REPUBLIC OF

GHANA AND WILDLIFE POLICY

Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources Accra–Ghana

2012 Ghana Forest and Wildlife Policy

© Ministry of Land and Natural Resources 2012 LayoutFor moreand Coverinformation, Design: call Francisthe following K.N. numbers Nunoo 0302 687302 | 0302 666801 0302 687346 | 0302 665949 Fax: 0302 666801

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MSAR Site: A wetland set aside for conservation because of its international CONTENTS importance according to set criteria. ey are normally managed to provide maximum benet to the local communities living within and around ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ...... vii the area. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ...... viii

FOREWORD...... ix

. PREAMBLE ...... 

. Overview Of Forest And Wildlife Sector ......  . Forest and Wildlife Conservation  .. Forest Development  .. Collaborative  . Challenges and Issues in the Forest and Wildlife Sector  . National Development Agenda and Forest and Wildlife Management  . International Concerns on the Global Environment 

. THE POLICY FMEWORK ......  . Guiding Principles 

. THE FOREST AND WILDLIFE POLICY STATEMENT......  . Aim of the Policy  . Objectives of the Policy 

. Policy Strategies ......  . POLICY OBJECTIVE : MANAGING AND ENHANCING THE ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY OF FOREST, SAVANNAH, WETLANDS AND OTHER ECOSYSTEMS.  .. Strategic Direction for Forest Ecosystem Management  .. Strategic Direction for Savannah Ecosystem Resources Management 

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.. Strategic Direction for Wetlands Development  Strict Nature Reserve: Generally, relative small areas containing fragile .. Strategic Direction in response to Climate Change  habitats, outstanding ecosystems or natural features in and/or Natural features in a relatively undisturbed state and which are prime representatives . POLICY OBJECTIVE : of the scientic study, monitoring, education or conservation of biological PROMOTING THE REHABILITATION AND RESTOTION OF or cultural resources. Such areas are to be maintained in an evolutionary DEGDED LANDSCAPES THROUGH FOREST PLANTATION dynamic state and will require strict protection with minimal human DEVELOPMENT, ENRICHMENT PLANTING, AND COMMUNITY disturbance, i.e. no management interventions will generally be permied.  Tourism, recreation and public access will be generally proscribed except .. Strategic Direction for Rehabilitation and Restoration of for educational, scientic and cultural reasons, when only non mechanized Degraded landscapes  access will be allowed. . POLICY OBJECTIVE : PROMOTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF VIABLE FOREST AND WILDLIFE National Park: Generally, large and relatively undisturbed areas of outstanding BASED INDUSTRIES AND LIVELIHOODS, PARTICULARLY IN THE VALUE natural containing representative samples of major natural regions, ADDED PROCESSING OF FOREST AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES.  features or scenery and containing one or several entire ecosystems and .. Strategic Direction for Development of forest based Industries not materially altered by man (or reecting long-standing cultural land  management practices). e areas should be accessible to the public have high recreational, educational, inspirational and cultural potential of .. Strategic Direction for the Development of wildlife based clear benet to the local people, the region and the nation. e WD will Industries  administer and manage these areas so as to prevent or eliminate exploitation . POLICY OBJECTIVE : or intensive occupation in order that they might be maintained in perpetuity PROMOTING AND DEVELOPING MECHANISMS FOR TNSPARENT in national or near natural state. GOVERNANCE, EQUITY SHARING AND PEOPLES PARTICIPATION IN FOREST AND WILDLIFE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT  Wildlife Sanctuary: Relatively small areas used to protect plant or animal .. Strategic Direction for transparent governance of forest and species, either resident or migratory, of exceptional conservation interest, wildlife Resources  from any form of destruction. Such species will be protected from any form of exploitation which is inconsistent with their conservation status, .. Strategic Direction for eliminating illegal and chainsaw except where that intervention is necessary to secure the continued survival operations  of particular species. ese areas are opened to public access for cultural, . POLICY OBJECTIVE : touristic, education, scientic, spiritual or inspiration reasons. Forms of PROMOTING TINING, RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY traditional land use which are compatible with and will contribute to the DEVELOPMENT THAT SUPPORTS SUSTAINABLE FOREST conservation objectives will be encouraged. Some of the traditional sacred MANAGEMENT.  formally gazeed or registered; central government’s legal support would . . Strategic Direction to promote training, research and technology thereby be extended to local and traditional institutions to ensure the Development  continued protection of such sites.

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APPENDIX 1: . Supporting the implementation of the forest and wildlife policy objectives GLOSSARY AND DEFINITION OF and programmes ......  TERMINOLOGIES Appendix : Annual Allowable Cut: e maximum volume that can be felled each year Glossary and Denition of Terminologies ......  without reducing the long-term sustainability of the forest resource

Biological Diversity: e variability among living organisms from all sources including inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems

Carbon Stock: e quantity of carbon in a “pool” (reservoir or system) which has the capacity to accumulate or release carbon

Forest Degradation: Changes within the forest which negatively aect the structure or function of the stand or site, and thereby lower the capacity to supply products and/or services

Forest Management Unit (FMU): a clearly dened area with mapped boundaries, managed by a single managerial body to set of explicit objectives which are expressed in a self-contained multi-year management plan

Growing stock: Volume of all living in a given area of forest or wooded land that have more than a certain diameter at breast height. It is usually measured in solid cubic metres (m). It includes the stem from ground level or stump height up to a given top diameter, and may also include branches above a certain diameter

Non-timber Forest Products: All forest products except timber including other materials obtained from such as resins and leave as well as any other plant and animal

Wetland’:groups together a wide range of habitats that share common features, the most important of which is continuous, seasonal or periodic standing water or saturated soils

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Strategic Develop sustainable and predictable nancing instruments to Direction . support forestry sector activities BURKINA FASO Policy .. Developing forestry nancial mechanisms towards the Strategies achievement of more secure, predictable funding sources for the sector. In developing this framework the policy will: a) Strengthen the revenue management of the forestry sector institutions b) Conduct a strategic review of forest regulations and the operations of the Forestry Commission with the view to ceding out, where necessary, the current public sector activities that the private sector has the comparative advantage. c) Develop a -year forestry and wildlife environmental governance support programme to deliver reform, long-term, sustained multi-donor commitment to TOGO

