Restoration in Ghana – part of a good restoration project ensuring that as the forest returns so does the good structure and biodiversity at different layers within the forest structure. Creepers, epiphytic orchids, ground cover and lower-level shrubs.
Restoration in Ghana – Part of good restoration is knowing what needs to be restored where, sometimes it is necessary to allow the grasslands and savanna species to return to restore what was there before.
It was fantastic to be back in Ghana with new and old clients after nearly two years of Covi
d induced absence. Visiting and seeing how the Ghana government and private partnerships are restoring the once degraded landscapes of some of the Central Forest Reserves are starting to produce results, not only in terms of restoring some of the critical ecosystems and biodiversity unique to these areas, but also the restoration of productive forestry.
Looking at what these companies dedicated to good forest management practices are doing already have local community leaders commenting on the change in the microclimate, reducing temperatures and increasing rainfall. Whether this is factual or not has yet to be proven, but the fact that local communities are acknowledging this is highly positive for both the government of Ghana and for the private organizations whose objectives of restoration include pioneering climate mitigation strategies.
The strategies and management by these organizations to restore both productive lands and critical natural ecosystems is starting to show good results in terms of the return of natural fauna and flora, with their biodiversity assessments showing ever increasing species diversity and the return of some critically endangered species. The efforts to ensure that forests, woodlands and grassland ecosystems all have a place within the productive forests is ensuring a place for all species that once called these areas home.
Just one word of caution – the degraded landscapes were also home to many highly invasive species, primarily exotics. These invade restoration projects, both the productive forest areas and the ecological natural restoration areas and therefore control of these invasive exotics needs to be carefully planned and managed.
Restoration in Ghana – as part of good forest stewardship practices the establishment of local processing of forest products provides employment at the source – the forest landscape.
This restoration of productive forests is creating rural employment and social upliftment in communities which were slowly sinking into poverty. Further to this these restored productive landscapes are providing sources of forest products into the local markets thus reducing pressure on the few remaining natural forest resources, enabling these to be better conserved.
Considering that this type of investment, not only in restoring land, but also in socio-economic investment taking considerable investment and courage these organizations are truly demonstrating responsible management. These kinds of investment will take many years to provide a return on this investment, but these pioneers of restoration and climate mitigation continue regardless. Hats off to the new PIONEERS.