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The Gambia
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Forest resources in Nianmina East
In both Kiang West and Niamina East, there has been a significant decline in clearing of forest for cropping while in Nianija the situation remained unchanged, according to the respondents. The declining trend in Kiang West was attributed to emigration from the community and the associated decline in crop cultivation. The main reason given for the decline in clearing of forest for cropping in Niamina East was crop pest problem which forced many farmers to locate their farms away from the forest to near the villages. There has not been any change in area of forest cleared for cropping in Nianija because of the strict enforcement of forest law by the forest service officials. This shows that strong enforcement of forest law is necessary for the preservation of forest resources and consequently, the habitat of endemic ruminant livestock.
However, the enforcement of forest law did not deter harvest of non timber products from the forest in Nianija. Similar increasing trend in harvest of forest products was reported in Kiang West. Reasons given for this trend were declining food security due to demographic pressure which compelled more people to consume wild plants and products, and increasing awareness of the commercial value of the forest products and sale. In terms of biodiversity, a declining trend was reported in all the sites. According to the respondents, the decline was attributed to uncontrolled bush fire, hunting of wildlife and variability in rainfall patterns. These results suggest that clearing of forest for cropping is not a problem in all the project sites and the protected areas in both Kiang West and Niamina East have been preserved. However, there has been increase in harvest of forest products. The results also show that enforcement of forest law and regulations is essential to sustainable forest management, which is necessary for the conservation of the habitat of endemic ruminant livestock in the project sites.
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Project Sites