Forestry plays a major role in the growth and development of the Ghanaian economy and the maintenance of environmental quality. The most important was severe deforestation. This paper presents a report on the Non- Timber Forest Products development in Ghana. Importance of vegetation The most precious vegetation in such forests are kaya and sapel, iroko and opepe, agba and obche. To support the tree planting exercise, we must vigorously engage in environmental education, promoting tourism, recycling and law enforcement. Recycled timber is an environmentally friendly product and should be encouraged. Tropical high forest occupies the southern portion and the savanna the northern and southeastern portion of Ghana. The importance of reforestation to wildlife in Ghana cannot be overemphasized. It provides 43% of the Gross Domestic Product, 50% of export earnings and 70% of total employment. Student (University of Education, Winneba). The forest and wildlife are therefore in a symbiotic relationship. This region is separated from the forests of central Africa by the arid Dahomey Gap and is distinct in faunal and floral composition (Hall and Swaine, 1976, provide a detailed description of forest in Ghana ). and features to The hotspot includes two distinct sub-regions, which incorporate several important forest refugia created by the retraction and fragmentation of forests during the Pleistocene Epoch. © 2020 All Rights Reserved Citi Newsroom. CitiNewsroom.com is Ghana's leading news website that delivers high quality innovative, alternative news that challenges the status quo. In central Ghana, the Main, Eastern, and Central Transitional Zones (MTZ, CTZ, and ETZ) share common elements of a transitional climate with two rainy seasons and transitional forest-savanna vegetation. The rest of the country is made up of savannah vegetation. The importance of reforestation to wildlife in Ghana cannot be overemphasized. However, the exploitation of these resources, coupled with the overall lack of environmental awareness, has devastated the country's forests. Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. It also involves the reversal of deforestation and environmental pollution. The preservation of allnatural resourcesis absolutely essential for the balance of our ecosystem. There is a popular saying that “When the last tree dies, the last man dies”. Biodiversity and Protected Areas: Ghana has some 1185 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles according to figures from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Moreover, nearly half the country was covered with forests, which included 680 species of trees and several varieties of mahoganies. The first sub-region, Upper Guinea, stretches from southern Guinea into eastern Sierra Leone and through Liberia, Ivory Coast and Ghana into western Togo. Tourists will love to pay to see wildlife such as mammals, primates, etc. Anyidoho's 'arrest' over coup comment 'needless' - Sylvester Mensah, Sheila Bartels beats NDC candidate to grab Ablekuma North seat, EC cautions media, parties against announcing Presidential election results, 2020 polls: Ursula Owusu-Ekuful retains Ablekuma West seat. The forest is the home of wildlife, hence the absence of forest impact negatively on the existence of wildlife. Forestry plays a major role in the growth and development of the Ghanaian economy and the maintenance of environmental quality. Reforestation is the surest way to recover our lost forests and wildlife as a country. plants of which roots and tubers are starchy, which may be cooked or roasted before consumption. Ghana has signed up to most international environmental laws and protocol. The Ghanaian forests broadly fall into two vegetation zones, each with different vegetation and forest types: the High Forest Zone in the South covering 34% and the Savannah Zone in the North covering 66% of the land area (MLNR, 2012). user = "newswires"; The roots are used in the treatment of infectious disease of the throat (diphtheria) and also good for curing gonorrhea. Forestry Research Institute of Ghana is one of the 13 institutes of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Environmental campaigns such as World Environment Day (an annual celebration on the world calendar earmarked to create awareness on the significance of trees in the environment), Global March on Elephants and Rhinos, World Wildlife Day, International Day of Forests, etc. There is a popular saying that “When the last tree dies, the last man dies”. As of 2013, Ghana's forests cover was 1.6million hectares from 8million hectares at the beginning of the 1990s. Promoting tourism Ghana also has one of the best laws and legislations governing our natural resources especially our forests but the challenge is the proper enforcement of these laws. Students will collect vegetation and environmental data at forest sites, learning ecological sampling techniques and performing statistical community analyses. So to be able to develop and sustain these natural resources, we should be able to enforce these laws or by-laws stringently and hard enough to deter people who perpetrate these evil acts of forest destruction. These include, though not limited to: Agriculture activities, Harvesting of wood (both legal and illegal), Mining (both legal and illegal) and Bush burning. The largest areas of savanna