COTE D’IVOIRE COTE the sector. d) Set up a Trust Fund Board to manage grant and trust funds to provide exible source of funding for (i) communities in support of establishing Community Resource Management Areas (CREMAs), dedicated , Forest Forums and similar opportunities and (ii) advocacy organizations that hold government more accountable

GULF OF GUINEA

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6.0 SUPPORTING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS FOREST AND WILDLIFE POLICY OBJECTIVES AAC Annual Allowable Cut AND PROGRAMMES CBOs Community Based Organizations . e implementation of this policy will be through the formulation and CDM Clean Development Mechanism implementation of a comprehensive -year Forestry Development Master Plan to t into the national poverty reduction strategy. e CFM Collaborative Forest Management following strategic directions and policy actions would be pursed to guide CREMAs Community Resource Management Areas the implementation this policy ECOWAS Economic Community of West African States Strategic Stimulate political and institutional support for the FC Forestry Commission Direction . implementation of the forest and wildlife policies and programmes at all levels of governance. FMP Forest Management Plan Policy . In pursuance of this policy direction Government will: FMU Forest Management Unit Strategies .. Institute an annual forestry forum where all FSD Forest Services Division stakeholders will meet to review actions and GDP Gross Domestic Product plan programmes. e necessary legislation GoG Government of Ghana which would include representatives of various of stakeholders in policy-making to support GPRS Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy conservation initiatives will be enacted. GSBA Globally Signicant Biodiversity Area .. Decentralize forestry governance system MDG Millennium Development Goals to local levels to ensure transparency, NGOs Non-Governmental Organizations accountability and equity and to dene NRMP Natural Resources Management Programme the roles of Traditional Authorities, local government (District Assemblies), NGOs, NTFPs Non-Timber Forest Products Community Based Organizations (CBOs) in PAs Protected Areas forest and wildlife management. REDD Reduced Emissions from and Forest .. Enact specic legal provisions governing the Degradation establishment and management of Protected SFM Sustainable Forest Management Areas; integrate forest law into Judicial and Law enforcement training programmes and SME Small and Medium Size Enterprises clarify and consolidate forest related laws and WD Wildlife Division regulations into Forest Law.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Strategic Support Research and Development to enhance eciency in the wildlife industries e Ghana Forest and Wildlife Policy of  was developed with the support Direction .: and active involvement of all stakeholders in the forest and wildlife sector (formal Policy .. Seing up a support system to promote research in and informal) across the country. Various communities, regional and national Strategies packaging and selling of wildlife on the export market. stakeholders’ workshops were held at dierent locations representing the dierent ecological systems in the country. Dierent stakeholders, researchers and academia presented memorandum towards the policy revision. Let all these stakeholders nd here an expression of gratitude and recognition for what they have provided. e same gratitude is extended to our Development Partners, the National and Regional House of Chiefs, the Media and Civil Society Organizations whose invaluable contributions and criticisms enabled us to rene the objectives and strategies. We also express our heartfelt appreciation to the various facilitators and chairpersons during the district, regional and national workshops that were able to bring the best out of the participants in a relatively short period. Indeed, the excellent job they did has contributed to this output. Finally we acknowledge with gratitude the work of the National Forest Policy Review Team made up of representatives from the Forestry Commission, the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Program, the Ghana Institute of , Private Forest Consultants and led by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources. ey worked tirelessly to collate all views and draed the document.

Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources P. O. Box MB  Accra

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c) Update forest information database to monitor FOREWORD sustainable forest management and establish forest e implementation of the  Forest and Wildlife Policy witnessed signicant and wildlife research funds which research and changes in the structure and form of the forestry sector in Ghana. e sector academic institutions, as well as civil society can access. institutions were transformed into a corporate Forestry Commission in accordance with the  constitution. A number of strategic initiatives were d) Build national capacity for accurate accounting introduced to improve and develop the forest and wildlife resource base; integrate and timely collection of resource production and good governance, transparency, equity and poverty reduction into the forest and utilization of data to be linked up with macro- wildlife sector. e  policy introduced equitable sharing of management economic data. responsibilities; increased benet ows to local stakeholders, especially the e) Support the development of research infrastructure rural poor; and increased participation, transparency and accountability in the for the savannah ecosystem sector activities. f) Promote sectoral and cross-sectoral institutional However, there is a paradox. e implementation of the  policy with all collaboration to generate and share information to improve forest policy and management. the associated reforms could not halt the degradation in the forest resource base. Illegal chainsaw and (galamsey) operations in forest areas have Strategic Increase Public Education and Create Awareness on the thrived over the years despite conscious national eorts to curb the situation in Direction . Value and Multiple Uses and benets of Forests collaboration with the security agencies. Woodfuel productions especially in the fragile areas of the savanna regions have remained unsustainable whilst wildres Policy .. Initiating steps to intensify public education on the continue to be an annual occurrence in all the ecosystems. e timber industry Strategies links between natural resources, over-exploitation, environmental degradation, and community poverty. In still operates with obsolete equipment and has installed capacities exceeding the pursuing this strategy, Government will: Annual Allowable Cut (AAC). a) Build capacities of communities, including the Besides the challenges inhibiting the aainment of the  Forest and youth and women, to enhance their participation in Wildlife Policy objectives, the forestry sector today is also confronted with sustainable resource management. emerging global issues like the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA), Forest b) Disseminate information on forestry events, issues Certication, Climate Change and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and and trends to allow informed participation by the forest Degradation (REDD) which have far reaching implications for the forest wider public as well as the forest fringe communities. and wildlife industry as well as local livelihoods. c) Provide advisory services through a dynamic forestry extension service to promote social acceptance In keeping with the objectives of the national development agenda, the forest and of forestry. wildlife sector will have to explore new measures to halt, and reverse the pace of deforestation and forest degradation in Ghana. ere are emerging opportunities for sustainable forest nancing especially through Carbon Credit schemes which the country needs to take advantage of to develop the forestry sector. In addition, the Civil Society Organizations and the local people are today much — 30 — — ix — Ghana Forest and Wildlife Policy Policy strategies be er organized and well informed to be mainstreamed into the forestry sector 5.5 POLICY OBJECTIVE 5: decision-makingGhana Forest and Wildlife and resourcePolicy management. PROMOTING TRAINING, RESEARCH AND Policy strategies TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT THAT SUPPORTS Abe er revised organized policy andis therefore well informed necessary to be to mainstreamed take advantage into of the these forestry emerging sector 5.5 SPOLICYUSTAINABLE OBJECTIVE FORE ST5: MANAGEMENT. opportunitiesdecision-making to maximize and resource the management.rate of social and economic development of the PROMOTING TRAINING, RESEARCH AND country and secure optimum welfare and adequate means of livelihood from the . TResearchECHNOLOGY and training DEVELOPMEN are the twinT TpillarsHAT SforUPPOR sustainableTS forestry A revised policy is therefore necessary to take advantage of these emerging forestry sector to all Ghanaians. Sdevelopment.USTAINABLE Given FORE the emergingST MANAGEMEN importance ofT. environmental services opportunities to maximize the rate of social and economic development of the and participatory governance, there is the need to strengthen capacity . Research and training are the twin pillars for sustainable forestry ecountry Ghana and Forest secure and optimum Wildlife welfare Policy and , adequate therefore, means is a of paradigm livelihood shi from from the in resource economics, policy impact analysis, and genetic engineering development. Given the emerging importance of environmental services theforestry past sectorpolicies, to allplacing Ghanaians. emphasis on non-consumptive values of the forest in addition to traditional disciplines relevant for sustainable forest and participatory governance, there is the need to strengthen capacity and creating a balance between timber production and marketing to satisfy management. Forestry research and education will be in line with national e Ghana Forest and Wildlife Policy , therefore, is a paradigm shi from in resource economics, policy impact analysis, and genetic engineering particularly domestic demands. e policy also seeks to: (i) consolidate priorities and development programmes whilst taking advantage of the past policies, placing emphasis on non-consumptive values of the forest in addition to traditional disciplines relevant for sustainable forest good governance through accountability and transparency (ii) enhance active emerging global technologies. and creating a balance between timber production and marketing to satisfy participation of communities and land owners in resource management and management. Forestry research and education will be in line with national particularly domestic wood demands. e policy also seeks to: (i) consolidate . Conservation education will seek i) to increase peoples’ awareness of the addressing issues on tree tenure and benet sharing (iii) promote small and priorities and development programmes whilst taking advantage of good governance through accountability and transparency (ii) enhance active value of natural resources now and in the future, ii) to show people what medium forest and wildlife enterprises as a means of job creation for the rural emerging global technologies. participation of communities and land owners in resource management and threatens the well-being of their environment and how they can contribute and urban poor (iv) increase biodiversity conservation (v) promote sustainable . Conservation education will seek i) to increase peoples’ awareness of the addressing issues on tree tenure and benet sharing (iii) promote small and to its improved management, iii) motivate them to change their behavior/ management of savannah woodland (vi) promote ecotourism development (vii) value of natural resources now and in the future, ii) to show people what medium forest and wildlife enterprises as a means of job creation for the rural a itude in a way that leads to improved environmental management. increase government commitment to degraded landscape restoration through threatens the well-being of their environment and how they can contribute and urban poor (iv) increase biodiversity conservation (v) promote sustainable massive forest plantation development schemes (viii) improve research and 5.5.1 Strategicto its improved Direction management, to promote iii) training, motivate research them to change their behavior/ management of savannah woodland (vi) promote ecotourism development (vii) application of modern and scientic technology in resources management (ix) anda itude technology in a way Development that leads to improved environmental management. increase government commitment to degraded landscape restoration through develop climate change adaptation and mitigation measures, and (x) secure . e policy strategic directions and strategies to be pursued are: massive forest plantation development schemes (viii) improve research and 5.5.1 Strategic Direction to promote training, research sustainable nancing for the forest and wildlife sector. and technology Development application of modern and scientic technology in resources management (ix) Strategic Support the uptake and dissemination of information built edevelop Ghana climate Forest change and Wildlife adaptation Policy and mitigationis a reection measures, of the aspirations and (x) secure of all .Direction e policy . strategicon indigenous directions and and scientic strategies knowledge to be pursued to improve are: on the stakeholders,sustainable nancing who were for actively the forest involved and wildlife in the sector.review and formulation process. management of forest and wildlife resources. Support the uptake and dissemination of information built We call on stakeholders to embrace and assist in the implementation of this Strategic ... Updating infrastructure for research, education and e Ghana Forest and Wildlife Policy  is a reection of the aspirations of all Policy on indigenous and scientic knowledge to improve on the revised policy to enable the country to continue to enjoy be er benets from the Direction . training at all levels of management in the forest and stakeholders, who were actively involved in the review and formulation process. Strategies management of forest and wildlife resources. products and services that the forest and wildlife sector provides. savannah ecosystems. In pursuance of this, the policy will: We call on stakeholders to embrace and assist in the implementation of this Policy ... Updatinga) Encourage infrastructure institutions for ofresearch, higher learningeducation and and revised policy to enable the country to continue to enjoy be er benets from the training at all levels of management in the forest and Strategies corporate bodies to integrate indigenous and scientic products and services that the forest and wildlife sector provides. savannah ecosystems. In pursuance of this, the policy will: HON. MIKE HAMMAH (MP) knowledge in forest and wildlife management. Minister for Lands and Natural Resources a) Encourage institutions of higher learning and b) Promotecorporate targeted bodies toresearch integrate in forest indigenous and wildlife and scientic issues HON. MIKE HAMMAH (MP) andknowledge support inthe forest publication and wildlife and disseminationmanagement. of Minister for Lands and Natural Resources results to increase awareness. b) Promote targeted research in forest and wildlife issues — x — and support— 29 the— publication and dissemination of results to increase awareness.

