Sustainable forest management: a new 2026-2035 ten-year plan in preparation

The Minister of the Environment and Ecological Transition, Dr El Hadj Abdourahmane Diouf, chaired, on Thursday, the workshop launching the process of developing the Ten-Year Forestry Development Plan 2026-2035.

This initiative is part of the dynamic of reforms undertaken by the authorities to strengthen the sustainable management of Senegal’s natural and forest resources.

The minister recalled that the country has around 9.3 million hectares of forests, essential for climate resilience, food security, biodiversity conservation and the fight against poverty.

However, he warned of the persistent challenges linked to deforestation and bushfires, which continue to affect forest ecosystems.

The future 2026-2035 Ten-Year Plan plans in particular to increase the areas under sustainable forest management to 2.4 million hectares, to restore more than 280,000 hectares of degraded land and to halve the areas affected by bush fires.

Dr Diouf finally insisted on the need for an inclusive and participatory approach involving the State, local authorities, technical and financial partners, the private sector, researchers and local communities.