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The Gambia is transforming how it monitors and manages its forest, leaving behind paper-based data collection and embracing digital solutions to map, measure, and manage its forests with greater accuracy and efficiency. Led by the Gambia’s Department of Forestry and supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the country is preparing for the next National Forest Inventory (NFI) – a key effort to track forest resources and guide decision-making.
This inventory builds on the previous forest assessment conducted fifteen years ago (2008-2010) but introduces a streamlined design that maintains comparability while introducing efficiency through satellite imagery and digital solutions.
Smarter sampling with satellite interpretation
For the first time, the Gambia has integrated Collect Earth Online (CEO) – a cloud-based satellite interpretation platform from Open Foris – into its NFI process. Before heading to the field, technicians used CEO to pre-identify forest and non-forest areas, helping to optimize sampling and reduce operational costs.
During a national workshop in May 2025, technicians from various national institutions classified hundreds of sample points using satellite imagery, standardized interpretation keys, and decision trees. Results were reviewed by subject matter experts to ensure consistency and are now guiding the upcoming field team deployment.
Improving data collection with Arena and Arena Mobile
Field teams will no longer collect data with pens and paper. Instead, they are adopting a fully digital workflow, using the Arena Mobile app, part of the Open Foris suite of solutions, to collect, validate, and submit forest data digitally and in real time.
From 16 to 30 June 2025, forestry officers took part in hands-on training, organized with the support of CBIT-Forest, to learn updated measurement protocols, how to use new inventory equipment, and how to collect data digitally using tablets and phones. The digital setup not only reduces errors but speeds up data processing by enabling real-time validation in the field. All data will then be securely stored and analyzed through the Arena platform.
Getting ready for field deployment
The Gambia’s Department of Forestry is now finalizing logistics for the nationwide data collection campaign. “The outcomes of this NFI will be fundamental to policy formulation and strategic planning for the sustainable management of the Gambia’s forest resources,” said Mr. Cherno Gaye, National Focal Point for the NFI and Principal Forest Officer at the Department of Forestry. “Through Arena, we expect accurate, high-quality data for more precise forest estimation and timely information.”
The field data campaign is expected to start soon, once completed, followed by analysis and reporting to national and international frameworks, including climate and biodiversity targets. With Open Foris solutions and trained personnel in place, the Gambia is well positioned to deliver its most efficient and technically robust national forest inventory to date.
This article was originally published here.
