The forests of Ghana currently face severe deforestation. According to the Global Forest Watch, the loss of Ghana Forests is a major cause of alarm as Ghana has recorded 60 percent rise in forest loss between 2017 and 2018, and studies suggest that with the current rate of deforestation, Ghana’s forests could completely disappear in 25 years. One of the approaches that can be suitable for restoring the forest resources can be through the promotion of Participatory Forest Management (PFM). PFM recognizes the rights of local stakeholders and involves them in the process of managing and conserving the forests. The proposed project is to promote Participatory Forest Management practices. The project will build up the relevant capacities for implementing PFM, especially in terms of community development.
The forests of Ghana currently face severe deforestation. According to the Global Forest Watch, the loss of Ghana Forests is a major cause of alarm as Ghana has recorded 60 percent rise in forest loss between 2017 and 2018, and studies suggest that with the current rate of deforestation, Ghana’s forests could completely disappear in 25 years.
One of the approaches that can be suitable for restoring the forest resources can be through the promotion of Participatory Forest Management (PFM). PFM recognizes the rights of local stakeholders and involves them in the process of managing and conserving the forests. The proposed project is to promote Participatory Forest Management practices for restoring the forests in Kintampo Region, Ghana. The project will build up the relevant capacities for implementing PFM, especially in terms of community development.
Background
Forests cover one third of the world’s land surface and provide many resources like food, timber, fuel, fiber, and several other ecosystem services. In spite of the enormous benefits of forests, there has been a continuous decline in forests globally. Human activities have exploited the forest resources and are the major reason for causing deforestation. Degradation of forest resources has a direct impact on the livelihoods of those who depend directly on the forest for their fuel, fodder and NTFP requirements. The indirect loss of forest resources are far more adverse and can be felt on water availability, forest fires, biodiversity loss, landslides, loss of soil fertility and increasing incidents of human wildlife conflict.
The forests of Ghana currently face severe deforestation. According to the Global Forest Watch, the loss of Ghana Forests is a major cause of alarm as Ghana has recorded 60 percent rise in forest loss between 2017 and 2018, and studies suggest that with the current rate of deforestation, Ghana’s forests could completely disappear in 25 years.
Deforestation in Ghana is attributed to the following reasons:
- Unsustainable exploitation of forest resources
- Lack of environmental awareness
- Conversion of forest land to agricultural land
- Logging and mining activities
- Fuel wood exploitation
The consequence of forest loss in Ghana is evident and can be seen in the form of growing incidents of droughts, bushfires and loss of livelihood to communities that depend on eco-services provided by the forest. There also has been increasing desertification and soil erosion in the region. To mitigate the negative impacts of deforestation, there is the need to develop strategies to reverse the looming dangers associated with forest degradation and deforestation. One of the approaches that can be suitable for restoring the forest resources can be through the promotion of Participatory Forest Management (PFM). PFM recognizes the rights of local stakeholders and involves them in the process of managing and conserving forests in collaboration with the government department. The proposed project is to promote Participatory Forest Management practices for restoring the forests in Ghana. The project will build up the relevant capacities for implementing PFM, especially in terms of community development.
Why promote PFM?
The rapid growth in population in the last few decades has put enormous pressure on the natural resources. The scarcity of which has led to rampant overuse and abuse of forest resources. Largely the intervention method employed by Government authorities has been to put a blanket ban on use of forest land and resources by communities dwelling in their midst. Though it appears to be a logical methodology to conserve forests but at times it has shown negative impact on the community development and redevelopment of degraded areas.
PFM on the other hand advocates to highlight the interdependencies among the community, government agencies and forests. It uses these interdependencies to assign responsibility to the stakeholders in managing the forests for mutual benefit. It uses both traditional and modern practices to manage forests and provide livelihood opportunity and resources to the local community to meet their ever growing resource needs. The proposed project seeks to reduce forest degradation in Ghana though the adoption of sustainable forest management activities.
Project Description
Project Goal: The project goal is to enhance forest productivity and resource functions through the adoption of Participatory Forest Management in Kintampo,
Project Duration: The project will be implemented over a period of 3 years.
Project Beneficiaries: The local communities who are dependent on forests for their livelihood in Kintampo region.
Project Area: The project will be implemented in the Kintampo Municipality of the Brong- Ahafo Region, Ghana. The municipality lies between latitudes 7º 45’ N and 8º 50’ N and longitudes 1º 0’ W and 2º 15’ W with a total surface area of about 5,108 km². Kintampo municipality was selected for the project implementation as the municipality is expanding at a fast rate. Expansion of the municipality, and the increasing expansion of farmlands and charcoal production are having a negative impact on the forest area. Studies suggest that woodland degradation in the Municipality is largely attributed to commercial charcoal production and farming. Therefore, increasing charcoal production and farming activities is currently exerting undue pressure on the already stressed woodlands. A study suggested that the period 2001 to 2014 experienced faster land cover change than expected. The proposed project has been designed to cope with the above mentioned problems, in a participatory and collaborative way.
