Firestone Rubber Plantation

The Firestone plantation at Harbel has been worked since 1926 on a concession that covered a million acres, and it is among the largest contiguous rubber operations anywhere: rows of Hevea trees running to the horizon, tapped daily by hand into cups, with a processing plant, a hospital, schools and worker housing on the estate. The concession terms and labour conditions have been the subject of long dispute.

What you actually see

• The rubber rows - Hevea trees planted in lines running to the horizon.
• The tapping - the daily hand cutting of the bark into collection cups.
• The processing plant - the works turning latex into sheet and block.
• The estate town - the housing, schools and hospital on the concession.

When to go

November to April is the dry season. Tapping runs year round with a rest period. Access must be arranged in advance.

Honest expectations

This is private company land and access requires arrangement; casual visits are not possible. Labour conditions on the concession have been the subject of litigation and criticism, which visitors should know. Photography is restricted.

Nearby

Roberts International Airport is nearby, and Monrovia is west.