By Talibeh Hydara
The Gambia government is set to de-reserve parts of the Abuko Nature Reserve.
Currently being discussed at cabinet level, the decision to de-reserve some portions of the nature reserve came after a ministerial taskforce visited the site in July 2023 to assess the level of community encroachment.
The task force, comprising ministers, directors and village heads, also visited a disputed land in Lamin CDC.
The Standard understands that the taskforce learned from the Department of Parks and Wildlife that all four communities bordered with the nature reserve have encroached on the land with a total of nine football fields by Abuko, Kunkujang, Banjulinding, and Wellingara.
It is however not clear whether the taskforce had recommended the de-reservation but a short update from a cabinet meeting yesterday announced that Lands Minister Hamat Bah made a presentation on de-reserving parts of the nature reserve.
It also said allocating parcels of land in Lamin for a national stadium and a sporting facility is being considered too.
In November 2023, the government was heavily criticized for de-gazetting parts of Bijilo Forest Park and Nyaniberi Forest Reserve.
Environment Minister Rohey Manjang had said those decisions were made to protect communities which have already encroached on the reserves as the alternative would have been to evict them.
In 2022, a similar request by the environment ministry regarding de-gazetting parts of the Niumi National Park failed to materialse.
Abuko Nature Reserve is the most visited tourist site in The Gambia.
Created in 1968, thousands of people visit the reserve annually to watch birds, primates and reptiles.
