Green fire breaks projects start in seven districts in the country

Winneba (C/R), Jan. 27, GNA - The Forestry Services Division (FSD) of the Forestry Services Commission with financial assistance from the Netherlands' government are undertaking Green Fire Breaks along some forest reserves in seven districts in the Brong Ahafo, Ashanti and Eastern regions to prevent them from destruction by fire.

They are the reserves in the Becheam and Dormaa Ahenkrom districts in the Brong Ahafo, Begoro and Mpreaso in the Eastern and Offinso, Konogon and Juaso in the Ashanti regions.

Mr Osei Owusu of the Resource Management Services Centre (RMSC) of the Forestry Service Division in Kumasi disclosed this when he addressed 110 Community Forest Management Committees from nine communities around the Yenku Forest Reserve in the Gomoa District at a workshop on fire fighting at Winneba.

The workshop, also attended by chiefs, farmers and unity committee members of the communities was organized by the Winneba District Secretariat of the Forest Service Division to sensitise participants on the need to protect the reserves.

It was under the theme "Developing a Community Based Action Plan to Control Wildfires in Winneba District in 2005".

According to Mr Owusu, the project, which involved the planting of trees of about 40 meters wide around the reserves is a micro-project and would be extended to other parts of the country.

He said the tree planting forms only one components of a number of ways to help save the reserves from destruction by both fire and human activities and mentioned animals and snails rearing and mushrooms production as others.

Mr Richard Gyase Amoah, Awutu-Effutu-Senya District Manager of the FSD appealed to the participants to help revive the reserves and protect them from future destruction.

According to the district forest manager, the Yenku forest reserve that could boost of its vast Eucalyptus Plantation some years back, now have nothing to be proud of, due to constant fire outbreaks in the area.

Mr Bartholomew Nketiah, the Awutu-Effutu-Senya District fire Officer called for the formation of fire sub-committee in the District Assembly to help intensify the education on fire fighting in the district, because it is in a fire prone area.

He appealed to the chiefs in the district to report the activities of group hunters to his office and the police because they had been found to be responsible for the setting of most bush fires in the area.