Programme

Forests in Ghana have decreased from 8.5 million to 1.5 million hectares. The remaining forest is under ever increasing pressure.

Tain II Forest Reserve is a highly degraded area with poor accessibility, surrounded by underdeveloped community farmland. Due to the lack of law enforcement, illegal farming, cattle herding, illegal logging and poaching have developed without much hindrance, both in and around the reserve. Soils, biodiversity, forests and livelihoods of people continue to degrade, intensified by wildfires. This calls for improved governance, sustainably managed farms and forest plantations to generate income, as well as the conservation and restoration of ecological important areas.

This program aims at restoring Tain II Forest Reserve and its buffer zone to its former production function, where remnants of the original vegetation are protected and strengthened to become refuges for biodiversity and where land users practice sustainable agriculture and implement sustainable land use measures. The goal is to expand the planted and restored area in and around the forest reserve with 2,200 hectares of lowland forest, agricultural land and sustainable tree plantations.

Restorative actions will lead to increased income from agriculture and forestry. Smallholders will join forces and financial mechanisms are in place to upscale to a wider area and more communities. Last but not least, improved landscape governance is needed to reduce the fire risk in the area, enhance biodiversity conservation and promote restoration of the landscape.