Rising deforestation and poverty in Ghana?

Ghanas Forestry Commission has been involved in various activities, including planting 700 trees in partnership with the German Embassy.

According to news intercepted by freelance journalist network ,the forestry research has shown evidence of forest depletion in the Greater Accra Region, with significant percentages indicating high to moderate depletion rates that has resulted, and people do that in other to survive from poverty. But news men can clearly distinguish that livelihoods and conservation don’t have to be contradictory, and is possible for rural economic development and conservation goals to go hand-in-hand to create jobs and absorb those whose livelihoods had always come from the forest.

Poverty rate in Ghana,,is already high, and only appears to be rising. According to a 2022 report from the WORLD BANK as some citizens depend on depleting the forest to earn a living .

From 2002 to 2023, Ghana lost 143 kha of humid primary forest, making up 8.9% of its total tree cover loss

in the same time period. Total area of humid primary forest in Ghana decreased by 13% in this time period.In Ghana the peak fire season typically begins in early January and lasts around 13 weeks. There were 6,647 VIIRS fire alerts reported between 10th of April 2023 and 1st of April 2024 considering high confidence alerts only. And also From 2001 to 2022, Ghana lost 5.67 kha of tree cover from fires and 1.53 Mha from all other drivers of loss. The year with the most tree cover loss due to fires during this period was 2016 with 3.64 kha lost to fires — 3.1%

Ghana as of 2010, the top 2 regions represent 53% of all tree cover. Western had the most tree cover at 2.22 Mha compared to an average of 703 kha.

1. Western 2.22 Mha
2. Ashanti 1.51 Mha
3. Brong Ahafo 1.14 Mha
4. Eastern
5. Central 712 kha

Freelance journalist (FJN) have intercepted that ,In many of these forest reserves, there are very few things people (surrounding communities) can do to survive except hunt, farm or log the protected forests,. So many communities in Ghana are heavily dependent on the forest. It is creating serious problems for conservation not just in Ghana but most parts of Africa