Forestry Commission ladies embark on tree planting exercise
The Forestry Commission (FC) Ladies Association yesterday embarked on a tree planting exercise at Manya Jorpanya as part of the Greening Ghana Campaign.
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The exercise also formed part of efforts to ensure that communities close to the Shai Hills Reserve did not destroy the forest through their activities.
In all, the group planted 1,111 trees on a hectare and pledged to plant another hectare in the main forest reserve.
The land for the exercise was donated by the Divisional Chief of Manya, Dr Nene Tei Djahene Korabo IV, who is celebrating his 18th year on the throne.
Greening Ghana
The Greening Ghana project was launched in 2010 to address environmental menaces such as deforestation, illegal mining and chainsaw operations and their attendant ramifications that are robbing the nation of its water bodies, forest reserves, wildlife habitation and other natural resources.
The project also seeks to ensure the restoration of wildlife habitats and forest reserves by planting trees in communities and along water bodies.
The Vice-President of the association, Ms Mary Balkono, explained that the aim of the association was tied to the vision of the commission to create and protect more forestry and wildlife resources in the country.
“ The Forestry Commission can’t do it alone, the communities have to participate. We need to come down to their level and teach them how these resources should be protected and if there is the need; we plant more to protect our environment.
“This particular community is close to one of our reserves and this is part of measures to prevent the community from entering the reserve for their needs. With what we are doing, they won’t have the interest to enter the reserve to cut down trees but use the woodlot,” she said.
Awareness
The community is close to the over 51-kilometre square Shai Hills Forest Reserve.
The ladies also used the occasion to educate pupils of the Manya Jorpanya Junior High School on the importance of trees to human life.
To ensure that the seedlings grow well, it has been handed over to pupils of the school to nurture.
Prior to the tree planting exercise, the group visited Nene Karabo to express appreciation to him for releasing the land for the initiative.
For his part, Nene Karabo said the traditional authority was environmental conscious, a reason for which the area was green and plush.
“There is restriction on tree cutting here. Before you cut down a tree here you need a permit. If you go ahead without it, sanctions apply,” he indicated.