Monkey Park Restoration
The Bijilo Forest Park & Nature Trail (Monkey Park) was established in 1951. The species rich, fenced woodland was gazetted in 1952 and covers an area of 51.3 hectares (126 acres / about half a square km), and is on the Atlantic Ocean beach at the southern end of the Senegambia area of Kololi. It has a total length of 1,500 meters parallel to the coast and width of 350 meters, and the soils are deep and well drained. The protected nature reserve is comprised primarily of a closed canopy forest with a significant number of rhun palms, and with a relatively thin strip of herbaceous dune vegetation.
Between 1951 to 1956 the only land management activity implemented was the clearing of fire lines along the boundaries on both sides of the fence. In 1977 the park was re-surveyed by the Department of Forestry and again in 1982, this was followed by an inventory of the park. A nature trail was created by the Gambian-German Forestry Project in 1991, when the area was made open to the public, and now receives about 23,000 visitors a year.
The Park is also serving an academic purpose for students studying behavioural ecology many zoologist and professors have conducted research in the Bijilo ecotourism park.
How the project started:
Under the leadership of former President Yahya Jammeh, the government began the destruction of the site to build an Islamic Conference Centre. We put up a fight against it through grassroots mobilization and dialogue with authorities and politicians behind this horrendous act.
The Gambia and particularly the Office of the President in relation to a letter sent to the Ministry of Lands & Regional government dated the 18th April, 2018 requesting for the de-reservation of the Monkey Park for the construction of a five star hotel, Presidential Villas and an ultra-modern shopping mall yet requesting it to be “urgent & in-confidence”.
As an organization we stood against the construction of the OIC conference center in the Park, reclaimed part of the destroyed area and replanted it in the best interest of the life that is on that land, one of which is the critically endangered western red colobus monkey. The park was demarcated by nature trails and the green area of the park that houses most of the foliage plants that serve as the food source of the primates in the park has been badly destroyed and forcing the monkeys to flee the park in search of food. They go into the cities and tourist areas and hotels and even in residential homes as far as 7km away. They face risk of attack from the population traffic dangers and behavioral change they could be critically endangering the population and themselves as they may be carries of diseases.
Current status:
A successful fundraising was conducted, and a bore whole has been provided to continue watering the trees planted.
A pound had been repaired and an additional pound has been constructed.
Watering equipment's a hose pipe, watering can and water drums have been purchased for the up-keep of the trees.
112 Mahogany trees Planted , 15 Baobabs, 10 Silk cotton tree ,10 Palm trees, 40 Kaba plants and 2 locust bean tree.
Looking ahead
Preparation for seedling propagation to coordinate green-ups reforestation efforts. This park is now proposed to help Green-up achieve its million tree target .
The site is ideal for propagating seedlings especially those that are critically endangered and native to the park.
Recommendations
Establish bird watching towers.
Establish photo hides
Fencing off the park
Rehabilitation of nature trails