By Price J Musa in Kenema
Forest Conservation Organizations in Kenema eastern Sierra Leone have ended a four-day training of community development relations officers on the use of Geographical Information system.
Emura Kemoh Sowa, Project Coordinator for Papfor, Gola Forest explained that the project focuses on conservation of Gola landscape forest reserves with the objectives to ensure that structures are put in place for the management of community forestry within the forest reserve, adding that those structures will be responsible for maintaining the conservation drive of those forests.
“Our organizations can’t move ahead to maintain the forest management unless there is a better plan to be used through governance structures for the proper management plan of the forest and as well as co-management,” he said.
He said on the side of the community people, “we will be expecting them to have governance structures, develop bye-laws with penalties in case anybody become a defaulters in the management of the community forest” and “the community will have to make a sacrifice on their land which serves as their livelihood but an alternative livelihood source will be provided for the affected communities”.
Mr. Sowa said the formulation of by-laws is one of the governance structures that are intended to ensure community ownership of the project to attain a sustainable forest management.
The Project Coordinator Land use Planning and Co-management and Community Forestry, Patrick Dauda said the project will run for three years with three concepts which are land use planning, community forestry, and co-management.
He said, land use planning works with the forest edge communities by training them in how to preserve the natural resources especially when those forests are the livelihood of the people living in the forest edge communities, adding that the project will only succeed by working with the communities.
Patrick Dauda stated that, the component teaches the community people in a portion of land various land use methods such as farming, mining, hunting among others, and to manage conflict in making sure that those that have a portion of land in areas suitable for farming, mining and biodiversity transform into community forestry managed by the people.
The GIS consultant for the Training Gibril Sesay said the exercise will enable them to produce maps for presentation which the world may want to see and to benefit participants because it allows them to do their work on their own easily.
The consultant assured the participants that the training will broaden their knowledge about the process required in the use of GIS and the basic concept and scope in conducting survey.
Miatta Blessing Luama, a participant described the training as important because “I have been able to get some skills in using GIS and GPS in doing my work easily,”
She said, as Community Development Relation Officer they do community boundary, mapping of the community forestry which entails the use of GPS applications in doing their work especially data collection of the land surface.
The organizers say this is a Trans-boundary- project between Sierra Leone and Liberia with funds from the European Union.
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online
