The Trend of Forest Cover Removal: Case Study of Tonkolili District, Northern Sierra Leone

Abstract

Tonkolili district, been a major district for fuel wood timber production in Sierra Leone has some environmental consequences as a result of poor forest management due to lack of updated forestry policies and regulations. This study focused on the changing trend of the forest in Tonkolili district for the pass twenty eight years since the district serves as a source of bioenergy for more than half of the population living in Freetown the capacity of Sierra Leone.

The study also made a comparison using satellite imageries between 1990, 1995 ,2011 and 2012 to visualized the level at which the forest have been depleted over the course of the study period. Different data sources from government Ministries, department and agencies were analyzed using origin pro 8.5 to practically showcase the trend in form of graphs and tables.

Keywords: Agency, Department, Deforestation, Forest cover, Satellite imagery, Strategies, Trend,