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c. Rationalize forest fees and taxation systems and 1.0 PREAMBLE improvement of the framework for apportioning, . Forest and wildlife resources have long been major contributors to recovering and distributing equitably and e ectively Ghana’s economic development, formal and informal employment, forest rent (royalties) among the resource owners, livelihoods and export earnings. e forest and savannah ecosystems state and the users of the resources through provide rich biodiversity of national and global signicance and form consultative processes. the backbone of the economic and productive sectors of the Ghanaian d. Build partnerships for the e ective collection of economy. Unfortunately, the exploitations of these resources for national stumpage, fees and taxes as dened by law. development have not been sustainable over the years. e. Set up improved tracking system for exploited forest . In , Ghana enunciated a Forest and Wildlife Policy to replace the rst products (timber, wood fuels, wildlife, biodiversity, formal Forest Policy of , which was formulated for the conservation and medicinal plants, and other non-timber of the forest reserve estates. e main policy thrusts of the  products) to establish legal origin of these products. Policy were environmental protection, sustainable production and use of f. Dene forest and tree tenure rights in all kinds of forest and wildlife resources, involvement of local people in management forests and ownership systems. and benet sharing, institutional restructuring and promotion of research and human resource development. A Forestry Development Master Plan 5.4.2 Strategic Direction for eliminating illegal was formulated to implement the policy via a comprehensive donor funded logging and chainsaw operations sector development programme – the Natural Resources Management Programme (NRMP). Strategic Develop Strategic National Plan to address . e implementation of the  Forest and Wildlife Policy brought a Direction . and chainsaw activities number of strategic initiatives and sector reforms, which sought to improve Policy .. A comprehensive National Strategic Plan would be and develop the forest resource base and integrate good governance, developed to address all issues relating to illegal logging Strategies transparency, equity and poverty reduction into the forest and wildlife and chainsaw activities including trade in illegal timber and wood products sector. Unfortunately, aer almost two decades of implementing the policy, Ghana’s timber and non-timber forest resources are being overexploited .. Develop the necessary legislation to support the and continue to decline both in quantity and quality. e estimated cost implementation of the national strategic plan on illegal logging of unsustainable management of the country’s forest land resources, wildlife and sheries is  percent of the Gross Domestic Product (World Bank: Ghana Meeting the Challenge of Accelerated and Shared Growth November ). . e past Forest and Wildlife policies sought to maintain the forest resources as a source of timber to feed a vibrant timber industry, however given the current trends in the national development agenda, stakeholders’

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expectations and the international obligations, a change in policy direction b) Enact the legislations that will enable communities is inevitable. e sector therefore envisions a future with prosperous and individuals to benet from trees on their farms sustainable forest and wildlife sector that provide continued benets to and fallow lands, provide o-reserve tree tenure the present and future generation; by promoting equity in the allocation security, authority to legally dispose of resources of forest resources, supporting rural livelihoods and realigning the forestry and allocate greater proportion of benets accruing sector institutions to meet multi-stakeholder’s expectations without from resource management to community members compromising the environmental integrity. individually or collectively. . e Government expects that the future forest and wildlife development c) Establish and make accessible a stable source of will continue not only to foster and encourage the industry which plays nancial support for building capacity and aitudinal such a vital role in our economy, but will also ensure that forestry, hitherto changes of community institutions. almost reclusive, is brought to all the stakeholders in ways which can d) Support local communities and Non-Governmental enhance the quality of their socio-economic life which is the over-arching Organizations including women and youth to receive guide to all interventions. training that will allow them to meet their objective . e development of forestry in Ghana will therefore encompass all forms and assume optimal management responsibilities. of forests in both the high forest and savannah ecosystems; commercial .. Enacting legislation to support the allocation of timber development; and the promotion of the formal and informal resources (and other natural resources where appropriate) forest-based industries which they support. e policy will promote through transparent processes and continuous auditing research and science to support the planting and use of trees on farms, in of the forest utilization operations to ensure compliance villages, towns and cities for amenity, recreation, for shade and for fuel; with forest management specication and environmental eective decentralization of forest and wildlife governance and promotion protection standards. Eorts will be put in place to: of climate change mitigation and adaptation measures as well as payment a. Ensure increased institutional transparency, for ecosystem services. e policy will also seriously address drivers of consistency, and credibility so as to foster deforestation and forest degradation and promote a paradigm shi from responsiveness, accountability and the rule of law in forest and wildlife resource management. consumptive use of the forest to non-consumptive use. b. Allocate and dene property rights (land and tree tenure rights, intellectual property rights), and rules that dene permissible and non-permissible forms of cooperation and competition (licensing laws, laws of contract and liability, company and cooperative laws, anti-trust laws);

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5.4 POLICY OBJECTIVE 4: 2.0 OVERVIEW OF FOREST AND WILDLIFE SECTOR PROMOTING AND DEVELOPING MECHANISMS FOR TRANSPARENT GOVERNANCE, EQUITY SHARING AND PEOPLES PARTICIPATION IN FOREST 2.1 Forest and Wildlife Conservation AND WILDLIFE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT . Ghana has two predominant ecological zones: the high forest zone mainly . e current collaborative approach involves consultation, needs assessment, in the south-western part constituting a third of the country (about  investigation, synthesis and consensus building aimed at ensuring equity percent of the country) and the savannah zone occupying the rest of the and the fair distribution of benets and eciency in the execution of country. e forests are classied as on-reserve and o -reserve and there are forest management prescriptions. e Collaborative Forest Management  Protected Areas covering a total area of , km with  of them (CFM) approach adopts the learning-up process, which concentrates on located within the high forest zone (Ghana Forest and Wildlife Handbook, devising eective strategies at the conceptual stages, reviewing the eective ). Forest and wildlife conservation areas constitute about . percent phase to make it more ecient and nally expanding the lessons learnt to of the total land area. Two types of forest reserves exist – Production cover the target area. Consultations have been done at both the strategic reserves exploited for timber (about  percent) and Protection reserves and operational levels of forest management. Unfortunately, there are no (about  percent) established for conservation purposes. legislative supports for the collaborative forest management. . e biological diversity of the high forest ecological zone is considerable and 5.4.1 Strategic Direction for transparent governance accounts for most of the biological diversity of the country. For example, of forest and wildlife Resources out of , higher plants known to be in Ghana, about , are found in the high forest zone, including  tree species. Similarly,  of the  Strategic Institute transparency, equity and legalize public mammals of Ghana and about  of the  resident birds in Ghana are Direction . participation in sustainable forest and wildlife present in the high forest zone. Amphibians, reptiles and shes have not yet resources management. been systematically surveyed in the forest zone but it is assumed that this zone harbours most of the diversity of these groups (National Biodiversity Policy .. Enacting the necessary legislation and regulations to Strategy for Ghana, ). Strategies facilitate and enhance local participation and control through decentralization of forestry operations at the . In terms of economic contribution, forestry and logging accounted for . district level. In pursuance of this Government will: percent of GDP in  and contributed US . million (representing a) Develop sustainable institutional frameworks for . percent) to total export value. It is estimated that about , people eective participation of key stakeholders in forest and are formally employed by the forest and wildlife sector, and it serves as a wildlife resource management and governance. source of livelihood for about  million people. ere are  and  companies with capacity in the formal sector, directly employing about , people (Country Environmental Analysis, ). . In the informal sector, however, a wide mix of actors and rural households depend on forest resources for their livelihoods, ranging from micro/ small scale carpentry, hunting, illegal chain-saw operations, and woodfuel

