The West African Bird Study Association implemented youth Eco-bridge Project in 2021 funded by UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) The Gambia PACD 00120570 PACD GAMBIA Programme (Component 5 on Sustainability) supported the Regional Eco brigade Project to the to plant trees, increase greenhouse gas sink, reverse the trend of Land/environmental degradation and create green job opportunities for youth. The successful implementation of this programme requires a strong partnership between Government institutions as well as a strong collaboration with other actors including the private sector. .
This project directly responds to Trac 2 facility objectives relative to partnership building and integrated solutions to address the SDGs focusing on climate change mitigation and adaptation, youth and women’s employment and empowerment. UNDP will tap into its high-impact innovations including the 10-cube initiative and the PACD GAMBIA to gain quick wins in greening the region. The 10-cube initiative instigates massive youth mobilization and co-creation with youth through volunteerism and eco-entrepreneurship in the Sahel
The Gambia Red Cross Society and National Youth Council and in partnership with UNDP conduct planting exercise in the North Bank Region of The Gambia through the involvement of volunteers. The planting will be undertaken with technical support from the relevant technical Departments: mainly the Departments of Forestry and Parks & Wildlife Management. This project will give WABSA, GRCS and NYC youth volunteers the opportunity to continue their participation in climate change mitigation and adaptation activities and the promotion and strengthening of livelihood initiatives in NBR.
The West African Bird Study Association and its partner NGO in Senegal NCD implemented GRAND SALOUM MANGROVE PROJECT .The project covers nine country in west Africa funded EU,PBLO. The project title Capacity building and improvement of the living conditions of local communities through the sustainable development of the natural resources of the mangrove ecosystems of the Niumi-Saloum Transboundary Biosphere Reserve the project target three village in Gambia and three village in Senegal
The project seek to address problem facing the Biosphere which comprises of encroachment of land degradation through agricultural expansion, on the mainland and in the wetlands the main problem involves intruders also using wrong fishing gears at the spawning areas overexploitation of mangrove which creates Coastal erosion and aquatic biodiversity. The small and medium enterprises (SME) in Niumi and Delta du Saloum Biosphere inadequate capacity on Market and Development analysis on the sustainable exploitation of the marine products, also the sustainable collection, management, processing, package and labeling of shellfish resources need to be supported To reduce pressure on marine resources due to overexploitation, unsustainable oyster farming in trans-boundary Biosphere, coupled with weak regulations and policies.
The West African Bird Study Association (WABSA) in The Gambia is in the process to become Birdlife Africa Partner in the Gambia. In October 2019the Birdlife Partnership and Capacity Development Coordinator helped WABSA to develop an organizational strengthening plan; to identify priority activities for 2021. Based on the Strengthening Plan, the priority activities identified for 2021-2022 are :
The West Africa Bird Study Associationn implements Regional project Title: Emergency conservation actions to prevent further killings of Critically Endangered vultures for belief-based use related to trade in West African countries
The IUCN Red List status of African-Eurasian vultures has drastically worsened in recent years. With the majority listed as Critically Endangered, they are the most threatened avian group. The mass poisoning of vultures across Africa has been the primary cause of their rapid demise, with populations plummeting by up to 97% over the last 50 years, and annual declines being largest in West and East Africa. Since the end of 2019 suspected deliberate and systematic mass poisonings have led to the mortality of more than 2,000 Critically Endangered Hooded Vultures in Guinea-Bissau. This is driven by trade in vulture and vulture parts for belief-based use. Poisoning events on this scale have the potential to decimate already struggling populations of these critically endangered vultures. It is therefore imperative that we scale up this work immediately. This project will step up initial emergency action in Guinea-Bissau, The Gambia and Senegal to address this emerging crisis, which is likely to worsen in times of instability. The project will combine immediate intelligence gathering, the setting up of effective working partnerships, capacity building for enforcement agencies, education for stakeholder groups and direct engagement with traditional healers and wildlife product traders, duplicating effective interventions being implemented in Nigeria.
