Ghana’s forests are under pressure, and many Ghanaians believe action is needed if
the forests are to survive. Ghana’s tropical rain forest area is now just 25 per cent
of its original size. Deforestation has occurred for a variety of reasons, including
logging (a major drain on forest resources) and clearing the land to plant cash-crops.The impact of deforestation is widespread, affecting the livelihoods
of local people, and upsetting the fine balance of the forest’s ecosystem. The
tropical forests that cover the southern part of the country are vital for the
environmental balance of the whole region. The impact of deforestation in Ghana is
seriously jeopardising the future of the country. If extraction continues at the present
rate, the forest will be gone in the next 45 years.
President Jerry Rawlings has said that logging and forest
protection should go hand in hand, and is a strong advocate of sustainable management to
ensure the survival of Ghana’s forests. The government has taken a series of measures
to cope with deforestation, including a ban on all exports of raw logs. In addition, Ghana
has set aside 16 per cent of its total area of forest land for wildlife and plant
reserves, and has restricted logging licences outside these reserves. |
