Further to an earlier post regarding the undermining of Liberia’s sustainable forestry strategies here, it’s reported that the president has now issued a temporary moratorium on Private Use Permits (PUPs), the source of loopholes. The moratorium “applies to all logging activities of any person, whether natural or juridical, who holds a PUP and operates in Liberia under any other logging.”

Meanwhile, according to some reports out of India (see here and here), concerns have been raised over alleged “gargantuan” land scams through the rampant abuse of a law intended to reverse fragmentation of agricultural land. As a result, well-connected private players have allegedly gained possession of vast tracts of common hilly land and forest. For some perspective, sources suggest after usurping all the land on property once worth $100K for example, that same property might now be worth $60 million.

Closer to home, The Vancouver Sun reports on our own struggles to complete the Great Bear Rainforest conservation plan, in working to achieve the twin goals of forest conservation and sustainable levels of logging. “‘Something’s got to give,’ said spokeswoman Valerie Langer. ‘What is at stake is whether we have sustainable levels of logging in the Great Bear Rainforest or not. The challenge to do that is that industry has to figure out how to maintain a viable business on a lot less wood.'”