Steward and SLEPA Poised to Protect Salone Ecosystem
STEWARD-Sustainable and Thriving Environments for West African Regional Development in conjunction with the Sierra Leone Environmental Protection Agency (SLEPA) have been thoroughly engaged in a discourse showcasing climate change and its resulting environmental impacts on land and ecosystems in Sierra Leone. The discussion programme was held at the Forestry Division in the Ministry of Agriculture Conference Room, 1st Floor-Youyi Building, Brook fields, Freetown.
This discussion on climate change took the form of a seminar presentation, in which two successive and thought provoking issues on our environment were discussed. However, one of the main themes dilated upon was titled-“The Role of Ecosystem Management in climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management in Sierra Leone.†This topic was espoused on by the Acting Deputy Executive Director-Field Operation and Extension NRM Specialist of SLPA, Mr. Momodu A. Bah.
In making his brief introductory statement to participants present at the Forum, he said, climate change has long-ceased to be a scientific curiosity, and is no longer just one of many environmental and regulatory concerns. Further quoting Ban-Ki-Moon, the United nations Secretary General has said, “It is the major overriding environmental issue of our time, and the single greatest challenge facing environmental regulators. It is a growing crisis with economic, health and safety, food production, security and other dimensions.
Mr. Bah further categorically pointed out the negative impacts of climate change with compelling trend of shifting weather patterns, for example, the inevitability its pose to food production through increased unpredictability of precipitation; rising sea levels contaminate coastal fresh water reserves and in increase the risk of catastrophic flooding, and warning atmosphere which has hasten the pole ward spread of pests and diseases once limited to the tropics.
Nonetheless, in a rounding up statement on his presentation, Mr. A Bah craved the indulgence of every Sierra Leonean to find ways and means in control the ecosystem thereby, reducing the imparts of climate change on our livelihoods and adaptation programmes to avert future disasters in vulnerable communities in Sierra Leone.
In the same vein, the second presentation was a film show on a film titled – “Lost Freetown†by Nazia Parvez. This film showcases how urban migration and displacement caused by the decade civil war have resulted in a doubling population of Freetown; stretching the city resources beyond capacity. During the course of the filming, one interviewee mentioned that up to 90% of Freetown residents live in what can be described as slums, according to the UN Habitat definition of a slum or informal settlement.
This film further illuminated on the unprecedented demand for land, housing, water, fuel and building materials, the environment has undergone wholesale destruction leading to deforestation and dwindling forest reserves; soil erosion; depletion of traditional water catchments areas and the corresponding change in weather patterns; coastline erosion and pollution. While the situation looks bleak, there are initiatives underway that promise hope for the future. A community led eco-resort on Banana Island shows how locals are using the spectacular landscape of the island to create a development, contributes to the local community, and above all is sustainable for the future.
Nazia Parvez is the Executive producer and Director of this film, she is trained as an architect and practices photojournalism. Lost Freetown is her first film, and brings together her experience as a photojournalist, with her background as an architect- raising the questions about urban planning, development, and conservation- through the medium of film.
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