The diverse forest region of Casamance, in the south of Senegal, covers thousands of hectares and is commonly known as the country’s lungs. The area is almost totally separated from the rest of Senegal by Gambia, and thanks to its heavy rainfall it is also rich in dense forests, mangroves and oil palms.
Without this region, Senegal has few natural resources but, over the past decade, illegal large-scale wood trafficking has been decimating the forest at an alarming pace.
Since gaining its independence in 1960, Senegal has been thought of as one of the most stable democracies in the region. It is the only state on the West African mainland that has never experienced a military coup.
But in Casamance, things are different. The region has a distinct identity and is home to one of Africa’s longest-running separatist movements, sparked
