National Forest Policy 2023-2032.

This Policy moves from the considerations that forest resources are crucial to the Gambian environment and economic development, and that the contents of the previous forest Policy, covering the period 2010-2019, need a better and more precise implementation. The Policy provides an overview of the forestry sector, its challenges, its international and sub-regional context, and the outcomes after the implementation of the previous Policy. While aiming at conserving and sustainably developing at least 30% forest cover in the country, the Policy envisions an integrated forest sector, in order to: ensure sustained environmental, economic, socio-cultural, and livelihood support benefits to the present and future generations; positively contribute to food security; and increase the integrity of the forest ecosystem.
The Policy defines the following objectives: strengthening the ecosystem services of all types of forests; implementing sustainable forest management and forest research; promoting the development of a forest-based industry for poverty reduction and rural areas improvement. The implementation of these objectives is guided by inspiring principles, such as good governance, integrated management, equity and inclusiveness, increasing investment through public-private partnership, and it is based on six Policy orientations: 1) promoting sustainable forest management and biodiversity conservation; 2) capacity development, training and research; 3) data and information capture, storage and dissemination; 4) development of a forest-based industry; 5) transparent governance; 6) funding sustainable forest management.