Forestry Legislation Being Revised - Bilijo Into Unified Code

Takoradi, (Central Region) 8 Oct.,

The Ministry of Lands and Forestry is revising all existing forestry legislation into a unified code to address issues relating to the ownership of planted trees, trees on farmlands and denigrated forests. Deputy minister Nayon Bilijo who made this known in Takoradi today said the ministry is of the view that sharing arrangements should be a matter to be determined or negotiated between the land owner and the tenant. Mr Bilijo was addressing a two-day workshop on Private Forest Enterprise and Local communities in Sustainable Forest Management. He said the ministry would encourage communities to place natural forests not rpt not yet formed under community forest reserves to serve as common resource base to maintain biodiversity and enhance eco-tourism. The ministry will aslo negotiate for soft long-term loans for lending through the commercial banks to prospective tree farmers. The workshop is a follow-up of the Gwira-Banso Project, a collaborate forest management and marketing venture between Ghana Primewood Products Limited, Dalhoff Larson and Horneman ( DHL ) of Denmark and the Chiefs and people of Gwira-Banso Traditional Area in the Eastern Nzema District of the Western region. Covering an area of about 160 square kilometres between the Draw and Fure river forest reserves, it is perhaps the largest chunk of high forest off-reserve in the country. The project, which has been in operation for two years, is to demonstrate sustainable natural resource management with the Forestry Department's principles for forest reserves and the stabilization of agriculture through support to farmers and the introduction of shade- tolerant crops alongside timber tree growing. Mr Bilijo said the ministry has realized that until communities are sufficiently motivated to assume responsibility for management, development and protection of forest resources, attempts towards sustainable forest management might not achieve the desired results. Mr Ben Kuffour, Managing Director of Ghana Primewood Products, noted that Ghana's reliance on traditional exports such as cocoa, coffee, timber, gold and other minerals in her drive towards middle income status by the year 2020 will only succeed when it is ensured that these resources are not exhausted. He said in the forestry sector, there are major changes yet to be undertaken to facilitate achievement of the seven per cent growth envisaged under Vision 2020. Of the one point six million hectares of forest reserves in the high forest zone, he said only 47 per cent has been designated timber production areas. Mr Kuffour said so far the Forestry Department has created the impression that government would continue to manage the timber production area, a stand which he said ought to be reviewed. ''It is not the business of government to plant trees to carry out natural regeneration or manage forests on behalf of the timber industry. Government's role is to enforce the principles of good forest management.'' Mr Kuffour called for the privatization of those forest reserves designated as timber production areas so that Private Enterprise can embark on sustainable forest management. He said the Gwira Banso experience, even over land which has not been dedicated to permanent forestry, has shown that when given the chance, the private sector can deliver the goods.