Main Factors Affecting the Condition of the Classified Forests of Faya, Mali

Adama Togola

Baku State University, Azerbaijan

Abstract: Mali is a landlocked country in West Africa and part of the region known as the Sahel. Currently, 90% of the population lives on 30% of the country’s territory. Most of its forested areas — covering 37,741,231 hectares, or 8% of all land — are located in the southern part of the country and are managed by the National Directorate of Forests and Water Management [23].

      In recent decades, Mali’s forests have been subjected to immense anthropogenic pressure. The country’s forest resources experience numerous stresses, including land clearing for agricultural purposes, consumption of firewood and charcoal, timber harvesting, livestock grazing, hunting, and forest fires, which destroy more than 100,000 hectares annually.

    The methodology was based on carrying out documentary collections and analysis, cartographic analyzes, data processing and analysis. The study revealed to us that the fragility of the resources of the Faya in the face of this phenomenon but also the scarcity of water points due to climate change and the lack of maintenance and protection of water sources in the Faya to the increased dependence of the riparian communities on the resources of the Faya although the right of use allows them to do pastoralism, we have seen that it is abused and that other people far from the Faya, say from Bamako and that in complicity with some communities of the Faya, they add their herds to have access to the scarce resources for their animals. Taking these realities into account will make it possible to find means and solutions to reduce anthropogenic pressures on this forest massif and to restore this forest through inclusive, rigorous policies and support for communities. at the end, currently, the forest like all others in Mali are used by army groups.

      Based on the research, it can be summarized that due to communities’ (rural and urban) dependence on wood, firewood, tree bark for traditional medicine, livestock grazing, intensive agriculture, the absence of alternative income-generating activities, large-scale chaotic urbanization, and finally, rapid population growth, all attempts by policymakers to restore the Faya forests have failed.

Key words: Main factors, natural resources, Faya, conditions, Mali