Banjul — The Gambia Forestry Commu-nication Concept (GFCC) recently concluded a one-day training workshop for media practitioners at the Fisheries Department conference Hall in Banjul.

The aim of the workshop was to elevate awareness, create social consciousness and foster a shared sense of responsibility for improving the lives of people and their communication through the protection of their natural environment. It also aims to facilitate a nationwide commu-nication campaign between the forestry department and The Gambian public of which the media society is no exception.

The coordinator of Community Forestry and Forestry Commu-nication Concept, Almami Dampha, urged the media practitioners to open a dialogue with the forestry department to continue relating information to the grassroots level. "There are a lot of information at the department, but without the help of the media, the information will lie there dusty," he said, promising that the department's door are always open for them.

The Media Coordinator at the forestry department, Saikou Samateh said the overall goal of GFCC is to achieve the sustainable management of The Gambia's natural forest resources in cooperation with local communities.

"To create a coherent pattern of communication, we have developed a set of themes under which we group intended messages and target specific demographic," he said.