The West African Bird Study Association, WABSA, in its anti-desertification programme is set to plant over ten thousand trees seedlings as part of "Operation stop desertification project" .

The project operates in seven villages in the North Bank and Central River Divisions.

As a young environmental organisation, which embarks on the preservation and conservation of the environment, WABSA aims to protect the remaining forest cover in the northern part of the country, by planting more drought resistant trees as a barrier against the encroaching Sahara desert.

The association, which comprises students from St.Augustine's, St.Joseph's, Presentation Girl's, Gambia High, Muslim and SoS Heimen Meiner Senior Secondary Schools, embarked on a series of funds-raising activities geared towards facilitating a nationwide programme. One of such activites was a fashion show and a beauty peagent recently held in the Greater Banju Area . In the female category, ,Ms Fatou Julie Jallow of St Joseph Senior Secondary was crowned Miss WABSA, while Modou Joof of Muslim Senior Secondary, emerged the winner of the men fashion.

According to Momodou Lamin Jobarteh, the Director of WABSA, the objective of the show was to raise funds for the effective management of the environment and natural resource activities, and to sensitise the local communities on negative menace cuased by environmental degredation.