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Momodou
Denmark
11634 Posts |
 Posted - 28 Apr 2018 : 14:47:42
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Bijilo Forest Park (Aka Monkey Park) is among the famous park for ecotourism sites in The Gambia, creating huge revenue for the Gambian Government. The park serves as the purpose of Scientific and educational research for students and researcher in The Gambia and abroad.
The park provides a sanctuary for the endangered species of Western Red Colobus( Procolobus badius), African Rosewood (Pterocarpus erinaceus), Rhun palm (Borassus aethiopum) and some migratory species of birds. In addition, the area act as natural wall against windstorm to protect the communities of Bijilo and Kerr Serigne as well as help in controlling Coastal erosion. The forest park also provides economic incentives to 100s of local tourist guides who depend on the park as their main source of livelihood.
The forest park is under threat of deforestation to construct a Presidential Villa, Shopping Mall and Luxurious 5* Hotel in a highly ecological sensitive area like monkey park. These mentioned developments will result to a huge negative impact on the scenic beauty of the area, and ecotourism in The Gambia, and as well disturb the ecological functions of the park in supporting biodiversity and conservation in The Gambia of having a great impact on the threatened and endangered species inhabiting the forest park.
Though Forest Parks in Gambia did not fall under the IUCN categories of protected areas but based on our own standards, the area is a strict nature reserve area that is legally gazette as a State Forest Park and it is seen as efforts of Gambia’s fulfillment towards meetings its international obligations to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and UN Convention to Combat Desertification.
The question (s) now is what is the future of Monkey Park? Are we going to embrace for massive wildlife rescue in the park? What are we going to report to the next Conference of Parties on Climate Change and Desertification? What response is GTB/Ministry of Tourism going to say at the next British Birdwatching Fair in Rutland, UK? Do we have plans to develop our road network to accommodate the traffic? The opportunity cost of losing Bijilo Forest Park is far beyond the benefits of the proposed projects. It's a big blow to our face and the efforts of the Gambia German Forestry Project are on the verge of going in vain. We can't continue to see investments winning in taking over our natural resources, and our poor vulnerable communities to carry the burden of the impacts of climate change and natural disasters.
This is yet another food on the plate of the National Environment Agency, Gambia Tourism Board, Ministry of Environment, and Department of Parks & Wildlife Management to chew. Help us save our little Gambia, by adding your signature in expressing our concerns to the relevant authorities!!!
Let's help conserve our remaining wildlife resources! Let's empower ecotourism to flourish! Let's reaffirm our commitments to the Banjul Declarations!
This petition will be delivered to:
Ministry of Environment, Climate Change & Natural Resources
National Environment Agency
Gambia Tourism Board
http://www.getpetition.com/petitions/help-save-bijilo-forest-park
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11634 Posts |
Posted - 02 May 2018 : 09:18:13
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Statement made by the then President Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara (DK) in 1977, aimed at calling attention for the need to protect The Gambia's quickly vanishing flora and fauna.
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11634 Posts |
Posted - 02 May 2018 : 20:18:04
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An Open Letter to His Excellency President Adama Barrow to Defend our Environment & Natural Resources
Foroyaa: May 2, 2018
http://foroyaa.gm/an-open-letter-to-his-excellency-president-adama-barrow-to-defend-our-environment-natural-resources/
Dear His Excellency Mr. Barrow,
I’m writing to contribute to your efforts to rebuild and reshape the economy of our beloved country. I believe your administration must be aware of the numerous environmental issues across the length and breadth of the country. Mr. President we knew that you have inherited a country which was and is still battling with severe environmental problems such as unsustainable commercial sand mining along the southern coastline of the country, deforestation, overfishing in the Gambian water, poor waste-management, trade in endangered tree species such as Rosewood, and improper zoning of development projects in highly ecological sensitive areas among others. Mr. President last year, many environmentalists both locally and internationally have raised our concerns about the construction of Gambia International Conference Centre right at the heart of Bijilo Monkey Park. Months after laying the foundation of this facility we came to realize that other plans are on the way to build a Presidential Villa, an Ultra-Modern Shopping Mall, and 5 – Star Resort. His Excellency your personal attention and action to towards the political ecology of the Gambia could make a whole lot of difference in what surely will be the most important matter of our time and to the best interest future generations.
Mr. President for your attention Bijilo Forest Park is among the famous ecotourism sites in The Gambia, popularly visited by tourists staying in and around Senegambia – Bakotu Resort area, and thus creating huge revenue for the Gambian Government and as well provides employment opportunities for local youths as tourist guides. The park also serves as a unique study site for students and researcher interested in ecology and conservation in The Gambia. The park also provides a sanctuary for the endangered species of Western Red Colobus Monkey (Procolobus badius), African Rosewood (Pterocarpus erinaceus), Rhun palm (Borassus aethiopum) and is also a unique birding spot. The park serves as a natural defence against windstorm to the communities of Bijilo and Kerr Serigne, it as well supports in regulating coastal erosion. Mr. President your administration’s plans of identifying the park to build a Presidential Villa, an Ultra-Modern Shopping Mall, and 5 – Star Resort in this highly ecological sensitive area will result to a huge negative ecological impacts on the biodiversity and as well on conservation efforts of protecting threatened and endangered species inhabiting the forest park, and it will also disturb the advancement of ecotourism in The Gambia.
