Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, is facing a serious threat to its water supply as deforestation continues to erode the forested peninsula that provides most of the city’s drinking water.
According to a U.N. report released on Tuesday, the Western Area Peninsula National Park, which covers about 18,000 hectares (180 square kilometers) of forest land, has lost about 26% of its tree cover since 2016. The report warned that deforestation could lead to slope destabilization, water shortages, landslides, and floods, and urged the authorities to monitor and protect the forest.
The park is home to a rich biodiversity of plants and animals, including endangered species such as the western chimpanzee, the Diana monkey, and the pygmy hippopotamus. It also serves as a natural buffer against climate change, storing carbon and regulating rainfall.
The main causes of deforestation in the park are human activities such as land grabbing, charcoal burning, quarrying, and marijuana cultivation, the report said. These activities are driven by poverty, population growth, weak governance, and lack of alternative livelihoods.
The environment minister of Sierra Leone, Jiwoh Abdulai, said the situation was “tragic, worrying and alarming” and admitted that enforcing the laws and policies was a major challenge. He said he was working on a new reforestation policy and that the authorities regularly demolished the temporary structures that people were putting up in the park.
The water company that services Freetown, Guma Valley Water Company, said the impact of deforestation was already being felt in water shortages and that it was “serious”. The company’s managing director, Maada Kpenge, told Reuters that the city’s water supply depended on three reservoirs in the mountains, but deforestation was causing rainwater to run off the hillsides instead of seeping into the soil and streams.
Freetown is not the only city in West Africa that is struggling to preserve its forest areas amid rapid urbanization. Ivory Coast, for example, had to build a concrete fence to protect the parkland near its commercial capital Abidjan from encroachment.
Environmental experts and activists have called for more awareness and action to save Freetown’s forest and water resources. They have also urged the government to provide alternative sources of income and energy for the people living in and around the park, such as solar panels, biogas, and eco-tourism.
Some initiatives have already been launched to restore and conserve the forest, such as planting trees, creating firebreaks, engaging communities, and providing education. The U.N. report said these efforts needed to be scaled up and sustained to ensure the long-term survival of the park and the city.
Freetown’s forest is not only a source of life for its residents but also a symbol of hope and resilience. The city was founded by former slaves who sought refuge and freedom in the forest. Today, the forest still offers a chance for a better future for the city and its people, if they can work together to protect it.
Source: Reuters
