By Alex Prince Johnson
Once a thriving cradle of biodiversity and cultural heritage, Lake Shepherd’s wetland is now teetering on the brink of ecological collapse. A recent field visit by environmental science students has revealed alarming levels of degradation, driven by unchecked pollution, habitat destruction, and human encroachment.
The findings paint a grim picture of a vital ecosystem in crisis—one whose decline threatens not only wildlife, but also the cultural and economic lifeblood of surrounding communities.
Located in the historic coastal city of Harper, Lake Shepherd has long stood as a symbol of ecological richness and cultural identity. Its wetlands have served as natural flood buffers, carbon sinks, and biodiversity hotspots. For generations, the lake has supported traditional fishing practices, sacred ceremonies, and communal livelihoods. But today, its degradation is more than an environmental emergency—it is a profound cultural tragedy.
Despite the existence of robust environmental policies, including the Wetland Regulations of Liberia and the Environmental Protection and Management Law (EPML), enforcement remains weak.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), tasked with safeguarding Liberia’s natural resources, has repeatedly acknowledged the ongoing destruction of wetlands nationwide. In 2022, the agency warned of the “blatant violation” of wetland protections and highlighted how human activities—such as unregulated construction and waste dumping—continue to undermine the integrity of these fragile ecosystems.
In February 2025, President Joseph Boakai issued Executive Order No. 143, establishing a national task force to curb the degradation of wetlands, waterways, and beachfronts. The order called for the enforcement of existing regulations, restoration of damaged ecosystems, and legal action against violators. Yet on the ground in Harper, the reality at Lake Shepherd paints a different story—one marked by institutional inertia and fragmented implementation.
During their fieldwork, students documented extensive pollution along the lake’s shores. Plastic waste, discarded fishing nets, and other contaminants were found in abundance.
As these materials degrade into microplastics, they are ingested by fish and other aquatic organisms, disrupting physiological processes and threatening survival. The pollution also alters nutrient cycles, triggering algal blooms that deplete oxygen levels and compromise the lake’s ability to filter toxins.
Water quality has deteriorated significantly, with signs of chemical contamination and sedimentation caused by deforestation and agricultural runoff. Amphibian populations are vanishing, macroinvertebrates are declining, and migratory birds are abandoning the lake in search of cleaner habitats. The destruction of wetland vegetation has accelerated erosion, released stored carbon, and increased flood risks for nearby communities.
While the EPA has launched demolition campaigns in Monrovia and other urban centers to enforce Executive Order 143, no such action has been taken in Harper. Residents report that illegal dumping, sand mining, and unregulated construction continue unabated around Lake Shepherd. The EPA’s regional presence in Maryland County is limited, and its coordination with local authorities remains sporadic at best.
The Harper City Corporation (HCC), responsible for municipal sanitation and environmental oversight, has also fallen short.
Although Mayor Abraham Jackson recently announced a citywide cleanup campaign targeting makeshift structures in Old Kru Town, little has been done to address the environmental degradation of Lake Shepherd.
HCC has cited a lack of tools and resources as a key constraint, but critics argue that the city’s failure to prioritize wetland protection reflects a deeper problem—one of political will and accountability.
Community members have expressed frustration over the lack of enforcement and transparency. “We see the laws on paper, but nothing changes,” said one local fisherman. “The lake is dying, and no one is stopping it.”
The students’ report concludes with a clear call to action: immediate and coordinated intervention is essential to halt the decline of Lake Shepherd’s wetland.
Conservation efforts must prioritize pollution control, habitat restoration, and meaningful community engagement.
But without robust enforcement of existing policies and stronger collaboration between the EPA, the Harper City Corporation, and civil society, Lake Shepherd may soon become a lifeless expanse—its waters silenced, its culture diminished, and its ecological legacy lost.
As the sun sets over the shrinking shoreline, the message is clear: the time to act is not tomorrow, but today.