Mauritania Conserves Forests to Prevent Desert Encroachment
10/5/98
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Title: Mauritania Conserves Forests to Prevent Desert Encroachment
Source: Pana via CNN
Status: Copyrighted, contact source to reprint
Date: 10/5/98
Byline: Jedna Deida
NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania (PANA, 10/05/98) - Desert-prone Mauritania has made
it a policy to declare several areas which are still green along the
banks of River Senegal a protected forest reserves to prevent the further
disappearance of flora and fauna.
Three quarters of the country lies within the Saharan desert with less
than 100 mm of rain per year. The poor rainfall, the advancing desert and
over-grazing have empoverished the Mauritanian soils to the extent that
only patches of green cover exist here and there.
In the face with this hostile nature, the government also gazetted the
green areas along the Karakoro, a tributary of the River Senegal.
Gazetting of forests as reserves was initiated in 1939 when Gani forest in
Trarza was given that status by the French colonial administration.
Today, 30 of such gazetted forests exist in Mauritania covering 47,000
hectares. These forests are located in seven of the country's 13
provinces.
These forests, located between Hodh Echarghi in the country's southeast
and Trarza in the southwest, serve as bulwarks against desertification and
floods from two River Senegal dams, the Diama dam in Senegal and the
Manantali in Mali.
Environmentalists say the floods have helped a great deal in the
regeneration of areas covered with trees and grass.
It is for this reason that forestry constitutes an important component of
Mauritania's agricultural strategy.
Its objective since 1984 has been to "attain socio-economic balance" and
sustainable development through agroforestry.
Grassroot communities are actively involved in forest management and
protection. An example of this was the creation of the Gani Forestry
Cooperative in 1994 with financial support from the government.
Since then, the population managed to erect a fence around the 2, 200-
hectare forest with the technical support of the environment and rural
development department.
The example set by the people of Gani was emulated by communities in
Gorgol, Guidimagha, Assaba, Brakna and Hodh Echarghi provinces.
In Ghani, Tekane sub-district, the people ensure the protection of the
forest from where they reap substantial amounts of resources.
Consequently, they formed patrol groups to guard it against possible
"violators."
In spite of these efforts, human activities are still destroying certain
parts of the gazetted forests. In a rural setting, it is very difficult to
reconcile conservation requirements with the need for fuel wood.
However, since 1993, several campaigns have been undertaken to encourage
the utilisation of gas stoves instead of firewood for cooking.
But the issue remains unsettled because a good number of people still get
licences to fell trees, which eventually leads to abuse, as traders seek
more profits from the sale of wood.
Environmentalists believe the only way out is to raise public awareness
that the gazetted forests are the country's last shield slowing down the
desert's further encroachment.
Should these forests disappear, water sources would dry up while the River
Senegal, which is still protected by the few forests against sand dune
invasion, would be silted.