Africa-Press – Gambia. In a bid to strengthen grassroots climate resilience and restore forest cover, the youth of Saaba Biran Bantang, in partnership with the ST Foundation on Environment Award, carried out a large-scale tree planting exercise on Sunday.
The exercise was held in the Fanmaji Yiriwa Kafo Community Forest, located in the North Bank Region. The initiative, themed, “Let’s Plant for the Planet,” saw the planting of 200 trees, including 60 gmelina and 40 mahogany seedlings. It marks the second reforestation effort by the community and forms part of a broader national campaign to mitigate the impacts of climate change through ecosystem restoration.
Ebrima Ceesay, a youth representative, reaffirmed the group’s commitment to working closely with the ST Foundation to contribute to the ambitious national goal of planting one million trees.
“We believe young people must lead from the front in climate action,” Ceesay said. “This collaboration strengthens local capacity, builds leadership, and enhances our role in forest regeneration and biodiversity conservation.”
Kawsu Saidy, President of the ST Foundation on Environment Award, praised the youth-led initiative, describing it as a model of community engagement in environmental stewardship. He revealed that the Foundation has already planted more than 536,000 trees nationwide and is optimistic that sustained efforts will help achieve the one-million-tree target.
“This partnership is not only about planting trees it’s about cultivating responsibility, environmental awareness, and youth empowerment,” Saidy noted. He also announced that a dedicated monitoring team will oversee the survival of the planted trees, with regular site visits to track growth and impact.
Community leaders, including Alkalo Nyama Sighate and elder Alagie Ceesay, lauded the initiative as timely, noting that deforestation and climate variability including declining rainfall and increased windstorms continue to threaten livelihoods across the North Bank Region.
The Fanmaji Yiriwa Kafo Community Forest, a protected area sustained by years of local vigilance against bushfires and illegal activities, is recognized as a vital habitat for wildlife and a key natural buffer against environmental degradation.
Adviser Njogu Ceesay and Youth Chairman Ousman Suso emphasized that the tree planting initiative forms part of an annual climate action agenda by the local youth, designed to promote sustainability, combat erosion, and restore soil productivity in the area.
Community member Karamo Jadama donated five gmelina seedlings and encouraged fellow residents to contribute to environmental protection efforts as a legacy for future generations.
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