Alongside the team organize five meetings to sensitization abattoir managers, livestock owners, vet nary, traditional healer, Butchers, meat vendors’ and Public health officers, the team elaborates on the importance of the population within abattoirs across its range and there is the threat of significant to avoid using of chemicals that may affect both domestic animals and human beings such as (e.g DDT and other chemicals to killed vultures for ritual and sacrifice purposes. The major threat recorded for these vultures in the abattoir, includes human disturbances, negative attitudes and lack of awareness of the importance of the species. This sensitization will make the actors be aware of threats that may affect the population status of vulture and their feeding patterns in the country for ensuring long-term conservation measures.
The West African Bird study Association Implemented Banjul ostend City Link partnership for sustainable city development project funded by European Union under the 2018 EuropeAid called Authorities: partnership for sustainable cities.
The project seeks to beautify the city landscape, thereby mitigating the adverse effects of climate change and preventing coastal erosion and desertification.
Under the greening Banjul component of the project, one of the planned activities is the planting mangroves in Tanbi wetland reserve were WABSA planted mangroves
The West African Bird Study Association WABSA organized an anti-littering campaign in Banjul the areas covered are as follows, Albert Market, Banjul Fish landing site, and Banjul ferry terminal. All for three days.
The team of WABSA staff and volunteers conducted the campaign. On each of the sites the WABSA volunteers and staff talk about the anti-littering bill regulations, Anti littering fines for the defaulters, and the importance of reusing reduce and recycle of waste.
Monitoring of bird species is an important tool for any future conservation measures. Birds have been an important indicator of the environment, monitoring their population dynamics and ecological requirements is vital in this project’s activities. The West African Bird Study Association conducted monthly bird monitoring activities in the Tanbi Wetland complex. This activity also serves as a platform for the young WABSA volunteers to be able to identify bird species and were trained on both monitoring techniques and bird counting methods by one of WABSA bird’s experts. The following species are recorded.
The West African Bird Study Associantion WABSA is part of a consortium,CONSERVATION OF THE MANGROVE IN THE GAMBIA THROUGH REDD+ PROJECT
The Gambia is situated on the Atlantic coast of West Africa (Lat 13°-17° N/ Long13°- 17°W) and, apart from its coastline of about 80km, is entirely enclosed by Senegal. The Gambia’s greatest strength lies in its natural resources and about 50% of the economically active population works in the agricultural and forestry sectors (Gambia National Report, 2012). In the Gambia, the mangrove is located at the edge of Bondali-Tenda, a small village in The Gambia near the border with Senegal’s Casamance region, also lies a mangrove forest through the Bintang Bolong, the largest tributary of the River Gambia.
This Blue carbon project in The Gambia’s Mangrove aims at promoting sustainable utilization, conserving and restoring the mangrove, and also helping communities living around the mangrove cope. The project’s activities will include:
– Promotion and sensitization of the communities living around the mangrove on conservation and sustainable utilization
– Reforestation and conservation of the mangrove;
– Improve mangrove forest management through a regulated cut that favours mangrove regeneration
– Improvement of the agricultural productivity of farmers around project site through soil fertilization techniques;
– Promotion of other income-generating activities to reduce logging for sale
– Reduction of pressure on mangroves through zoning and the introduction of a specific period of fishing;
Train local communities in sustainable resource management
This Blue carbon project in The Gambia’s Mangrove aims at promoting sustainable utilization, conserving and restoring the mangrove, and also helping communities living around the mangrove cope. The project’s activities will include:
– Promotion and sensitization of the communities living around the mangrove on conservation and sustainable utilization;
– Reforestation and conservation of the mangrove;
– Improve mangrove forest management through a regulated cut that favours mangrove regeneration
– Improvement of the agricultural productivity of farmers around project site through soil fertilization techniques;
– Promotion of other income-generating activities to reduce logging for sale;
– Reduction of pressure on mangroves through zoning and the introduction of a specific period of fishing;
