefits and impacts, as well as tree planting. Currently, everyday gandhis has conducted environmental awareness programs in 11 communities in Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone.   From observation, slash-and-burn or the shifting cultivation method of farming is the widely used farming method; therefore, we recommend that permaculture (PC) training be offered to interested farmers in these communities. Nevertheless, everyday gandhis will continue to engage with communities no matter what the case may be.