are found in There is the transition zone that was forest but is now turning to savannah due to forest removal and the impacts of climate change. Forestry plays a significant role in the provision of food, fuel, clothing, shelter, furniture, natural medicine, potable water supply sources, bush meat and land for agriculture for the rural communities, thus leading to continuous deforestation. In conclusion, if we want to develop sustainably as a country, reforestation is a must! Ghana is geographically located in the tropics, endowed with diverse natural resources. Landscape Designer, Pan-Africanist, Environmental and Gender Activist, and a Kufuor Scholar. We cannot talk about the basics of life –food, water and shelter without our forest resources. Kakum National Park, located in the coastal environs of the Central Region of Ghana, covers an area of 375 square kilometres. // End --> The Contribution of Forests to Ghana’s Economic Development Objective The overall goal of the conference is to highlight the role of forests and woodlands on livelihoods, environmental management and economic development in the country and the expected future contribution in the It started as a research unit within the Forestry Department in 1962. To support the tree planting exercise, we must vigorously engage in environmental education, promoting tourism, recycling, and law enforcement. In the forest zone (the southern third of the country and the area along the Akwapim-Togo Ranges, where the mean annual precipitation exceeds 45 inches [1,140 mm] and is well distributed throughout the year without a pronounced dry season), the predominant vegetation is evergreen and tropical semi-deciduous forest. Vegetation … Forest conservation as the name suggests is the preservation and the protection of forests. All rights reserved. Ghana is geographically located in the tropics, endowed with diverse natural resources. It is made up of the Guinea savannah and Sudan savannah. The way forward is that we must deliberately renew our depleted forests by planting more and diverse trees especially indigenous species. The way forward is that we must deliberately renew our depleted forests by planting more and diverse trees especially indigenous species. By-laws should also be formulated and enforced at the local governance level on compulsory tree planting in our various communities. Environmental education (campaigns). Wildlife survives mostly in the forest. The forest is the home of wildlife, hence the absence of forest impact negatively on the existence of wildlife. Wildlife survives mostly in the forest. Ghana’s REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) readiness proposal claims that drivers of deforestation can be mainly attributed to agricultural expansion (which contributes to 50%), harvesting of wood (35%), population and development pressures (10%) and mining (5%) (Forestry Commission, 2012). The interdependency of forest and wildlife and the need to take appropriate measures to optimize resource utilization , to ensure future supplies of wood and non-wood products and to manage national forest and wildlife in order to maintain the ecological balance and the diversity of the natural environment is very critical to our survival (Forest and Wildlife Policy, September, 1995). This is as a result of high incidence of illegal chainsaw logging, legal harvest and illegal mining popularly known as “Galamsey” in Ghana. Therefore continuous depletion or destruction of our forests will eventually affect life.Basically, human actions are the main causes of our forest depletion. The importance of reforestation to wildlife in Ghana cannot be overemphasized. The forest and wildlife are therefore in a symbiotic relationship. VALUE OF NWFP REMOVALS. Tourist sites such as Mole National park, Aburi Botanic Gardens, and Shai Hills generate a lot of foreign exchange to boost our economy. The … Forests are of great importance to mankind. This is as a result of high incidence of illegal chainsaw logging, legal harvest and illegal mining popularly known as “Galamsey” in Ghana. Importance of forest. Over three million rural Ghanaians depend on the forest to survive. So to be able to develop and sustain these natural resources, we should be able to enforce these laws or by-laws stringently and hard enough to deter people who perpetrate these evil acts of forest destruction. The importance of reforestation to wildlife in Ghana cannot be overemphasized. Reduce the effect of natural calamities: In the case of natural disasters like the tsunami, floods, … Law enforcement Importance of Forestry Agriculture, including forestry, is the backbone of the Ghanaian economy. Ghana has signed up to most international environmental laws and protocol. Recycling timber is another way of renewing or safeguarding our forests. In 1988 Ghana initiated a conservation plan called the Forest Resource Management Project. By-laws should also be formulated and enforced at the local governance level on compulsory tree planting in our various communities. Important trees in this area include baobab, dawadawa, and shea butter trees. The interdependency of forest and wildlife and the need to take appropriate measures to optimize resource utilization , to ensure future supplies of wood and non-wood products and to manage national forest and wildlife in order to maintain