„I spent my childhood in a village called Macakolibantang in Senegal, which is named after the Cotton-tree locally known as the Bantang. The Bantang avenue, which must have been planted by someone several hundred years ago, stretched through this village to form corridor of trees more than one kilometre long. The sight of these powerful Bantang and their impressive arrangement was so breathtaking, that everyone who stepped foot in the village would gain respect for these beautiful trees and never forget this sight. Ever since then, I have developed a passion for flora and fauna, especially for mighty trees like Baobab, Cotton-tree and Mahogany, which give Gambia and Senegal their unique identity. Today, the name of the village (Macakolibantang) remains, but all the trees have disappeared and have not been replaced. For me, the trees tell us a lot about our history and way of life. Most of our well-known areas are traditionally named after such mighty trees. Most of the traditional laws which govern our society today were made under these mighty trees, because these were the few public gathering places. Even today, village ceremonies like weddings and religious and political gatherings are held under these trees. I am sorry to say that the flora and fauna in the Gambia has dramatically changed over the last 25 years. Through human exploitation, the natural environment has been destroyed, and today, only a handful of these ancient giants still exist. When the opportunity arose to purchase the area at Berending, I was so impressed by the numerous enormous Mahogany trees existing on such a small area, that I did not hesitate to purchase it. My aim is to prevent these majestic trees from being cut down, so that they can be preserved for us and for future generations.”