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collection to the gathering and commercialisation of diverse non-timber d) Develop a Public Procurement Policy on timber and forest products (NTFPs). About million people live in forest areas of timber products for the domestic market which about  percent of their livelihoods are supported by forest activities. e) Explore possibilities of the importation of logs, sawn . It is estimated that there are about , to , people engaged in regular timber and veneers for further domestic processing. hunting, with an average income from hunting of around US , per year. Even though they are of very high importance to the national economy, . . Facilitating the se ing up and development of funding initiatives to support the retooling and technological the extent of the contribution of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) is improvements in the tertiary wood sector to improve not formally recorded, and remains inadequately represented in policy on e ciency. analysis. Wild animal and wild plant exports were valued at US . million in  (World Bank, ). Bush meat is of high dietary importance as a protein source in Ghana, but there is no consistency in national statistics 5.3.2 Strategic Direction for the Development of wildlife based Industries on the annual trade in bush meat. Strategic . e primary indigenous energy sources in Ghana are from the forestry Promote the development of the wildlife based industries sector comprising of . percent woodfuel (Strategic National Energy Direction . Plan, ). in the form of rewood and dominates the Policy .. Building partnerships to enforce the ban on hunting of all total energy consumed in the country (averaging  percent in ). Strategies protected wildlife species in Ghana whilst re-establishing the control over bushmeat hunting to bring these activities 2.1.1 Forest Plantation Development to a sustainable level through training and capacity development. In pursuance of this, e orts will be made to: . Traditional taungya system was practiced from the early ’s to help replant impoverished forest reserves in land–hunger areas in the high a) Collaborate with Non-governmental Organizations forest zone. Between  and  the Forest Services Division (FSD) was (NGOs) and community-based organizations in implementing programmes and liaising between engaged in a programme and established about , ha of government and rural people by intensifying the ( percent), Cedrela, Gmelina and some indigenous plantations national awareness campaign on bush-meat and species. ese plantations provide the key source of transmission poles for hunting issues and supporting investments in rural electrication, furniture and for export. commercial captive breeding (domestication) . A Forest Plantation Development Fund was established in  to provide of wildlife in heavy demand for export and funding to the private sector to invest in commercial forest plantation domestic markets. establishment. In , the Act that established the Forest Plantation Development Fund was amended to expand its mandate to include the public sector to participate in forest plantation development. e fund was sourced from the levies imposed on the export of air-dried . In  , the government launched a National Forest Plantation Development Programme (NFPDP) which was re-launched in   with the aim of

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5.3 POLICY OBJECTIVE 3: planting , ha per year across all the administrative districts of PROMOTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF VIABLE FOREST the country. AND WILDLIFE BASED INDUSTRIES AND LIVELIHOODS, . e NFPDP aims at restoring Ghana’s lost vegetation, creating massive PARTICULARLY IN THE VALUE ADDED PROCESSING employment for the youth, increasing food production and reducing OF FOREST AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES. the pressure on natural forests, which is not capable of meeting the 5.3.1 Strategic Direction for Development of forest based Industries increasing demands to satisfy both domestic and export markets for wood. . e socio-economic importance of forest based industries to the national Sustainable and protable plantation forestry is being achieved through economy cannot be overemphasized. is policy will therefore seek to public private partnership to ensure raw material supply to the timber and promote the establishment of a modern ecient timber and non-timber related industries. forest products’ industry that will maximize the forest and wildlife resources 2.1.2 Collaborative Forest Management to ensure a balance between the industrial capacity and the sustainability of . Due to the strong interest and rights of local communities in forest the resource and contribute signicantly to wellbeing of the rural dwellers. resource management, the Forestry Commission has modied the focus of e following policy direction and strategies will be followed: its management system to ensure greater consultation with stakeholders, Strategic Support the development and modernization of the tertiary especially local communities that are dependent on the forests and are Direction . wood Industries willing to ensure its maintenance. us, the focus of forest management in Ghana is shiing from a government-led system to a community- Policy .. Facilitating the technological improvements and retooling government collaborative management approach. Strategies to increase competitiveness; reduce waste and promote value-addition through high quality secondary and tertiary processing. In support of this, eorts will be made to: 2.2 Challenges and Issues in the Forest and Wildlife Sector a) Set up standards and regulations to govern the . ere is over exploitation of timber resources with the ocial Annual operations of the small and medium scale forest Allowable Cut ( million m) being consistently exceeded by an estimated enterprises including the development of the informal  wood sector. . million m annually for more than a decade. Biodiversity loss is very high with more than  species projected to becoming extinct in less b) Enact the necessary legislation to regulate the than a decade. Most of the prime indigenous species like, Milicia excelsa production and trade of legal lumber whilst and Milicia regia, the (Khaya and Entandrophragma species), promoting the development of the domestic Pericopsis elata, Nauclea diderrichii, and Triplochiton scleroxylon which, wood market. mainly generate substantial revenues for Ghana’s economy, have drastically c) Support specialized training and crasmanship reduced. e timber stocks in the o-reserve areas are disappearing at schemes for processing of bamboo, rubber wood, cane faster rates, leaving the forest reserves areas as “vulnerable small isolated and raan and lesser-known tree and NTFP species as islands” with limited populations of trees and animals with low possibilities a means of reducing reliance on chainsaw lumber. for genetic exchange.

