We the undersigned signatories of this petition want the Gambia government’s immediate intervention to put an end to the encroachments of the following community forests in Kombo Central district: ‘Bonsa’ of Nyofelleh Madina, ‘Wendu nette’ of Kassa kunda village and ‘Koto Balli’ of Manduar village. The aforementioned Community forests have been a source of contention between families, communities, and real estate agencies.  Sadly, the tree standing communities forest is a source of livelihood for nearby villages, it also provides sources of food, grazing, firewood and serves as a habitat for the remaining biodiversity species such as Bushbuck antelope, birds, small mammals, and primates.

The mentioned forests are among the first community reserves that have gone through Protections Management Phases by various stakeholders in the Gambia.  In the Second Republic, these mentioned forests recognized by the Department of Forestry. These forests are an important source of income generation particularly for women folks who gather fruits, firewood, and nuts and sell them to pay their kids school fees and as well support themselves.

It is disheartening to see the rapid disappearance of Gambia`s forests cover, and it is the duty of all patriotic citizens to promote environment protection for the benefit of both the present and future generations of this country. Illegal encroachment of community forests undermines climate change adaption efforts in the Gambia, and in addition, it impedes the stipulated objectives of government’s National Development Plan (NDP) of ensuring livelihoods security and combating climate change in The Gambia.

Based on the mentioned reasons, we are appealing for your endorsement of this petition to put an immediate stop the sales of gazette community forests in the Gambia without following due protocols. The survival of Kombo Central Communities forests should not be subject to or dependent on the erratic whims of fluctuating desires of any individual or corporate institution for their unsustainable self-interest or for economic gain. An attack on community forests in Kombo Central is an attack on Foresters, Environmentalists, and Conservationists in the Gambia, and it requires nothing less than our harshest possible response.

The rationale for this petition is to foster a renewed attitude of environmental stewardship which extends beyond human interest, forestall the commercialization of community forests, ensure stringent safeguards of protected areas against any form destruction, and to ensure severe and immediate consequences for violators of conservations efforts in the Gambia.

We thank you all for your uncompromising effort of endorsing this petition.