Modou Colley – December 2006
Annual Report on the Gambia Tree
Planting and Protection project
Planting trees is very important in human live
a community cannot live without trees. That why
there is
need to plant trees the community of Faraba.
We started planting trees in August 2004 and
that year over one thousand were planted, but
some trees died, that is common in nature. We
found the cause first the ground squirrel normally
cuts the young trees. So we then make a local
protector by cutting the plastic bottle and use
that as protector but as the trees grew tall
the cattle start disturbing us. We cannot stop
the cattle
as the tree planting was in the farming area
but the only thing we can do is to stop planting
the young plants which the cattle like eg mahony
and rose wood. As a result we start to keep theses
trees in the nursery for three years before we
plant them now we have over five hundred young
trees. Mahogony and rosewood which the local
people normal log for rose wood is good for cooking
and mahony for red timber. Since 2004 we planted
maliena trees and silk cotton trees but the maliena
are doing good now we planted
over five thousand trees.
Thanks to the nursery school which they did
a good job by numbering trees with oil paint
that help they number all the big trees around
the village and the community also did the same
move at the trees planting area. Then the village
head call all the compound owner and told them
that if any one found logging any number trees
that person will face the court the trees has
been number by the children they are the future
and they need the trees since then no big trees
has cut but as you know I use to check the area
every two weeks
One fine day as I was doing my checking I found
two big mohogany trees cut down I feel so bad
that I was about to cry I asked the men who told
you to do so they rely me one mr badjie from
the forestry office I then when to the village
head I explain to him he told me tomorrow morning
we can go to Brikama office to find out
this problem. I went to the office with the village
head and Mr jammeh from the school we asked Mr
Badjie and we met him he told us that he told
those men to cut the trees the village head the
told him why did you not inform us because
we did good job there by numbering trees and
we planted over five thousand trees and now you
just go there and cut trees as you like then
Mr Badjie told us that they will never do that
again and he told us that if you the villager
need timbers you can go to the forest and cut
any trees you like we told him we need no timber
we like big trees so that why we number them
this area we planted trees is very good for birdwatcher
and through this project our nursery are getting
sponsors the project gave 11.000 to the school
because of painting trees so let this be your
first and last and he promise us that there will
be no logging again is the time we know that
this is his deal is for his pocket then we when
back to the forest.
We asked the men how much did you gave to Mr
Badjie they told us each trees five thousand
dalasis (£100) we want to forward the matter
to the high office but the village head told
us to wait until next time since
then all the big trees are free from the villager
and the so call forestry office. Now the only
problem is bush fire as we planted big area about
300m by 200m which will take more time to clear
the four side as we use to do every year and
this time around we have
plans for it but we need more support from the
community at the moment we are building a photo
hide which is sponsor by exmoore falconry they
sponsored digging the water hole last dry season
and now all the
cattle and birds use to drink there so now all
the cattle owner and school are behind the project.
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