FSD takes steps to promote reforestation

The Forest Services Division (FSD) of the Forestry Commission (FC) as part of its push to promote massive reforestation is offering financial support and other incentive packages to get more people to establish tree plantations.

Mr. Ebenezer Agyakwa, the Asante-Akim South District Customer Relations Officer of the Division, said they were targeting farmers and private investors.

He said anybody who planted an acre of timber species, would receive some form of financial assistance alongside other material rewards.

The amount of cash would however, be determined by the size of one’s plantation.

They would continue to be paid money every other year as long as the trees were not harvested.

Mr. Agyakwa made this known to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on the sidelines of a consultative meeting organized by the District’s Business Advisory Centre (BAC) at Juaso.

He said the intervention had become necessary given the extensive destruction of the reserves, adding that, the FSD was determined to take every step to restore the lost forest cover.

Mr. Agyarkwa said they were working with the European Union (EU) on this under a project dubbed “carbon credit” to enable trees absorb the atmospheric carbon dioxide and give off oxygen, to make the environment safe.

He encouraged the people to show strong support for efforts at protecting the forest and its resources, pointing out that, doing this was in the interest of everybody.

He said it was time people, particularly in the forest fringe communities, helped to arrest illegal chainsaw operators and miners plundering the forests.