Project Objectives: To achieve the project goal, the following project objectives will have to be achieved.
- Objective 1. To sensitize local organizations/ institutions and communities on the importance of Participatory Forest Management in forest conservation in Kintampo Municipality, Ghana.
- Objective 2.To develop a comprehensive Participatory Forest Management plan to ensure proper participation of local communities in forest conservation and management.
- Objective 3.To establish a community level institution (Forest Management Cooperative) to undertake activities related to community level forest management and conservation.
Project Activities
Objective 1. To sensitize local organizations/ institutions and communities on the importance of Participatory Forest Management in forest conservation and development.
Baseline Survey: A detailed baseline survey will be conducted in order to develop a better understanding of the present status of the forest, the resource use pattern and the various stakeholders. The following tools will be used to gather baseline information:
Stakeholder mapping: It is essential to understand the different groups and resource users of the forest resources for developing a participatory forest management plan. Our project team will undertake a stakeholder mapping exercise to understand the various stakeholder groups to see how people perceive their rights and how they can be involved in forest management. We shall be conducting group exercises in the project site to identify forest stakeholders to develop a 4Rs Matrix (Rights, Responsibilities, Relationships, and Revenues). The 4Rs matrix will help in showing the interlink ages between various stakeholder groups and the level of dependence of each group on forest resource. Stakeholder analysis will help in answering the four elements of forest use and management.
- Who has what rights to use the forest? (Rights)
- Who takes what actions in terms of forest management? (Responsibilities)
- How do the different stakeholders relate to each other? (Relationships)
- Who benefits from the forest? (Revenues)
Forest Resource and Use Pattern: Once we have details of the stakeholders, we shall undertake a detailed study of how the forest resources are being used by different stakeholder groups. This information will be collected through participatory forest investigation exercises. Some of the tools that will be used for gathering forest information shall include:
Forest area mapping: Forest mapping is a participatory field tool used by the field staff to obtain a map of the forest area, which is drawn by the communities. The map displays important information, such as forest boundaries, physical features (such as rivers, roads, paths), and key forest resources.
Forest species use matrix: A species use matrix is another participatory field tool that is used to identify the forest tree species and their specific use by the community. All the information related to the forest species is laid out in a matrix table. Tree species are laid out along one axis and tree uses are laid out along the other axis. Community members then rank and score the tree species based on their importance.
Forest condition historical trend analysis: The trend analysis tool is used to determine the status of forest products over time. The information that comes out of the matrix helps to develop understanding of the reasons and consequences of the changes.
Forest use seasonal calendars: This participatory tool is used to understand the usage of forest resources in different seasons.
Stakeholder awareness generation and mobilization: Once we have details related to the various stakeholder groups and also the forest resource consumption pattern, we shall undertake awareness campaigns. Awareness generation is a key activity towards achieving project success. Community members will adopt PFM practices only after they understand the implications of PFM on forest conservation and livelihood. Following specific activities will be undertaken to sensitize the communities:
Develop Awareness Material: Audio- Visual material will be developed to sensitize the local communities on PFM practices and its importance. Leaflets, booklets, flashcards will be developed in vernacular to create greater impact. Documentaries made by international agencies on PFM will also be translated and screened.
Conduct Awareness Campaign: Project team will initiate community meetings to discuss the project details and also share information on Sustainable Forest Management and PFM practices.
Distribution of leaflets and pamphlets: Communication material developed in vernacular language will be distributed. Use of easy language will help in developing a better understanding of the issues.
Conduct Workshops: We shall be organizing a series of workshops, the purpose of these workshops will be to sensitize decision-makers, community leaders and potential project beneficiaries on the project activities, and to consult them on the implementation strategy.
Stakeholder mobilization: We shall undertake a thorough and inclusive stakeholder mobilization exercise. This will facilitate in bringing all the stakeholders together to promote forest conservation and support the government in reducing forest degradation.
Objective 2. To develop a comprehensive Participatory Forest Management plan to ensure proper participation of local communities in forest conservation and management.
Identification of forest areas to be undertaken for Participatory Forest Management:Suitable forest areas will be identified, using appropriate land-use maps to finalize the area that will be demarcated for carrying out the project. The area demarcation will be done through a consultative process and both the forest department officials and the local people will agree on the final area.
