The Environmental Forum for Action, one of the most influentual activist groups in Sierra Leone, called Monday on the government to reimpose the ban on timber exports that was lifted in July.

"With less than five percent of forested areas left in the country, the decision by the minister of forestry (Sam Sesay) to lift the ban will be disastrous for the environment and will lead to severe scarcity of timber in the local market," it said in a statement to local news media.

It said the decision "threatens Sierra Leone's rich biodiversity of 3,000 plants, 74 of which are endemic, and several species of mammals, reptiles and birds which can never be replaced".

It went on to express "concern over developments in the logging industry," citing the presence in Sierra Leone of Taakor Tropical Hardwoods, a global timber operator, "despite the small area of forest remaining in the country".

Chinese and Southeast Asian outfits dominate the logging market in the west African state, squeezing out small-scale operators to an extent that has led to constant friction, environmental observers said.

Although timber export data is disputed, trade ministry figures show that a total of 20,000,000 dollars worth of timber was exported to East Asia in 2007.

Environmental bodies contend that twice that amount has been smuggled into neighbouring Guinea and Liberia and then re-exported.