Abstract
 GIS for Land Use Planning in Liberia Track: Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries Management Author(s): Mark Nebel, John Woods, Oliver Pierson, W. Christie, Robert Simpson Land use suitability modeling and optimization is a key land use planning tool for the Liberia Forest Initiative (LFI), a partnership of government, international, and non-governmental organizations dedicated to the rehabilitation and reform of Liberia's forestry sector. An iterative spatial suitability model was developed for each of three major land use categories: Commercial Forestry, Community Forestry, and Conservation. Model variables included land cover type, slope, population density, and distance from roads, settlements, and the Atlantic Ocean. The suitability results were integrated and reclassified to optimize the overall cumulative land suitability. Land use areas were delineated based on the optimal land use suitability, natural and man-made geographic features, and the value judgments of LFI stakeholder groups. The resulting optimal land use plan outlined twelve Protected Areas (approximately 1.1 million hectares, or twelve percent of Liberia's total land area), 2.7 million hectares for sustainable Commercial Forestry, and eleven Community Forests. Mark Nebel USDA-Forest Service Lassen National Forest 2550 Riverside Dr Susanville , CA 96130 US Phone: 5302526643 E-mail: mnebel@fs.fed.us John Woods Forestry Development Authority P.O. Box 10-3010 Monrovia n/a LR Phone: 231-656-4070 E-mail: johntwoods38@yahoo.com Oliver Pierson USDA Forest Service International Programs 1099 14th St NW, Suite 5500W Washington , DC 20005 US Phone: 202-501-2632 E-mail: opierson@fs.fed.us W. Christie Natural Capital Advisors 771 West 52nd Ave Eugene , OR 97405 US Phone: 541-255-3600 E-mail: wtylerchristie@gmail.com Robert Simpson USDA Forest Service International Programs US Embassy Monrovia , n/a n/a LR Phone: 231-77-566-326 E-mail: SimpsonRD@state.gov |
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