Key policies and governance approach

As a result of the decentralisation of policy-making implemented in 1996, local authorities have a high degree of autonomy over the management of land use and natural resources, including forests [8].  

The National Forest Policy (2005-2025) emphasizes capacity building within a decentralized institutional framework for effective implementation of programmes to curb forest and soil degradation and biodiversity loss, while also targeting livelihood support and poverty reduction. In 2014, this policy was updated due to concerns around the impact of climate change, but also better mangrove ecosystem management and the fight against bushfires. Grounded on the principle of decentralisation and the fight against poverty, the main objective of the policy is to contribute to poverty reduction by promoting sustainable management and conservation of biodiversity and forest resources, reaching a socio-environmental balance, but also meeting the needs of the population [8].

To counter illegal logging, in 2018, Senegal approved a new Forest Code and a decree that laid out the modalities for forest product exploitation. This includes toughened penalties; strengthening forestry staff; employing the Senegalese army; developing a project on the Sustainable Management of Coastal and Estuarine Ecosystems; organizing press tours; and creating the Senegalese Reforestation Agency [12].

In addition, Senegal signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Gambia to improve the sustainable management of transboundary forests. The MoU focuses on stabilizing and strengthening forest carbon stocks, ensuring that forests and trees contribute more to the food security of local populations, and strengthening national and subnational forest authorities to improve forest governance and policing. Thus far, the MoU has reduced illegal timber trafficking and improved the sustainable management of cross-border forests [15].

Successes and Remaining Challenges

To protect mangrove ecosystems, Senegal has established parks and several non-governmental organizations and environmental groups have launched mangrove-planting projects. The Saloum and Casamance deltas, in particular, have been a focus of “blue carbon” restoration efforts, with Livelihoods reporting that it planted more than 79 million trees in the two deltas. As a result, Senegal’s mangroves have experienced significant regeneration and expansion since 2000, according to a satellite-based analysis by NASA scientists. Over the 16-year period, the scientists measured an expansion totalling 48 km², or 2 percent. They observed regeneration across 148 km², an increase of 6 percent [16].

Despite multiple efforts of the government and development partners to reverse the deforestation process in Senegal, forest loss remains a concern [3]. Barriers to sustainable forest management include inadequate forest management planning; limited opportunities for community participation in the formulation of management plans; low understanding of the economic, social and environment benefits of forest ecosystems; and a legal environment that does not offer opportunities for the generation of revenues from forest ecosystem services [8].  

Due to a lack of participation in the elaboration of management plans, communities living along or adjacent to the priority forest ecosystem zones do not feel ownership over the forest ecosystems and therefore lack incentive for surveillance and sustainable forest management [8].  

In addition, vulnerable populations and local leaders are unaware of the opportunities resulting from proper sustainable forest management. Lack of valuation and compensation systems still means that ecosystem services rendered fail to contribute to income generation of vulnerable households. Laws, rules and regulations that would offer such possibilities have been developed, but are not (yet) operational, leading to a lack of opportunities to deploy government incentives for improved ecosystem service delivery. Without proper allocation of development budgets to forest governing institutions, their capacity for this prior deployment is insufficient, as is their capacity for proper planning and coordination, Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) and financing of forest ecosystem management [8]. 

Because the human and budgetary resources available are insufficient to enforce the Forest Code, people frequently enter the forest and degrade it. Illegal logging has been a major issue that has led to large-scale deforestation. Since 2010, more than one million trees have been lost as demand for timber for furniture has exploded in China and other countries around the world [12].

Initiatives and Development Plans

Senegal plays an important role in the Great Green Wall initiative, spearheaded by the African Union and funded by the World Bank, the European Union and the United Nations, which was launched in 2007 to halt the expansion of the Sahara by planting a barrier of trees running 4,815 miles along its southern edge [17]. Under the initiative, over 18 million trees have been planted and 800,000 ha of degraded land has been restored for communities. In Senegal, the National Agency for Reforestation and the Great Green Wall (ASERGMV) is the responsible agency engaged in mass-scale reforestation programs and campaigns. In 2020, as part of the reforestation campaign, the Senegalese government announced to plant 20 million trees across the country  [18].

To support the Great Green Wall initiative, The Olympic Forest, a new initiative of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) – in collaboration with charity Tree Aid – will work in 90 villages across Mali and Senegal. The project will involve the planting of approximately 355,000 native and diverse trees to sequester 200,000 tonnes of CO2 across 2,120 ha in Mali and Senegal. Delivering the project on the ground, Tree Aid will use proven agroforestry techniques, land and resource governance, restoration and conservation to make the Olympic Forest a high-impact project which lasts. Crucially, the work is designed to support communities to manage their own land, so they are better able to reap the benefits of the environment around them in the most sustainable way [19].

The environmental organisation Ecolibri also launched a project, on World Environment Day 2021, to plant an urban forest of 1,300 trees in Dakar, the capital of Senegal. The project, supported by the European Union (EU), aims to accelerate reforestation in order to preserve the environment. The project aims to restore the forest cover of the city of Dakar, increase its carbon dioxide (CO2) storage capacity, improve stormwater management and protect wildlife. The future urban forest will also serve as a space of well-being, inspiration, education and resourcing for the people of Dakar [20].

Goals and Ambitions

In 2019, after the re-election of Senegalese President Macky Sall, a massive investment program of 50 billion CFA francs (over 76 million euros) was launched to the initiative Plan Senegal Emerging – Green (Green PES) for sustainable reforestation of the national territory, to be carried out in conjunction with local authorities, in particular those in semi-arid areas of the country.

Other major goals and ambitions under the Emerging Senegal Plan (2019-2023) include:

• Apply the new Forest Code, in particular its part relating to illegal logging, and launch a national awareness program on the major risks related to the environment in the country.
• Create the National Forest Research Institute (INRF) which will be active in the fields of research in forest biotechnology and wind and water erosion. It will benefit from the computing power and artificial intelligence of the CNCS (National Center for Scientific Computing).
• Set up the Senegalese Forest Protection Agency (ASP-F), placed under the supervision of the National Directorate of Water and Forests, Hunting and Soil Conservation, as a body of volunteers working with the decentralized services of Eaux et Forêts and local authorities.