The Green Trust, a community based organisation (CBO) in Pakalinding,, on Friday organised a two-day sensitisation forum on community forest concepts at the Trans-Gambia Lodge in Pakalinding village, Jarra West District of the Lower River Region (LRR).

The forum, funded by the Community Driven Development Project (CDDP) was attended by local authorities, security personnel, councillors, NGOs and forest officers as well as members of the Green Trust organisation.

In his opening remarks, Wally Sanneh, the deputy governor of the Lower River Region, complained about the rampant bush fires and indiscriminate use of forest resources in the Lower River Region. This, he said causes not only the degradation of our forest land but also negatively impact on agricultural production in the area.

Deputy Governor Sanneh went on to call on the communities in LRR especially Jarra to safe guard their environment, adding that the restoration of our national flora and fauna is everybody’s business. He saluted the Gambian leader for creating a conducive environment that paves the way for more development projects in the country.

Sanneh commended the Green Trust for taking up the challenges, while assuring them of his office’s support. He urged participants to take the forum seriously and build their capacities on community forest concepts. Speaking earlier, the co-ordinator of Green Trust, Ebrima Kinteh explained that few youths in Pakalinding came together and established Green Trust, adding that it was registered as a community based organisation since 2006.

According to him, his organisation's aims are to restore the country’s flora and fauna.Kinteh emphasised the forum is part of series of activities embarked upon by his organisation, adding that they worked closely with communities, schools and individuals. Amadou Jaiteh, the regional forestry officer in LRR who was also a resource person at the forum spoke at length on the need to safeguard our forest resources from exploitation. He seized the opportunity to urge the community to participate in community forest initiatives in order to make sure that our forest resources are sustained. Jaiteh went on to express his appreciation over the activities of the Green Trust, while encouraging them to continue the good work.

In his closing remarks at the end of the two-day sensitisation forum, the chairman of Green Trust organisation, Momodou L Fofana described the session as a very important one. He explained that the forum was meant to build the capacities of participants in safeguarding our forest. He called on participants to disseminate the information gathered from the forum among their colleagues.