By: Haruna Kuyateh
Community Based Sustainable Dryland Forest Management Project funded by Global Environment Facility through FAO in partnership with Department of Forestry recently organised a day long convergence for Regional Forest Taskforce and Forest Management Committees to map out strategies on how to preserve and protect forest from destruction.
Participated stakeholders used the gathering to discuss the protection and preservation of forest resources with aim of enhancing better coordination and networking among stakeholders to improve communication at Kerewan North Bank Region.
Sisawo Sabally, Participatory Forest Management Unit at the Department of Forestry, said the convergence provided them opportunity to enlightened community forest committees on procedures and process of establishing Community Forest and Joint Forest Park Management which will contribute to the restoration of forest cover.
He thanked Community Based Sustainable Dryland Forest Project for their invaluable support in strengthen community participation to the protection and preservation of forest cover.
“The overall objective is to ensure effective forest management and utilisation of forest resources through sharing best practices to bring about sustainable forest management and protection,” he said.
He later called for closer collaboration and cooperation among Regional Forest Task force and Community Managed Forest Committees to advocate total protection of forest from illegal activities.
Pierre R Colley, Forestry Office in Kerewan disclosed giant strife taken by communities to ensure total protection and ownership of the forest, while he described the sensitization as important and that it will contribute raising more public awareness on importance of the establishment of forest cover.
Babucar Bajinka, from the Governor Office thanked the Community Based Sustainable Dryland Forest Project at FAO and Department of Forestry for building and creating awareness among communities on protection of protected forest cover and by establishing more community forests.
Chief Alpha Mariam Khan of Jokadou called on forest Taskforce and forest committees to be vigilant and conduct regular meetings and networking while assured of his district authority fullest support and cooperation in regards to zero tolerance on destruction of forest cover.
Buba Sanneh, President of Barra Palodi Forest Association (BAPAFORA) noted that the support to communities on establishment of Woodlots and Community Forest would contribute immensely in strengthen community participation.
He thanked the Community Based Sustainable Dryland Forest Management Project for providing support to the forest committees.
