Introduction:
 The
idea behind the Ballabu Conservation Project of Gambia is
to establish an 85 sq. km nature
reserve for wildlife which encompasses
14 villages in which each village will be designated a community
forest park to maintain as well as some local craft or eco-industries
such as lodges, agro-projects, skills
centres and recycling projects. The parks are located in such
a way so as to give create a natural strip of land as a
passageway for wild animals to freely move around between
villages. The Ballabu Conservation area is located on the South
bank of the River Gambia
and will extend north up to Banjul.
To achieve its aims the Makasutu
Wildlife Trust had set up the Ballabu Wildlife Conservation
Trust in late 2006.
More Information:
Another goal of Ballabu is to help reduce poverty among the local
population through sustainable development and all projects will
eventually pass on to the community to be wholly owned and operated.
The concept of the Ballabu Conservation Project
is to create an 85sq kilometre conservation area, incorporating
14 Gambian villages. Each village will have a community forest
park established, as well as some form of industry such as eco
lodges, recycling plants, skill training centres, agriculture
or livestock. The forest parks will also deliberately link up
to create a wildlife corridor to allow the safe passage of animals
through the villages.
The aim of the project is to alleviate poverty for the local people
by making each village self-sustaining. These projects will be
100 percent community owned with the profits going into community
development projects in the form of water resources, education,
healthcare and renewable energy. Still at an early stage, the
focus is currently on funding, but it is hoped that community
tours through the area will be offered from November 07 to highlight
the plight of rural Gambia to visitors to the country.
The two UK founders of Makasutu,
Lawrence Williams and James English, are the brains behind the
project and are strengthening support and partnerships for the
scheme both in The Gambia and overseas. The Eden Project is an
educational charity in Cornwall and is home to the world's largest
rainforest in captivity. Don Murray, curator of the Rainforest
Biome, visited Makasutu and attended the inaugural meeting of
the Ballabu Conservation Area.
Don Murray said:
"Visiting the surrounding villages and seeing for myself
the support Makasutu has from the village Elders and District
Chief has been fantastic. It really brings home that the
21st century demands the very best from us all as we try
and tackle climate change, drought, poverty and many other
issues. There is nothing more positive than seeing the Ballabu
initiative coming together and visualising the positive
effects it could have on the villages - it gives me real
hope."
Through the Eden Project's relationships with similar projects
from around the world it will offer guidance to the Ballabu Conservation
Project
specifically on areas to do with conservation, reforestation,
social enterprise and will also highlight the work of Ballabu
through an exciting exhibit within the Rainforest Biome.
The Mandina Lodges
at Makasutu (Makasutu
meaning holy forest) are themselves situated on a private 1,000-acre
reserve located on a small bolong / tributary off the River
Gambia, which Lawrence and James have protected and developed
since 1992. Holidaymakers visiting Makasutu can choose to stay
in one of their three Jungle Lodges (third jungle lodge very recently
completed), four Floating Lodges or one Stilted Lodge. The lodges
and river were featured on the front cover of the June 2006 edition
of the Bradt guide to The Gambia
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Attractions
Nature
Reserves
Resorts
 Abuko
Nature Reserve
Ballabu
Conservation
Bama
Kuno Forest
Bao
Bolong Wetland
Bijilo
Forest Park
Bolong
Fenyo
Kiang
West
Kunkilling
Forest Park
Makasutu Cultural Forest
Niumi
National Park
Pirang
Forest
River
Gambia Park
Tanbi
Wetlands
Tanji
Bird Reserve
Tumani
Tenda
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