Forest Policy of The Gambia The Government recognised the prospects of a balanced ecosystem in advancing the socio-economic development of the country. The policy framework for sustainable natural resource management put an adequate forest cover at the centre front. The preceding forest policy, 1995 to 2005, proclaims that, a forest cover of 30% is sufficient for maintaining an ecological balance necessary for sustainable economic growth. Even though, Department of Forestry is unable to achieve this policy objective the review strongly recommend that the target be pursued in the next 10- year policy framework. The preceding policy suggested that 75% of the forest cover be managed by involving local communities and private sector. This policy provision was implemented, but only 12% of this target has been achieved under this arrangement. The principal objective of the participatory approach was to check the degradation, in order to restore the natural balance and sustain the production and use of forest resources. However, it has been argued that the 10-year time-bound of the policy was inadequate to achieve the objectives. Hence, after careful consultations at all levels, it was recommended that this policy objectives be further pursued in the next policy period. The implementation of the preceding forest policy faced the following critical constraints: (a) increasing population pressure on land resources, and the inability of the natural resource sector to meet the increasing resource demand; (b) the inability of various users to take full responsibility of balancing supply and demand for forest resources; (c) inaccessibility to land and difficulties in securing extended tenure (to match the long-term benefits of investment in forest resource development) for private foresters; (d) poor marketing system for forest products; (e) inability to stimulate adequate private sector response to investment possibilities in forestry; and (f) inadequate capacity of the institutional framework to sufficiently advance the sector. These constraints constitute major challenges in the implementation of the policy under review. It is therefore, essential that adequate remedial and protective measures are applied in a systematic manner to sustain a sound forest resource base for meeting the specific needs of the local population.