Participatory Forest Management in the Gambia

Abstract

"Participatory forestry is the main strategy of forestry management in the Gambia. Piloted in the early 90s with the technical and financial support of the German Government through the Gambian German Forestry Project, successful implementation results consequently led to the institutionalization of the Gambian Forest Management Concept GFMC and adoption of the New forest policy 1995.

"The GFMC merges the models of natural forest management in forest parks and community forest CFs. Its based on the nucleus concept where decentralized forest stations coordinate the management of all forest within the country. It also aims to create a common understanding among all actors in the field of natural resource management particularly the forestry development sector in the Gambia.

"The GFMC put the rural people at the centre of managing the Gambians forest resources. Consequently, it follows participatory approaches so that the local people are fully involved in planning, decision-making, organization and administration. Furthermore it provides a medium through which the Gambia government sought to alleviate poverty, by legalizing sustainable utilization of products and services by local peoples involved in forest management.

"Through the various participatory forest management approaches outlined in the GFMC, forestry department seeks to attain the sustainable management of over 200,000ha of forest cover envisaged in the 1995-2005 forest policy with focus on the local people as the main actors and target beneficiaries."