By: Haruna Kuyateh
Dryland forest management, FAO funded project in partnership with Regional Forestry Office in Kerewan recently provided a daylong capacity development for North Bank Region Regional taskforce members on the concept and management of community forest to mitigate climate change and promote restoration of biodiversity and natural resource management.
The training aimed to complement efforts of Department of Forestry in promoting integrated forest management practices. The synergy was held in Kerewan north bank region.
Governor Ebrima KS Dampha noted with great concerns that government and stakeholders attaches to the protection and preservation of forest resources and acknowledged that establishment of Community Forest at village level would contribute to promote effective and sustainable utilisation of forest resources.
He reassured of his office fullest support to stop all forms of illegal activities and help to preserve and converse forest resources.
Ousainou Cham Regional Forestry Officer for NBR commended Regional Forestry Taskforce for their steadfast and cooperation in working with Forestry staff in promoting and building ownership of Community Forest CF, noting that it enhance effective and efficient participatory forest management.
He disclosed that plan is on the way for temporal suspension of forest for 6 months and it all aimed to ensure proper control. RFO Cham said building the capacity of members and forest staff would help to complement each other efforts to avoid exploitation and illegal logging.
For his part, Kanimang Camara Director of NACO and lead trainer said sustainable land management requires collaboration and networking to strengthen forest and natural resource management. He said the program aimed to empower communities to have total ownership and management of Community Forest.
He acknowledged that advocating for land to establish Community Forest calls for more consultation of cluster beneficiary communities through active involvement and participation of forestry department and district chiefs.
He said the establishment of Regional Task Force in the region, aimed to complement and reach out to communities and advocate for Joint Forest Park Management JFPM, noting that it would empower communities to provide protection of forest from illegal activities.
Therefore, there is need to collaborate with Forestry staff to carry out mapping and demarcation of sites. He reminded participants on the important of legal framework on forest management, Gazette which is government journal announcing legal matters as noticed and orders.
The lead trainer noted that Preliminary Community Forest Management Agreement PCFMA. However, it was suggested that there is need for Taskforce to advocate for establish Land use plan and mapping of which it will engage all stakeholders in environmental sub sectors to discuss and workout modalities on the formulation and implementation of the plan.
Buba Sanneh President of Barra Palodi Forestry Association commended FAO Dryland Forest Management project and Department of Forestry for strengthen the human resource of the taskforce, noting that lessons learnt on participatory forest management and in particular Community Forest will contribute to protect forest from bushfire and other illegal activities.
He thanks forest management committees in the region for settlement of conflicts among cluster communities, noting that dialogue is the only tool to reach to common consensus of protecting the forest.
