Capacity-building workshop for West Africa on ecosystem restoration to support achievement of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets Accra, Ghana 5 to 9 October 2015 Community involvement in tropical forest restoration: Ghana as reference country Dr Mark Appiah Principal Research scientist/ Adj. Professor 09/10/2015 CSIR-Forestry Research Institute of Ghana / Dr Mark Appiah
Presentation Outline 1. Question is: How do we address Ecosystem degradation? Case studies: What type of ecosystem is being restored? Where are the case projects located? Who are the stakeholders? What did they do? What were the outcomes? What were the enabling conditions for those outcomes? What were the hindrances? What is the take away message for building support for ER? 2
Priority area for ecosystem restoration Primary/ Managed forests Its natural structure, functions have not undergone any changes that exceed the elastic capacity of the ecosystem Secondary forests Termed Successional Forests regrowth after disturbance Degraded primary forests its structure, processes, functions and dynamics are altered such that the capacity of these forests to fully recover from exploitation in the near to medium term has been compromised Degraded forests Has lost structure, function, species composition and/or productivity. A whole range of services are affected 3
Where are the Case Projects located in Ghana? Forest District Agro-Ecozone Region Town/Communities 1. Offinso Semi-deciduous Ashanti Afram Headwaters Forest Reserve 2. Dormaa Semi-deciduous Brong Ahafo Asunsu No1, Twumkrom, Abonsrakrom 3. Begoro Semi-deciduous Eastern Besetuom, Ahomasu, Kumfrefre 4. Gwira Banso Wet Evergreen Western Gwira-Banso 4
Offinso Dormaa, Begoro Gwira- Banso 09/10/2015 CSIR-Forestry Research Institute of Ghana / Dr Mark Appiah UEF/Mark Appiah 5
Stakeholder group Primary stakeholders Who are the stakeholders? Characteristics Forest Service Division, FC - Right to manage forest reserves Local communities (indigenous and migrants) - Access to land through admitted rights - Forest are main source of food &income - Engage in unsustainable land uses. Traditional authorities - Own land on behalf of community - Represent communities in official decision-making processes Secondary stakeholders Private tree growers /concession holders Tertiary stakeholders Scientific community- (FORIG, UEF, consultants) - Rights to their own plantations/or concessions. - No rights to land. - Research institute 6
What is the Project Concept Dormaa, Offinso and Begoro Projects Initiated in 2000 under the theme of rehabilitation of degraded forests with collaboration of local communities (PD 30/97 Rev 6 (F) Problem context: Slash and burn farming. Poor soil fertility, wildfires, land of land and tenure insecurity. Modified Taungya System (MTS) Financially supported by ITTO Total estimated areas under plantation: (at least 240 ha (80 ha / location) Planting rate; 278 trees per ha Population involved: at least 100 households 7
What is the Project Concept Gwira-Banso JFM Projects in the Western Region of Ghana covering 600 households Initiated in 1995 to rehabilitate degraded lands in off-reserve forests & to enhance the livelihoods of forest dependent communities through increased benefits. Problem context: Slash and burn farming. Poor soil conditions give rise to low crop yields to which farmers respond by clearing more forests to extend farms. Logging uses indiscriminate felling practices. The two commercial Partners: Ghana Primewood Limited (GAP), own the timber concession (16000 ha) Dalhoff, Larsen & Horneman (DLH), Danish timber trading company Improved agroforestry as restoration tool Financial support by DANIDA/PSD-Programme of Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Total estimated areas under plantation: 416 ha Planting rate: 20-40 seedling per ha 8
What did they do? 9
Consultation and stakeholder engagement 10
Consultation and stakeholder engagement Pre-implementation actions Initial stakeholder analysis: Who are the players, Their needs and priority Their potential Project concept and implementation plan What are the stakeholders responsibilities and benefit? How the project could be managed, monitored and evaluated What happens beyond the duration of the project 11
Collection of background data on communities and resources
Education campaign on risks of degradation 09/10/2015 CSIR-Forestry Research Institute of Ghana / Dr Mark Appiah 13
Built capacity in nursery and field silvicultural techniques Seed collection and nursing Field preparation and planting Tending and protection from fire Monitoring and evaluation 09/10/2015 CSIR-Forestry Research Institute of Ghana / Dr Mark Appiah 14
Supported communities to plant trees (woodlot) Teak Plantation Cassia siamea plantation About 1200 seedlings and more per ha 15
Communities practiced Agroforestry under MTS and other models Tree species planted together with crops at initial stages of plantation development tree planting in mixed stand at a rate of 20-40 trees (seedlings)per ha
Communities involve in assisted regeneration Note: In some cases, degraded forest land may still be capable of supporting natural regeneration Community Woodland Reserves before the Project 2 Years after Reservation
Tree species Cedrela odorata, (exotic) Ceiba pentandra Alstonia boonei Terminalia ivorensis Khaya ivorensis, What trees they used and why? Characteristics/Value Timber, fuel wood, shade, fence/windbreak, carbon stock Timber, medicne, fodder, seed oil, organic matter, nitrogen fixing erosion control, carbon stock Timber, medicine, carbon stocks Timber, medicine, shade, nitrogen fixing/soil health, carbon tocks Timber, medicine, nitrogen fixing, carbon stocks Terminalia superb, Pericopsis elata Timber, medicine, fuel wood, shade, carbon stocks Timber, carbon tocks Heritiera utilis, Tieghemella heckellii, Entandrophragma angolense, Nauclea diderrichii, Entandrophragma utile,
What were the outcomes?