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. e tertiary processing levels of the timber industry is constrained by a) Promote community and private sector investments the supply of quality and preferred timber species and products. Illegal in Forest Plantations establishment for multiple timber operations have not been brought under eective control and there functionality including provision of industrial timber, is overcapacity in the sawmilling subsector. Although the raw material biodiversity, agriculture productivity, watershed supplies are dwindling, production yields in the timber industry have not protection, and soil and improved either by the application of ecient processing methods or the use water conservation. of appropriate machinery that are suited to the sizes of materials available. b) Review the Forest Plantation Development Fund . e  policy objective of promoting the export of less volume high value to set up and operate a National Reforestation products was under stress as the export volume of furniture and furniture Fund indexed to the exploitation of timber and parts continued to decline. Raw material supplies to the tertiary processing wildlife resources and managed by an independent subsector were mostly from illegal sources with low quality wood. reforestation board and operating through a national . Other issues and challenges confronting the forest and wildlife sector commercial bank with exible terms of lending. include the following: c) Support increased investments in research and a) e inadequacy of the  Policy to respond adequately to domestic demand development, training and capacity building in forest for timber and timber products to match the massive domestic investment plantation development. in infrastructural development in the country. e past policy was export- d) Support a national programme for genetic oriented and failed to address domestic utilization of timber products. is improvement and mass production of planting has resulted in a huge domestic timber demand gap which has induced materials of key forest plantation tree species. widespread illegal chainsaw operations in the supply of lumber to the market. e) Support the creation of employment opportunities b) e Forestry Commission (FC) has not fully developed its capacity for properly and sustainable livelihoods in rural communities managing the forests and wildlife resources. Due to broader environmental through forest plantation development. responsibilities it receives a large part of its budget from international funding f) Promote the adoption of farm forestry practices which and draws its salaries from the government. Morale is generally low due to include managing trees on farms, farm boundary unaractive remuneration and reward systems. Weak capacity is observed in planting and systems. technical skills, nancial management and procurement. g) Promote ecological restoration of degraded c) Natural resources are still perceived as public goods, which are free of charge and poorly stocked forests using appropriate and of unrestricted use both in the high forest and the savannah ecosystem. reforestation/restoration techniques(ie enrichment Primary as well as secondary users have resisted changes and are slow in planting, Assisted Natural Regeneration, etc.) adopting sustainable management practices. d) ere is poor accountability in resource exploitation and lack of cost- eectiveness in the use of resources and creation of appropriate benets in a transparent and accountable manner. More than . million m of timber

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5.2 POLICY OBJECTIVE 2: harvested is not accounted for leading to considerable loss of revenue to the PROMOTING THE REHABILITATION AND RESTORATION landowners, District Assemblies and the State. OF DEGRADED LANDSCAPES THROUGH FOREST e) ere is poor delivery of quality services by the Forestry Commission to PLANTATION DEVELOPMENT, ENRICHMENT resource owners and lack of inadequate multi-stakeholder involvement in PLANTING, AND forest sector activities. 5.2.1 Strategic Direction for Rehabilitation and f) Although civil society is willing to participate in sustainable natural resource Restoration of Degraded landscapes management, their capacities are weak to carry out the responsibilities. . Large tracts of forest lands are degraded and need to be rehabilitated. ere is the broad acceptance that forest plantations will require both public g) Another challenge to collaborative forest management strategy is how and private sector initiative with beer information dissemination about to achieve sustainability in the forest management, to integrate local the contribution of forest plantations to reverse land degradation, restore communities into planning and management and still maintain a protable and improve rural livelihood and food security through agro- sector. e tree tenure arrangement still remains unclear and the inux of forestry schemes. alien herdsmen continue to heighten tensions within the local communities. . e National Forest Plantation Development Programme has been h) e grant of concessions, the fees and taxation systems within the natural designed to ensure the involvement of government and private organizations resource sector are not rationalized and transparent. e framework for and communities. However, sustainable and protable plantation forestry collecting, recovering and redistributing revenues accruing from natural will be achieved through greater government and private sector capital resources between resource owners, state users are inequitable and lack investment. e following policy direction and strategies will be followed: transparency. ere is the need to restructure and make more transparent natural resource revenues going to state, local government administrators Strategic Develop systems and incentive packages to support public, and local resource owners. Direction . private sector and community investment in reforestation and i) ere is lack of capacity in the tertiary sector leading to the production of low forest plantation development in degraded priority forest and quality products for both the domestic and export markets. savannah areas. j) Timber continued to be grossly under-priced with the FC unable to charge Policy .. Developing and implementing a National Forest Plantation legally prescribed stumpage fee thereby depriving landowners and District Strategies Strategy with realistic annual targets based on best practices Assemblies of key nancial resources for undertaking development projects. and updated forest plantation information for both the ere is also very low timber concession ground rent that deprives landowners savannah and forest areas. In pursuance of this, eorts would be made to: of key revenue . . e prevailing situation in the timber and wildlife sector defeats the premise upon which the  Policy was formulated and raises questions on the balance between the socio-economic benets and the associated opportunity cost of exploiting the country’s forest and wildlife resources.

