Environment Minister Commends Bush Town Community for Forest Preservation
By: Dawda Baldeh
The Minister of Environment, Climate Change, and Natural Resources, Rohey John Manjang, has praised the Bush Town community in the Sami Constituency of the Central River Region North for their forest conservation efforts.
These commendations were given by the minister yesterday as part of her nationwide tour, which aims to inspect sites of projects focused on forest protection and preservation.
Following their visits to several forests in the Lower River Region and Central River Region, where deforestation rates are on the rise, the Minister and her delegation were delighted to discover a well-conserved forest in Bush Town.
“I have visited many places, but your forest is the best,” she told the residents.
“I am happy that you are protecting this forest by not engaging in coal burning, cutting down of trees, and other deforestation activities because trees play a vital role in our lives,” she added.
The Minister expressed her ministry’s unwavering commitment to support the community to preserve their forest.
As a result of the community’s commitment to protecting their forest from all forms of man-made destruction, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) project has constructed an Ecolodge Center in the village to serve as a source of income for the villagers.
The centre, located in the village will be used to host tourists visiting the forest which is rich in several pieces of wildlife including birds.
“Birdwatchers who want to come to the forest will be paying tickets and that money is for the village to have a source of income different from destroying the forest for short-term benefits,” said Njaga Touray, Deputy Executive Director for NEA and Focal Point for GEF 6 Project.
The Governor of the Central River Region, Ousman Bah, said the community of Bush Town is taking forest preservation seriously.
“These people don’t joke with their forest, and they are aware of the dangers of climate change which is affecting the world,” he said.
Governor Bah also commended the village for their efforts in ensuring the safety of the environment.
“Protecting the forest will benefit you and the generations to come,” he continued.
“Don’t allow the short-term benefits to destroy the forest and preserve it so that you can have bigger benefits.”
Other speakers at the site also re-echoed similar sentiments underscoring the significance of forest protection to address the effects of climate change.
Bush Town Forest is one of the most popular places that attracts tourists yearly due to its beauty and the presence of several wildlife animals.
The tour objective is to gain firsthand insight into the ongoing projects and initiatives undertaken by the Ministry to address environmental issues.
