By Prince J Musa in Kenema
As part of addressing forest degradation, Green Life Sierra Leone, together with the National Protected Area Authority (NPAA) and Green Life Africa have engaged community stakeholders in seven Gola Forest Chiefdoms on forest landscape restoration in Kenema.
Director of Green Life Sierra Leone, Moses Zombo said the venture is part of the Mano River Union (MRU) Ecosystem project which will enable the major stakeholders to show leadership in the management of natural resources in a responsible way in line with issues surrounding climate change and land degradation that pose a threat to communities.
He said the project focuses on Gola Rainforest areas around the National Park which he said are already under a strict protection regime. But he pointed out that the rest of the forests are outside the reserved area, with communities closer to the national park where mining, charcoal burning, lodging, and farming constitute landscape degradation.
Zombo stated that the aim of the project was to restore the landscape that had been degraded over the period, due to illegal human activities.
‘’This is to encourage traditional leaders to undertake commitment in fighting landscape degradation along the fringes of forest areas,’’ he said.
He said despite Gola Forest operation in the seven chiefdoms, the landscape degradation project is purely operating in two chiefdoms namely Koya and Barry chiefdoms.
’’We are aware that those forest areas are the source of livelihood of the community, but they have to do it responsibly so that will not threaten the livelihood of the present and future generation,’’ said Zombo.
He encouraged the audience to manage the forest in a sustainable way that will help them continue to benefit from it rather than doing things that will lead to poor farming yield and drought.
Paramount Chief of Koya chiefdom, Kenema district, Alamin Kanneh said the engagement creates more awareness in the communities and believed they are key in the process because their livelihood depends on the forest that’s been destroyed. He spoke highly of Green Life Sierra Leone and its partners and assured them that they as partners will take the lead in providing leadership and mentorship in mitigating some of those environmental problems to protect the current situation for even the benefit of the future generation.
‘’We will take full leadership to this project,’’ he assured.
He commended the Green Life Africa/ Sierra Leone and the MRU ecosystem project for providing the enabling environment for them and affirmed their commitment to the sustainability of the project.
Theresa Koroma from Women’s Organization in Gaura Chiefdom thanked the organizers for what she described as their guiding principles in protecting their environment. She said they solely depend on the forest to support their family and their children’s education.
She agreed that the felling of trees, logging, mining, poaching, and other environmental damages needed to be put under control, otherwise she warned future generations will face more serious challenges over climate change and global warming.
Copyright © 2022 Politico (13/07/22)
