Restore Deforested Lands in Ghana

Volunteers Planting Trees

Project Details:

To educate and create awareness on the need to conserve the forest resources at least among 60% of the project communities
To introduce alternative livelihood schemes to 60% of unemployed youth and women
To encourage the adaptation of energy conservation practices in heating to 60% of women

Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Ghana

Deforestation is responsible for 20% of the global emissions that are contributing to climate change. But it’s also taking a grave toll on the communities living in or near these forest communities.

The forests of Ghana are disappearing, leading to the loss of biodiversity and fertile soils. Rainfalls are more erratic, streams are drying up and poverty is deepening throughout the region.

This project is introducing alternative livelihood programs to unemployed youth and women; establishing woodlots of about 10 acres each in every project community; reducing bushfires by 50%; and regenerating 30% of the forest cover in degraded areas and generally promoting awareness and education about the need to conserve forest resources.

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Ghana has identified numerous partners for this project. The church has plans to collaborate with Specialists from Ghana Wildlife Division (GWD), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Forest Services Division (FSD), Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), and Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) at Regional and District levels.

This project will be implemented by the church’s agricultural stations in the selected project areas. These agricultural stations are managed by program officers and other technical staff that also include WID (Women in Development) Officers. Two of the project communities are situated in Northern Ghana, where poverty is endemic and 70% of the population is classified as poor.

What’s special about this project?

This innovative project not only restores forests but also improves the livelihoods of the local people. It includes plans for skills training in various sustainable livelihoods: snail farming, bee keeping, mushroom farming, and grasscutter rearing. Communities will also be surveyed to identify other possible livelihood training needs.

In addition, business skills will be taught. The National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) will hold a two-day entrepreneurial workshop on marketing, accounting, records and book keeping, and training on micro credit and sourcing for funds will be organized for beneficiaries.

This project will transform degraded forestlands while improving the local economy and the community’s quality of life.

Help raise $20,143 to restore forestlands in Ghana.

Updates:

December 2011 - Read Charles Agboklu's reports from COP 17 in Durban.

In September of this year, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church reforestation project team met with Adaklu Waya community where they had identified a need for trees along a degraded river bank. The community gave the team a parcel of land for tree planting and on September 23, 2011, the project team brought 1040 seedlings of teak and mohagany and the community forest was established. The following week, 1500 additional seedlings were planted as they took advantage of the short September rainy season. The Adaklu Waya Community is surrounded by large tracts of arable land. However, forest degradation has become a major problem due to charcoal production and bush-fires set during hunting of game animals. The concern for the community now is the protection of the new seedlings from fires during the dry season in this community and in others where new trees have been planted.

The Presbyterian Church in Ghana is helping communities create woodlots — a more sustainable practice for using forest resources. Additionally, they are offering tree planting jobs to the 60% of unemployed youth and women. Project coordinator Charles Agboklu said, "The woodlots check the southward drift of the Sahara as well. So the project at the same time addresses desertification. More woodlots are urgently needed."

A woman from Naturi, Awu Chindi, said, "Before we were taught how to plant trees in woodlots, we were walking 5 to 10 km to fetch firewood. Because of the long distance, we could only carry a small quantity at a time. We had to walk this long distance every other day to fetch firewood. Now we have been taught how to grow trees and we were supported in establishing a 5 acre woodlot. We will harvest the firewood from the woodlot every year and share it amongst ourselves and with my children, I have also established a 1 acre woodlot on my husband's land. When it is ready to be harvested, we will not have to go long distances for firewood and we shall have enough firewood all year round. Even when the sun is very hot now, we stay under the trees with our animals."

A youth leader named Mohammed Abu in a community called Zakoli says that the tree planting experience has presented enormous benefits to their community. The trees protect homes and inhabitants from the hazards of heavy winds, the trees provide herbal medicines and fruits for the community, providing shade from the sun and averting the consequences of deforestation. The trees have also ensured improvement in the flow of water from rivers and streams and moderate the weather conditions. Some of the continuing challenges the community faces include: scarcity of land for tree planting, bushfires that may lead to the extinction of vital species, destruction of trees by both man and animals and the land is not supporting the growth of some species. However, the benefits outweigh the challenges and the community is committed to planting more trees.