Theme 6-6-Community involvement in watershed management in Ghana.

Abstract

Ghana had some 8.2 million hectares of moist forest at the beginning of the last century, i.e., the 20th century. By 1989, the forest cover had been reduced to less than 2.1 million hectares and currently, only about 1.4 million hectares of the original forest exist. The deforestation is due mainly to increased human activities resulting in unsustainable levels of timber extraction, poor agricultural practices (i.e. shifting cultivation), surface mining, use of fire for illegal hunting and the cutting of trees for fuel wood and charcoal production. The effects of deforestation on the water resources of the country are enormous. Hitherto perennial rivers and streams have become ephemeral because of the seasonal drying up of these water sources as a result of the removal of the vegetation cover of the watersheds. Rainfall amounts in many parts of the country have been observed to be declining while temperatures have been increasing. Since the early 1990s the government has taken a serious view of the devastating effects of deforestation and has put in measures to arrest the situation. This paper looks at some of the corrective measures being implemented by the government. They include controlled timber extraction, ban on the activities of illegal chain-saw operators, afforestation and reafforestation of catchments by communities and Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and the designation of some watersheds as protected areas.