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2.3 National Development Agenda and Strategic Promote sustainable management of mangroves to safeguard Forest and Wildlife Management Direction . the wetlands and also protect endangered species like the . e development agenda of Ghana is underpinned by the objectives of marine turtles the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS) and the aainment of Policy .. Enacting legislation to support the implementation of the the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). e third GPRS (Ghana’s Strategies national wetland conservation strategy. Shared Growth and Development Agenda) has three distinct pillars: – .. Supporting the mainstreaming of wetland management private sector competitiveness, human resource development, and good in district and community level natural resource governance with civic responsibility. Implicit in the narratives of the growth management planning. agenda is the need for the forestry sector to: r Achieve sustainable forest management by reducing deforestation and 5.1.4 Strategic Direction in response to Climate Change forest degradation and so developing a sustainable forest resource for . Climate change is becoming an increasing threat to livelihoods and social Ghana’s future. and economic development in Ghana. e Government of Ghana (GoG) is r Increase value addition in the timber processing industry to create fully commied to mitigating these eects, as well as preparing measures to additional jobs. adapt to these changes. e government through the Forestry Commission and a multi-stakeholder Steering Commiee comprised of participants r Increase rural employment and livelihoods through local management of o- from relevant ministries, civil society and the private sector, are working reserve forests, through mechanisms such as dedicated forests or Community to engage with both national and international actors in preparing Ghana’s Resource Management Areas (CREMAs). national strategy in response to the climatic changes. r Support investments in forest plantation development, tertiary processing, eco- . In pursuance of this objective, the following policy direction and strategies tourism, and wildlife facilities. would be followed: r Fully capture economic and nancial rents to ensure an eective regulator and a Strategic Develop capacities in public institutions and civil societies to broader tax base. Direction . engage in future international and domestic mechanisms that r Capture the full range of values of forests including biodiversity conservation, will respond to climate change. ecosystems services and related values. Policy .. Conscious eorts would be made to respond to the threats and risks posed by climate change. Eorts would be made to: . e national development agenda therefore places an obligation on Strategies the forest and wildlife sector to promote good governance, civil society a) Enact the necessary legislations to guide allocation of carbon rights and related maers. participation and evolvement of eective, responsible and accountable state mechanisms to engage the private sector in the policy-making b) Support training and education in forest resource processes related to growth and poverty reduction. management at district levels in carbon rights allocations. c) Create national awareness about the role of forests in climate change ( mitigation and adaptation)

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.. e high incidence of indiscriminate wildres in the 2.4 International Concerns on the Global Environment savannah woodland would be brought under control with . e current global economic trends, climate change, a growing population, active involvement of land owners and resource users. In and high rate of urbanization threaten access to food, water, and forests. e pursuance of this, eorts would be made to: Convention on Biological Diversity calls for conservation and sustainable a) develop sustainable wildre management framework use of the biodiversity and an equitable sharing of its benets. Instruments for the savannah areas with active involvement of like the Global Environmental Facility and bilateral Aid Programmes landowners and resource users; (NREG-SBS) are set up to assist developing countries with achieving b) provide incentive systems to implement the wildre the objectives. e initiatives under the Climate Change Convention management plans; are opening new opportunities that are aracting nance capital and c) establish savannah eco-restoration fund to be accessed initiatives to enhance the forest ecosystem (e.g. Carbon Trading, Reduced by civil society organizations and communities for Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+), Clean along ecologically sensitive areas. Development Mechanism (CDM), Climate Change Adaptation and mitigation). New regulatory standards are emerging which accommodates indigenous people’s rights and local/community/commons participation 5.1.3 Strategic Direction for Wetlands Development in natural resource management. Reference is also made to the ECOWAS . Ghana has been a signatory to the MSAR Convention, an international Forest Policy and the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) global treaty focusing on the conservation of wetlands of international forest objectives. importance, since . A major obligation under the Convention is the implementation of the principle of ‘wise use’ of the wetlands resources, where “wise use” is understood to mean “their sustained utilization for the bene t of humankind in a way compatible with the maintenance of the natural properties of the ecosystem”. Contracting Parties to the Convention are also required to integrate wetlands conservation issues into their national land- use planning policies. . To ensure the judicious use of the nation’s land and all its natural resources Ghana has mainstreamed wetland management in its national landuse policy. In spite of this wetlands management are still unsustainable. is policy will seek to promote the use of wetlands for farming, grazing, shing, timber production and salt-winning, provided that such uses also serve to conserve the ecosystem, biodiversity and sustainable productivity of the wetland.

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3.0 THE POLICY FRAMEWORK 5.1.2 Strategic Direction for Savannah Ecosystem Resources Management . e savannah ecosystem has served as a major water catchment area for 3.1 Guiding Principles the Volta River and its tributaries and the woodlands and the grasslands are good sources of woodfuel, biodiversity storage and grazing elds for . e Ghana Forest and Wildlife Policy  covers the laws, institutions, livestock. However, the exploitation of the savannah natural resources is systems, organizations and individuals and how they interact for the unsustainable without any form of management. e woodland lacks basic conservation and sustainable development of forest and wildlife resources. data on the structure, composition and density of species. ere are no data It is also about the conservation of ora, and fauna and the provision of forest on the supply of these resources to determine their sustainability. Most ecosystem services. e Policy also recognizes the Ghana Shared Growth of the forest reserves in the savannah are without approved management and Development Agenda and international guidelines and conventions plans to guide exploitation. Bushres coupled with unsustainable farming which Ghana has ratied including the four global objectives on forests, have contributed signicantly to the fast deterioration of the woodlands. non-legally binding instruments on all types of forests and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Forest Policy framework. . is policy seeks to place the savannah ecosystem (coastal and northern) under sustainable management and the following strategies and actions . e guiding principles of the Policy therefore incorporate the following: would be pursued: .. Maintaining the ecological integrity of the forest and savannah ecosystems; Strategic Develop systems and technologies for sustainable Direction . management of savannah woodland resources for .. Employing multi-sectoral approaches to planning and management environmental protection and enhancement of socio- of forest and wildlife resources; economic development. .. Recognizing multi-stakeholder interests in forests and wildlife and Policy .. e savannah woodland resources would be considered as forging a common vision to protect, manage and use the resources; Strategies part of the national assets to be protected and managed. In pursuance of this eorts would be made to: .. Encouraging collaborative resource management among a) support the formal and informal forestry sector communities, government and other stakeholders; institutions to develop systems and manuals of .. Ensuring the capture of the contribution of the forest and wildlife operation to guide the sustainable management sector in national development thereby integrating forest and of savannah woodland resources building on wildlife issues into national development policies and programmes; indigenous and scientic knowledge on sustainable resource management; .. Integrating traditional and scientic knowledge to promote b) develop systems and structures to support sustainable sustainable forest management; establishment of commercial woodfuels plantations .. Increasing forest and tree cover through natural regeneration, whilst targeting the implementation of savannah aorestation and reforestation; biodiversity conservation strategy. .. Promoting value addition of timber and non-timber forest resources; — 10 — — 19 — Ghana Forest and Wildlife Policy The policy framework

