Forum endorses reforestation

The National Committee on the UNESCO-sponsored Kankurang Centre in Janjanbureh has joined the list of individuals and organisations throughout The Gambia and beyond in calling for the planting of more trees to replace the fast fading forest cover.

The National Committee in collaboration with the department of Forestry, headed by Sainey Cham, divisional forestry officer for Janjanbureh, the Department of State for Tourism and Culture, and the National Centre for Arts and Culture have unanimously endorsed plans to set up seedling centres throughout the country, especially in places where the Kankurang tradition is found, and to plant more trees to replace those fading out due to unprecedented felling of trees used in making of Kankurang.

The committee singled out trees such as the Camel foot tree - “fara”, and Mahogany as being among the endangered tree species that need more attention. The meeting also recommended methods such as manual and chemical processing of the camel foot tree seeds for planting in order to meet the high demand on them for the Kankurang tradition.

Sainey Cham, divisional forestry officer, Janjanbureh and a member of the national committee, assured the meeting of his department’s readiness to work with local communities in tree planting.