Sierra Leone’s booming construction industry is a ray of hope to many in a country which has experienced a devastating, decade-long civil war. It is, however, threatening both environmental and economic damage through widespread sand mining on the country’s beaches. These mining activities have been linked to coastal erosion which has caused buildings and homes to collapse into the sea; in some places the rate of erosion is as much as six metres per year. The beaches’ economic significance is in a burgeoning surfing and beach tourism industry which promises economic growth to the country if these resources are preserved.
