Ghana fights deforestation by planting 5 million trees in one day. This feat was recently highlighted on the front page of the famous newspaper, the Ghana Independent, where it was reported that the country’s chief negotiator and chief minister had visited the town of Eyasi and had planted the trees on Saturday. It was a historic day as it marks the first occasion where such a large number of trees have been planted in one day.
Environmentally speaking, this is a massive accomplishment for Ghana. It is one more step in their campaign to be at the forefront of sustainable development. This move has brought with it several different impacts. The most notable impact is on the environment. The planting took place in one of the last great wilderness areas in Ghana. Today, Eyasi play a major role in preserving the environment for future generations.
Environmentalists and the local residents are understandably thrilled with this success. Eyasi is a large forested area located in northeastern Ghana. This makes it a unique environment which meets all requirements of an indigenous habitat, yet at the same time has the advantage of providing easy access to markets and other places of business. In many respects, it is a green city because it offers clean and plentiful water which is free from discharging into rivers and streams.
Tourism in Eyasi Town is the key to sustainable economic development. Now that this large forest has been planted, there will be ample opportunities for ecotourism and other forms of economic activity. This can only be good for both the local economy and the wider environment. It is also good news for the thousands of unconnected villages that remain populated and isolated in the area. Today’s act by the Ghana government and the enlisting of local communities to take on the pivotal role of protecting their rights is a major step forward towards stopping the destruction of one of the last frontiers of the biodiversity hot spots.
The involvement of local people and communities has made the work of environmental managers easier. Previously such managers had very little say in the decision making process or even worse, were not involved at all. But now that everyone is involved and tribal shamans have been granted authority to monitor the environment and ensure that minimum damage is done, things seem to be changing. The more the indigenous people get educated about how their lives are intertwined with the functioning of the environment, the more power they will have in harnessing the environmental resources.
Environmental managers now have a role not only as stewards of nature but also as partners with local people. Through projects like these, we are learning that collaboration works better than division. The fact that there is still much to be done to ensure the full protection and promotion of the environment for future generations means that we cannot afford to overlook the fact that the present generation of Ghana has to live up to its responsibility to the environment. There is much to contribute to the fight against global warming and it is time for governments and civil society to come together to ensure that the forests and other ecosystems are not destroyed.
On this same note, it is also true that the pressures on the environment must be understood more clearly to bring about change. It is important for indigenous people to understand the need for sustainable economic development that does not put their rights at risk. In addition, it is equally important for governments and other agencies not to marginalize the participation of indigenous people in decision making. Indeed, what is being done right now in many parts of Africa is being replicated elsewhere to stop environmental degradation from happening.
Today, it is imperative that people from all communities and sectors to participate in these processes to ensure sustainable development and effective utilization of natural resources. At the same time, we must fight deforestation by taking immediate action on the matter. This can only be facilitated if the local people benefit from it through better education and employment opportunities. With this in mind, it is important to note that Ghana fights deforestation by planting trees. The benefits do not end here.
Provided by Antonio Westley
Disclaimer: This article is meant to be seen as an overview of this subject and not a reflection of viewpoints or opinions as nothing is definitive. So, make sure to do your research and feel free to use this information at your own discretion.
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