By Louise Jobe
The Environment Protection group, and an affiliated group in Gunjur, in collaboration with Gunjur Conservation Group, embarked on a massive tree planting exercise at the famous Kofung private forest and garden in Gunjur on Saturday, 31st August 2024.
The turnout was remarkable, leading to the planting of five thousand different varieties of trees at one of the oldest forests in Gunjur, owned by an individual, Dr. Nyambi Touray.
Mr Ahmed Manjang, the Chairman of Gunjur Conservation Group, said Kufung forest has more than a thousand different varieties of trees that are hardly found in any forest in the Gambia. He said this forest, owned by Dr Touray, is not only a forest but also serves as a saviour of the community and a research centre for both university students and college students as well as bird watchers in Kombo South District.
“There are a lot of retired government civil service personnel who should be inspired by Dr Touray’s remarkable achievements in forest intervention after his retirement,” he said.
“Dr Touray is an environmental activist who leads by example when it comes to Environment activism. He encourages the young people to do more tree planting,” he expressed.
Mr Lamin Mbakau Jammeh, Chairman of the concerned group of Gunjur, gave a brief run-down of Dr Touray’s legacy.
He said Dr. Nyambi Touray, a retired veterinary doctor living in Gunjur, had spent all his life serving the country as a doctor.
Since his retirement, Jammeh said he (Touray) strongly committed himself to reserving his land as a forest and started planting different species of trees from different countries.
During his visits to many countries like India, Pakistan, China, and others, he said Dr. Touray always brought fruit seeds of different varieties and planted them in this forest for experiments.
Finally, Jammeh urged other Kabilo members and land owners in Gunjur and the surrounding areas to imitate Dr. Touray in tree planting and not engage in illegal sand mining or land business.
