Led by the ABS Project under the Nagoya Protocol, the clean-up targeted dumping hotspots within the forest reserves that have gradually been transformed into informal waste sites by surrounding communities. Conservation officials and volunteers removed large volumes of accumulated household and commercial waste from protected areas, particularly in Nyambia and Kabafita forests.
Communities such as Jalabang, Nyambai, Kabafita and Farato Bojang Kunda were identified as some of the areas where indiscriminate dumping has intensified, with reports indicating that waste collectors also travel from distant locations to dump refuse illegally in the forests.
Speaking during the exercise, the Director of Forestry, Lieutenant Colonel Salifu Corr, expressed serious concern over the scale of environmental degradation uncovered.
“Looking at what is happening in the forest, there is a lot of illegal dumping, and this is definitely not helping,” he said, describing the situation as alarming and unsustainable.
Lt. Col. Corr disclosed that authorities are rolling out comprehensive measures to prevent future illegal dumping, noting that the clean-up marks only the first phase of a broader intervention. He revealed plans to fence off the affected forest areas early next year, alongside the installation of CCTV surveillance systems to deter offenders.
Other planned interventions include intensified community outreach and education programmes, as well as stricter enforcement of existing anti-dumping laws.
“We are doing everything possible to reach out to the communities, especially those living around Nyambia and Kabafita forests,” he said. “We are engaging them and explaining how harmful it is to dump waste in these protected areas.”
The cleansing exercise aims not only to remove existing waste but also to promote long-term forest conservation and improved waste management practices. Officials emphasised the close link between forest health and water security, noting that continued dumping poses serious risks to underground water sources relied upon by surrounding communities.
Technical Coordinator of the Nagoya Protocol ABS Project, Alpha Kargbo, warned that much of the waste found in the forests is hazardous and could contaminate groundwater if left unchecked.
“Some of the waste we are seeing is hazardous. If it dissolves into the ground, it can pollute the groundwater,” Mr Kargbo cautioned.
He explained that forests serve as critical recharge zones where water seeps into the water table, making pollution particularly dangerous. “The easiest way to destroy a nation is through its water sources and food sources,” he added, underscoring the national security implications of environmental degradation.
The clean-up initiative is part of the ABS Project, which implements the Nagoya Protocol, an international agreement that promotes the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources, while encouraging environmental sustainability, community participation and biodiversity conservation.
Project officials said the exercise represents the beginning of a long-term strategy to restore and protect the forests from further degradation.
“As a project, we felt it was important to start with cleaning up the forest,” Mr Kargbo said. “After this, we intend to put strong measures in place to ensure that this menace does not continue.”
Environmental experts note that the illegal dumping crisis in Nyambia and Kabafita forests reflects broader waste management challenges rapidly growing communities face in The Gambia. In the absence of adequate formal waste disposal infrastructure, forests are increasingly used as convenient dumping grounds, accelerating environmental damage.