the ecological balance and the diversity of the natural environment is very critical to our survival (Forest and Wildlife Policy, September, 1995) Forests cover about one-third of Ghana’s total area. #JUSTICE4EARTH #JUSTICE4ALL #LIVINGRIGHTS. The increase in vegetation cover from 2002 to 2017 could be significantly associated with the national forest plantation development programme (NFPDP) launched by the Ghana government in 2001 to foster the development of a sustainable forest resource base that will satisfy future demand for industrial timber and enhance environmental quality. document.write(user + '@' + site + ''); And one of these resources that have been most abused is its forests resources and by extension its wildlife. Tourists will love to pay to see wildlife such as mammals, primates, etc. The forest class (represented primarily by Ghana’s dense evergreen rain forest and moist deciduous forest) shows a small decline in area from about 16,400 sq km in 1975 to 15,500 sq km in 2000, a reduction of 5 percent. Ghana has two main kinds of vegetation. All of them produce ornamental and construction timber. Ghana J. Forestry, Vol. Since the early 1990s, Ghana has lost more than 30% of its forests – approximately 2.5 million hectares. user = "features"; Copyright © 1994 - 2020 GhanaWeb. Reforestation rebuilds natural habitats and ecosystem, improves the quality of wildlife in general, mitigates global warming, and sustains the hydrological cycle. Send your news stories to There are various formations their subdivisions were defined by UNESCO in 1973. 34 (1), 2018, 49 – 70 53 ! Reafforestation is the surest way to recover our lost forests and wildlife as a country. These include, though not limited to: Agriculture activities, Harvesting of wood (both legal and illegal), Mining (both legal and illegal) and Bush burning c) Savannah vegetation: The savannah vegetation is the biggest of the vegetation types in Ghana. West Africa is home to a vibrant culture dating back thousands … Ghana has a wealth of biodiversity (see CBD for details) including several species that are endemic to the country. Chat with us via WhatsApp on +233 55 2699 625. document.write(user + '@' + site + ''); . With a remarkable 80% of Ghanaians depending on forests for their livelihoods, deforestation has a major impact on communities. Ghana’s REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) readiness proposal claims that drivers of deforestation can be mainly attributed to agricultural expansion (which contributes to 50%), harvesting of wood (35%), population and development pressures (10%) and mining (5%) (Forestry Commission, 2012). A forest is defined as an area forming an ecosystem. In conclusion, if we want to develop sustainably as a country, reforestation is a must! 8.2 What is the value of other forests products harvested? Education of the general public through the media, a curriculum of our basic and second cycle schools should include environmental education especially ecosystem sustainability. Savanna vegetation types of Ghana Generally, one defines a savanna as grassland with scattered individual trees in climates where the annual rainfall is from about 500.8 to 1270 mm per year. “The leaves are used for aiding toddlers to walk”. Forestry plays a major role in the growth and development of the Ghanaian economy and the maintenance of environmental quality. Plants absorb water from the soil through their roots. The trees in this area are scattered and mainly found near river courses and the edge of the forest. Reforestation rebuilds natural habitats and ecosystem, improves the quality of wildlife in general, mitigates global warming, and sustains the hydrological cycle. More forest statistics for Ghana Ghana has one of the stronger economies of sub-Sahara Africa due to its array of natural resources. Recycling The area is covered with tropical forest. And one of these resources that have been most abused is its forests resources and by extension its wildlife. The arrival of recycled timber as a construction product has been important in both raising industry and consumer awareness towards deforestation and promoting timber mills to adopt more environmentally friendly practices. There are tall trees of varying heights, forming a closed canopy at the top, … document.write(''); We cannot talk about the basics of life –food, water and shelter without our forest resources. Ghana's closed forests are now confined primarily to the southwest, and constitute the eastern edge of the Guineo-Congolean forest region. The uniqueness of this park lies in the fact that it was established at the initiative of the local people and … Established in 1931 as a reserve, it was gazetted as a national park only in 1992 after an initial survey of avifauna was conducted. According to Global Forest Watch, Ghana lost more than 500,000 hectares of forest cover between 2001 and 2013, primarily in its southern portion. Ghana's forests contain 381 million metric tons of carbon in living forest biomass. living in their natural habitat. Vegetation is a general term for the plant life of a region; it refers to the ground cover provided by plants, and is, by far, the most abundant biotic element of the biosphere. Between 1990 and 2010, Ghana lost 33% of its forest cover, or around 2,5 million ha. 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