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Tuesday, June 24, 2025

S/R: Ghana Wildlife Society Plants over 600 Native Trees in Keni-Keni Forest Reserve

As part of efforts to restore Ghana’s natural ecosystems and improve livelihoods, the Ghana Wildlife Society (GWS), a nature conservation-focused NGO, has planted over 600 native trees in the Keni-Keni Forest Reserve near Kabampe and Kananto in the West Gonja Municipality. The activity forms part of an initiative to restore degraded areas of the Keni-Keni Forest Reserve through native tree planting.

The planting exercise, which took place on Friday, May 30, 2025, was carried out by men and women from the Kabampe and Kananto Community Resource Management Areas (CREMAs).

Speaking to the media during the event, Prof. Erasmus Owusu, Council Member of the Ghana Wildlife Society, explained that the tree planting aims to bridge a gap in CREMA coverage stretching from Kabampe and Kananto through to Larabanga. The goal is to create a contiguous buffer around Mole National Park through the CREMA model to enhance conservation efforts.

_“This initiative is strategically designed to include a variety of indigenous species such as Dawadawa, Mahogany, and Tamarind, among others. The aim is to diversify the ecosystem and avoid monoculture,”_ Prof. Owusu said.

He noted that the Ghana Wildlife Society, through its partnership with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) in the UK, secured funding from the Ecological Restoration Fund (ERF) to implement the project. The initiative seeks to enhance ecosystem functions through native tree planting, which will improve oxygen production, stabilise the climate, and increase biodiversity.

Prof. Owusu also highlighted the project’s emphasis on community-based livelihood interventions, including beekeeping. _“This not only supports community income generation but also promotes pollination of key economic trees like shea,”_ he added.

Dr. Jo Gilbert, Director of the International Department at RSPB, in a brief remark before the planting exercise, emphasised the multiple benefits of trees. _“Trees provide essential habitats for birds, contribute to climate regulation, and offer significant value to communities,”_ she said. She encouraged community members of Kabampe and Kananto to nurture the trees planted and should reach out to the Ghana Wildlife Society and Mole National Park for support.

Also addressing the media, Mr. Wenceslas Gatarabirwa, Head of Flyway Conservation at RSPB, described the tree planting as a critical first step in a long-term community-led landscape conservation effort.

_“We are taking a long-term approach that aligns with the CREMA model. The trees planted today are expected to grow, bear fruit, produce seeds, and support the productivity of shea trees, ultimately benefiting local communities,”_ he stated.

Highlighting the importance of trees to bird species and ecological balance, Mr. Gatarabirwa warned of the consequences of species extinction. _“Birds play vital ecological roles. For example, vultures help clean up carcasses, preventing the spread of diseases. Smaller birds control insect populations such as mosquitoes, thereby reducing the prevalence of diseases like malaria,”_ he explained.

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