What were the outcomes? Increase awareness of degradation and biodiversity issues.
What were the outcomes? Communities produce their own seedlings @capacity of about 60,000 to 100,000 seedlings per year.
What were the outcomes? Local people trained in low impact logging Community development fund initiated for community development Shade tolerant cropping systems (black pepper (piper nigrum) and cola (cola nitida) Black pepper is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. When dried, the fruit is known as a peppercorn The Kola nut is a caffeine-containing nut of evergreen trees of the genus Cola
About 666 ha forest cover recovered in total Biodiversity enhanced Timber and NTFP Soil fertility improved
Forest cover and carbon stocks increase 09/10/2015 CSIR-Forestry Research Institute of Ghana / Dr Mark Appiah
Local trees growing almost at the rate of Exotic ones tree planting in mixed stand at a rate of 20-40 trees (seedlings) per ha
4-year old VITRI Terminalia superba
Local enterprise diversified Bush meat (grasscutter)
Snail farming Snails kept in small enclosures (paddocks) under trees Apiculture Apiculture is seen as the integration of honey production with tree production. Alternative livelihood programs
What were the enabling conditions?
Legal framework available Legal and policy framework for stakeholder engagement Stakeholders: local communities, community, government and nongovernment organisations (NGO s). Forest and Wildlife Policy, 1994 Ghana Forest and Wildlife Policy, 2012 National forest plan for execution Forestry Development Master Plan (1996 2020) Programs & Projects Implement pilot projects 30
Agroforestrty? Integrated system combines trees and shrubs with crops and/or livestock Built on principle of diversification Making better use of land/physical resources Main characteristics that increases resilience (adaptation) that helps to reduce GHG (mitigate) Reducing production risks Worse-than-expected returns from one component are offset by better-than-expected returns from another component Food and income security improve livelihoods and ecosystem services
Land tenure security Through MTS model Benefit sharing mechanism Ownership and shares Consultation process
Level of sustainability achievement in relation to contribution to Aichi biodiversity strategic goals Indicator Strategic Goal A: Address the underlying causes of biodiversity Explanation of indicator Education on biodiversity conservation and risks of degradation Short-term livelihood sources addressing poverty issues Improved AF as alternative to Slash and burn Strategic Goal B: Reduce the direct pressures on biodiversity and promote sustainable use 09/10/2015 Improved AF as alternative to Slash and burn CSIR-Forestry Research Institute of Ghana / Dr Mark Appiah
Level of sustainability achievement in relation to contribution to Aichi biodiversity strategic goals Indicator Strategic Goal C: To improve the status of biodiversity by safeguarding ecosystems, species and genetic diversity Explanation of indicator Promotes systems that enhance species recruitment and biodiversity Reduces the clearance of new forest lands thus minimizing genetic erosion and safeguarding genetic diversity
Level of sustainability achievement in relation to contribution to Aichi biodiversity strategic goals Indicator Explanation of indicator Strategic Goal D: Enhance the benefits to all from biodiversity and ecosystem services The systems provide essential services, including watershed protection, soil erosion prevention and soil fertility improvements System enhances carbon stocks in degraded ecosystems, thereby contributing to climate change mitigation and adaptation and to combating desertification.
Level of sustainability achievement in relation to contribution to Aichi biodiversity strategic goals Indicator Explanation of indicator Strategic Goal E: Enhance implementation through participatory planning, knowledge management and capacity building Projects built on traditional knowledge and practices Project encourages full and effective participation of indigenous and local communities, at all relevant levels. Community outreach and awareness campaign on technologies relating to biodiversity management and trends, and the consequences of its loss, Building the capacity of local people 09/10/2015 CSIR-Forestry Research Institute of Ghana / Dr Mark Appiah
Failures /hindrances Changes in tree fruiting and seeding patterns affecting seed availability for nursery practices Formal agreement on benefit sharing yet to be signed 37
What is the take away message for building support for ecosystem restoration? Local people are interested in ER Projects that have the following livelihood sustainance components: Land access and land use security Financial share in tree planting Long term access to land and products Provisioning Increase income, food, fodder, wood and ntfps Regulating Enhanced microclimate for cocoa and other crop production Enhanced biodiversity and carbon stock Soil Improved soil fertility/organic matter -Agricultural cost-saving Soil erosion reduction
Thank YOU 39