Your Excellency, I wonder whether there was any socio-ecological baseline study conducted towards the construction of Gambia International Conference Center in Bijilo Monkey Park and as well about the new proposed building projects on the pipeline, to look into the following: 1) what is going to be the future of the Monkeys at the Park? 2) What are we going to report to the next Conference of Parties on Climate Change and Desertification? 3) What information is Gambia Tourism Board / Ministry of Tourism going to explain to Birders visiting the country? 4) Do we have a road network to accommodate the traffic for the Presidential Villa, an Ultra-Modern Shopping Mall, and 5 – Star Resort during the rush hours of The Bertil Herding Highway? 5) What is going to be the future of youths who used the park as their livelihood source? 6) Would the proposed project result in the generation of waste that cannot be recycled, reused, or disposed of in an environmentally and socially sound manner? 7) Is the proposed project likely to negatively affect the income levels or employment opportunities of vulnerable groups? Mr. President upon pondering over the few mentioned questions, I am hereby appealing to your administration to consider ceasing any future development plans at Bijilo Monkey Park on bases of socio-ecological concerns of the citizenry and friends of The Gambia.
Your Excellency, yes it’s true we knew that the meeting industry is not yet fully realised in the Gambia, and has not been substantially contributing the economic growth of destination like other destinations such as Singapore, Australia, Germany, London, Kenya, and South Africa etc. In this vein, for the Gambia to truly attract and host The Organization of Islamic Cooperation and other International, and Sub-regional events to create employment opportunities and enhance tourism market in the country, however, I hope that your administration should look into the opportunities of decentralizing development projects to other parts of the country.
His Excellency your office, through the Ministry of Tourism and Culture and line ministries, may develop a meeting industry development master-plan for the country if there is none, which should put into account the political ecology of the country. The Meeting Industry Masterplan of The Gambia should be a well oriented strategic plan exclusively for promoting the meeting industry in The Gambia, with emphasis on policies, strengthening institutional capacities, establishing a Meeting Incentive Convention & Exhibition planning and marketing office, developing a marketing and promotion master plan, develop the necessary human resource to run and manage the Gambia International Conference Center and as well put environmental issues into account. We got the vibrant cultures, well-designed hotels, great hospitality and good accessibility from most European and African countries. The environmental scenic area of the country can immensely contribute to the realisation of your development plans and strong policy emphasis should be placed on protecting the country’s remaining fauna and flora.
Your Excellency we have a responsibility as a nation to our future generations and to the world in building a country of prosperity for all, of which environmental issues cannot be seen as a simple subject but an integral of your development endeavours. I think it’s high time the Gambia as a country places emphasis on environmental quality measures and as well work on ISO certification of projects in The Gambia.
In conclusion, I respectfully appeal to you to look into the plight of the citizens and friends of The Gambia addressing environmental issues to your government both at home and away. We see environmental issues in the country as our responsibility to protect our environmental resources and maintain a clean environment that is sustainable for future generation. Mr. President, The Gambian people are highly optimistic that you are the CHANGE that the country has been yearning for and please prove us right in protecting Bijilo Monkey Park and as well address other environmental issues across the country. We count on your utmost consideration.
Sincerely Yours,
Omar A J Saho |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11634 Posts |
Posted - 03 May 2018 : 09:01:03
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*The destruction of Bijilo Forest Park
By: Dr Roy Armstrong -University of Cumbria, U.K*
It is with great sadness that I hear that Bijilo Forest Park is to be destroyed. I have worked in the park for many years with undergraduate students and studied a wide range of species.
Of particular concern is the impact this will have on Temminck’s red colobus monkeys, a critically endangered (that is the last stage before extinction) species that until recently occurred at probably the highest population density in the world. The loss of habitat for 80-100 individuals of a species with an estimated global population of only 1,500 is a disaster for attempts to avoid the extinction of this species. Anywhere else in the world, such a plan would be illegal or, only supported by well-funded, large-scale mitigation measures. The perilous state of this species is reflected in current attempts by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to develop an emergency global action plan. Bijilo Forest Park was listed as a key site in the draft of this plan but will now have to be removed.
Any attempts to capture and move the remaining Temminck’s red colobus will damage at least some of the monkeys and all care must be taken not to spread diseases known to occur in Bijilo monkeys to sites where the disease does not currently occur. The Green monkeys will also suffer. Any attempts to move them must ensure that family groups remain together and that they are not moved to areas with existing populations – that would only result in increased aggression and competition that would inevitably lead to starvation/death of introduced or native monkeys. Again, ALL EFFORTS must be made to ensure that the moved monkeys do not transmit diseases to unaffected areas. If this happens, not only will we lose the Bijilo Forest Park population, but we may lose any populations in the translocation sites.
Bijilo Forest Park has been a major eco-tourism resource to The Gambia for many years and its loss will result in further degradation of the country’s natural resources. It is home for many species, including mongooses, porcupines, genets, squirrels and 2-spotted palm civet (1 of only 3 known sites in The Gambia).
The Gambia should be looking to support its special wildlife. In view of the lack of other natural resources, the re-establishment of lost native species could revolutionise the economy. East Africa relies on safari tourism and there is no reason why The Gambia could not offer an even better experience. The eco-tourism potential for restoration of lost species is massive; just think Giraffe, Elephant, Water buffalo, Leopard, African Painted Dog, 5 species of antelope and even Lion. At a time when The Gambia and its wildlife should be looking forward, it is looking backwards. A sad state of affairs indeed and a clear lack of vision from those in positions of power. |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Petition for the preservation of Bijilo Forest P.
