Multi-Purpose Rainforest Management in Ghana: An Exploratory Study

2002

English

Ghana’s attempts at managing its forest resources for multiple benefits have not been very satisfactory, although forest management strategies have generally aimed at capturing all important benefits for society. The results of efforts towards planning and management of forest resources for multiple uses have been a mixture of complete failure and half successes, a situation that may account for an ever decreasing and degrading forest resource base. Since 1994, however, new attempts have been made to reverse this trend. These are backed by a new policy that highlights the critical importance of integrated use in the overall aim of achieving sustainable forest management in Ghana. The challenge now is how to convert these existing arrangements into smooth management decisions and to fine-tune the plans and prescriptions for achieving multiple forest benefits on sustainable basis. Based on this the Tropenbos Ghana Programme through a stakeholder participation process identified integrated forest management as an area for research and development and has commissioned this exploratory study to provide an assessment of research needs for multipurpose rainforest management in Ghana.

Oduro, K. A.