Forest Area Resource Assessment: Once the forest area is demarcated, our team shall undertake a detailed resource assessment. Forest resource assessment will be carried out in a consultative manner and the communities will work with the project team to compile a detailed report. The resource assessment will provide the following information about the selected area:
- Area of the selected forest plot
- General description: (Include species description, use of forest, quality of forest)
- Main important species: (Commercial, community, fodder, NTFPs)
- Dominant species: (For both upper and lower canopy if appropriate)
- Quality of the forest: (High, medium, low, with government and community perspectives)
- Description of the size-class, including saplings, pole stage, mature and over-mature
- Main uses of the forest
- Regeneration status
- Major issues in the forest area (Intensity of grazing, Intensity of forest degradation, Felling, Forest Fires)
Identification of suitable Forest Management practices: Based on the resource availability in the identified plot and the status of the forest degradation, we shall identify suitable practices to better manage the forest. The forest management plan will provide information on sustainably managing the identified forest area. All the forest management activities shall be developed through discussions with the community and the Government Forest Department. The forest department will suggest some management practices for the designated plot and together with the communities the most suitable practices will be selected. The management practices should cover the following
- Forest protection
- Forest utilization
- Forest development
- Forest monitoring
Formulation of the Forest Management Agreement: After the forest management plan is ready, we shall formalize the agreement. The agreement will be formalized after 2-4 rounds of meetings and discussions between the community and the Government Forest Department. We will also be facilitating negotiations between the Government Forest Department and Community Management Groups, so that both the parties agree on the Management Plan. Once the agreement is signed, the Forest Management Agreement will become a legally binding contract document for PFM.
The agreement shall clearly specify the rights and responsibilities of the two parties, which will be developed through discussion with, and between, the government and the community. Some examples of the way in which roles and responsibilities will be defined are given below:
Objective 3. To establish a community level institution to undertake activities related to community level forest management and conservation.
Formation of a Community Level Forest Management Cooperative: To carry out the PFM practices in the identified forest area, a local institution in form of a Forest Management Cooperative will be institutionalized in the project site. The institution will have representatives of all the stakeholder groups. The main purpose and objective of this Forest Management Cooperative will be to manage the forest sustainably through a collaborative approach between communities and the government department. The cooperative consists of an executive committee and a number of subcommittees which are responsible for specific areas/aspects of forest management.
Community meetings: Through a series of community meetings we will be institutionalizing a new forest management institution/or strengthening existing local institutions.
Selection of office bearers: Our team will help in selection of office bearers to carry out the activities of the forest management cooperative smoothly. We shall ensure that women representatives are amongst the office bearers.
Finalizing roles of office bearers: Roles and responsibilities of the office bearers and the cooperative members will be discussed and finalized in meetings.
Capacity building of Community members on various aspects of forest management: These community institutions and community members will be trained on using basic equipment such as GPS and camera traps, response protocols to threats to habitats and biodiversity, liaison with relevant authorities and basic knowledge on local biodiversity and key habitats. Training will be given on the following:
- Nursery Management
- Forest Fire Prevention and management
- Silviculture Practices.
- Sustainable NTFP collection
- Regeneration
- Community forestry plantation
- Forest plantations established on-reserve and agro-forestry plots developed
- Quarterly weeding, pest control, and plant care.
- Nature based livelihood options
- MAP cultivation
- Eco tourism
- Value addition
- Pasture management and conservation
- Community based water harvesting and conservation
- Apiculture
Monitoring and Evaluation: There will be continuous monitoring and evaluation to assess the ongoing activities and to ensure that the project is moving in the right directions.
Project Output
- Awareness related to PFM amongst the communities is enhanced.
- Participatory Forest Management Plan developed in consultation with the community members.
- Stakeholders groups identified and mapped in the project area.
- Forest resource assessment reports prepared.
- Forest management cooperative institutionalized.
- Stakeholders mobilized.
- Stakeholders have reached consensus to implement a participatory forest management plan.
- Forest Management Plan enforced.
- Capacity building of the community members.
Project Sustainability
The proposed project has been designed in a participatory manner and has been developed in consultation with the communities. The various activities have been designed keeping in mind the socio-cultural aspects of the community, which would ensure that the target beneficiaries can easily adopt the project activities and can continue them in their day to day life even after the project ends. Also, throughout the project our team will carry out meetings with local institutions, community organizations and community leaders so as to include them and discuss possible roles in project implementation.
During the stakeholder consultations our team will ensure the concerns and views of all relevant stakeholders (Private Sector Organizations, NGOs, Government Officials, Donor Community, Youth groups, Women Organizations etc.) are taken into consideration in project design. As the project focuses on strengthening the capacities of local communities and local institutions, they will be able to continue with minimum outside intervention. In addition, all through the implementation of the project beneficiaries would be involved in decision-making to ensure long term sustainability.
