Integrated Participatory Forest Resources Management Projects
The GTZ financed Gambian German Forestry Project (GGFP) was established in 1980 as one of the first projects in the sub-sahelian region which focused on natural forest management instead of afforestation strategies based on plantation forests. In 1991 Community Forestry was introduced and seven years later this approach has been integrated in the National Forest Legislation. The project assisted the Forest Administration in creating the necessary institutional and legal framework for forest sector development and in implementing the community forestry approach on regional and local level. Subsequently, the GTZ/ KfW financed Central River Division Forestry Project (CRDFP), and the EC financed Upper River Division Forestry Project (URDFP) supported the introduction of sustainable forestry and the initiation of community forests, which aimed at the prevention of bush fires and the reduction of illegal logging.
Our contribution:
- Forest policy advice and adjustment of the legislative framework.
- Realization of the first and second forest inventories, assessment of forest resources and elaboration of forest management plans for forest parks and com-munity forests.
- Implementation of new approaches in "Central River Division" and "Upper River Division", introduction of participatory forest resources management, improvement of managerial capacity of divisional forestry staff.
- Promotion of sustainable integrated forest management, incl. construction of fire breaks, reforestation and enrichment planting, infrastructure development, controlled grazing, Market Analysis and Development (FAO) for sustainable utilisation and commercialization of wood and Non-Timber Forest Products.
Further information:
Community forestry in Africa
Gambia’s Community Forest Policy received the Silver Awards
Watch this movie: "Saving The Gambian Forests Through Participatory Forest Management" (2004).
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