. . Mainstreaming relevant international agreement and conventions Strategic Promote the traditional autonomy for the protection and into planning and management in the forestry sector; Direction . management of sacred forests and community dedicated forests for biological and cultural diversity on and . .  Deepening decentralization of forest administrative functions; o reserves. . . Promoting public-private sector partnerships and investment in Policy .. Traditional sacred sites would be considered as part of forestry sector; Strategies the national Protected Areas and cultural heritage sites. In pursuance of this Government will: . .  Promoting capacity development for stakeholders in the forestry a) Review relevant legislation to recognize the rights of and wildlife sector; local people and the customs and belief systems that . .  Mainstreaming gender and vulnerability issues into forestry lead to the management of their sacred sites; development planning and management; b) ensure that economic and development planning authorities as well as other landuse agencies at . .  Promoting transboundary, regional and international cooperation in all levels of governance recognize sacred natural forestry and wildlife management; sites as legitimate landuse and their custodians as . .  Promoting good governance in the forestry and wildlife sector; legitimate managers; . .  Securing sustainable funding for the forestry and wildlife sector. c) document sacred natural sites of biological, spiritual, religious, cultural and heritage values whilst . is policy further gives recognition to the common property issues maintaining their secrecy where required. associated with managing the o-reserve wildlife estate and the devolution of authority to an appropriate level for management. An integral part of this d) support the provision of livelihood systems (materially, socially and spiritually) for needy policy is a new governance system based on transparency, equity and the communities associated with signicant sacred natural involvement of local people, especially forest-fringe communities. sites when the need arises. .. Encouraging national planning agencies and protected area managers to engage with custodians of sacred natural sites to undertake best practices and support the development, testing, dissemination and implementation of relevant international and national agreements and guidance in accordance with international and local guidelines. .. Supporting the establishment of a dedicated fund for the sustainable management of sacred natural sites.

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4.0 THE FOREST AND WILDLIFE POLICY STATEMENT Strategic Sustainably manage and develop commercial woodfuel Direction . supplies and other non-timber forest products on both on- and-o-reserved forest areas. 4.1 Aim of the Policy Policy .. Harvesting and production of woodfuels and other non- . e policy aims at the conservation and sustainable development of forest Strategies timber forest products (NTFP) would be done within and wildlife resources for the maintenance of environmental stability sustainable limits on both reserve and o-reserve production and continuous ow of optimum benets from the socio-cultural and areas. is will be achieved through the following actions: economic goods and services that the forest environment provides to the a) Enact the necessary legislation to support and ensure present and future generations whilst fullling Ghana’s commitments that forests, trees, wildlife and NTFPs on private under international agreements and conventions. and communal lands are managed according to the national forestry development objectives and resource owner’s priorities. 4.2 Objectives of the Policy b) Develop Criteria and Indicators and a chain of . e specic objectives of the policy are: custody to ensure that commercial production of .. To manage and enhance the ecological integrity of Ghana’s forest, woodfuels in all types of forests are sustainable. savannah, wetlands and other ecosystems for the preservation of vital c) Promote the establishment of commercial and soil and water resources, conservation of biological diversity, and small holder woodfuel plantations both on and o enhancing carbon stocks for sustainable production of domestic and forest reserves. commercial produce. d) Develop a national regulatory framework for the .. To promote the rehabilitation and restoration of degraded commercial exploitation of dened NTFPs at landscapes through forest plantation development, enrichment district levels. planting, and community forestry informed by appropriate land-use e) Promote research and development programmes for practices to enhance environmental quality and sustain the supply commercially viable NTFPs. of raw materials for domestic and industrial consumption and for environmental protection .. To promote the development of viable forest and wildlife based industries and livelihoods, particularly in the value added processing of forest and wildlife resources that satisfy domestic and international demand for competitively-priced quality products. .. To promote and develop mechanisms for transparent governance, equity sharing and citizens’ participation in forest and wildlife resource management.

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Ghana Forest and Wildlife Policy Policy strategies

5.0 POLICY STRATEGIES .. Promoting inter-sectoral collaboration among relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies concerned with . e realization of the policy objectives would be guided by the following sustainable management of forest ecosystems. is would strategic directions and recommended strategies: be done by: a) Involving all stakeholders in forest management 5.1 POLICY OBJECTIVE 1: planning, policy formulation and decision-making. MANAGING AND ENHANCING THE ECOLOGICAL .. Updating information and conducting biological INTEGRITY OF FOREST, SAVANNAH, inventories on forests on regular basis and monitoring WETLANDS AND OTHER ECOSYSTEMS. the growth and health of the nation’s forest and wildlife resources. is would be done by: 5.1.1 Strategic Direction for Forest Ecosystem Management a) regularly conducting to support forest . Sustainable forest management will maintain the health of the forest to management policy; produce economically viable harvests, provide social and environmental benets for now and the future. In ensuring sustainable forest ecosystem b) developing framework (technical and legislative) for natural and articial regeneration to ensure prompt management, therefore the following strategic directions and actions establishment of a satisfactory growing stock to would be pursued: increase forest/tree cover;

Strategic Manage forest reserves in line with national policies and c) supporting the development of appropiate techniques legislation as well as international treaties that the country for natural and articial regeneration. Direction . has ratied. Policy .. Strengthening the legal framework to give permanency Strategic Develop O-reserve forest production areas with well- dened and clearly established objectives compatible with Strategies to gazeed forest reserves, and Protected Areas (PAs) Direction . in order to conserve representative samples of major sustainable forest management principles ecosystems and species (biodiversity) in the country. In Policy .. Continuously survey and inventory all o-reserve potential doing this, the Government will: Strategies timber production areas, and constitute them into forest a) Develop and approve Forest Management Plans to management units covered by forest management plans cover all gazeed forest reserves. with active involvement of the local landowners. .. Developing the capacities of decentralized local institutions b) Conclude legal processes for the reservation of all including the District/Municipal/Metropolitan Assemblies, proposed forest reserve areas. Traditional Authorities, and civil society organizations in c) Reduce as much as possible the prospecting sustainable “o-reserve” timber resources and non-timber and mining of mineral resources in gazeed forest products (NTFPs) management. forest reserves. .. Updating information and conducting biological inventories on o reserved forests on regular basis and monitor the growth and health of the nation’s forest and wildlife resources.

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