Restoration of degraded forest landscapes in Ghana

Restoration of degraded forest landscapes in Ghana using threatened native tree species

Partner: Institute of Nature and Environmental Conservation (INEC)
Years: 2023-2026, phase 2

The overall goal of this project is to improve the conservation status, and ensure the long-term sustainability of the wild populations of the Endangered African teak, (Pericopsis elata, EN) and other priority threatened tree species of Ghana occurring in its range.

The overall goal of this project is to improve the conservation status, and ensure the long-term sustainability of the Endangered African teak (Pericopsis elata, EN) and other threatened species occurring in its range. These species have been selected as they are threatened with extinction due to the continuous decline in the extent and quality of their habitat, and also have poor natural regeneration. This project will consolidate conservation impacts and successes from the previous Fondation Franklinia funded project, while extending the conservation interventions to benefit other threatened tree species. More precisely, the project will map the wild populations of Pericopsis elata and georeference its mature individuals as well as the ones of the other threatened tree species targeted by this project. The goal is to determine their distribution within their respective range to facilitate seed collection and subsequent propagation and reinforcement planting efforts. The project will maintain the existing restoration plots established during phase one of this project through continuous maintenance (beating up, weeding and survival rates monitoring). The project aims also to increase in situ the populations of other threatened tree species such as Aubregrenia taiensis (CR), Hunteria ghanensis (EN), Pavata sonjae (EN), Cola reticula (EN), Cola boxiana (EN) and Milletia irvinei (EN), Khaya ivorensis (VU), Khaya anthotheca (VU) and Nauclea diderrichii (NT) through ecological restoration activities, while training the local communities to establish local nurseries to aid in the propagation of these threatened tree species. In addition, the project will also train volunteers and law enforcement officers and provide them with the necessary equipment and skills to patrol within the reserves where the threatened tree species occur to improve their protection in situ.