About this site
Providing tropical forest news, statistics, photos, and information, rainforests.mongabay.com is the world's most popular rainforest site. [more] |
|
|
|
GHANA
|
Ghana Forest Figures
Forest Cover
Total forest area: 5,517,000 ha
% of land area: 24.2%
Primary forest cover: 353,000 ha
% of land area: 1.5%
% total forest area: 6.4%
Deforestation Rates, 2000-2005
Annual change in forest cover: -115,400 ha
Annual deforestation rate: -2.0%
Change in defor. rate since '90s: 4.2%
Total forest loss since 1990: -1,931,000 ha
Total forest loss since 1990:-25.9%
Primary or "Old-growth" forests
Annual loss of primary forests: n/a
Annual deforestation rate: n/a
Change in deforestation rate since '90s: n/a
Primary forest loss since 1990: n/a
Primary forest loss since 1990:0.0%
Forest Classification
Public: 100%
Private: 0%
Other: 0%
Use
Production: 22.7%
Protection: 6.4%
Conservation: 0.8%
Social services: 1.2%
Multiple purpose: n/a
None or unknown: 68.9
Forest Area Breakdown
Total area: 5,517,000 ha
Primary: 353,000 ha
Modified natural: 5,004,000 ha
Semi-natural: n/a
Production plantation: 160,000 ha
Production plantation: n/a
Plantations
Plantations, 2005: 160,000 ha
% of total forest cover: 2.9%
Annual change rate (00-05): 20,000,000 ha
Carbon storage
Above-ground biomass: 726 M t
Below-ground biomass: 267 M t
Area annually affected by
Fire: n/a
Insects: n/a
Diseases: n/a
Number of tree species in IUCN red list
Number of native tree species: 680
Critically endangered: 3
Endangered: 19
Vulnerable: 94
Wood removal 2005
Industrial roundwood: 1,205,000 m3 o.b.
Wood fuel: 28,253,000 m3 o.b.
Value of forest products, 2005
Industrial roundwood: $31,265,000
Wood fuel: n/a
Non-wood forest products (NWFPs): n/a
Total Value: $31,265,000
More forest statistics for Ghana
|
Ghana has one of the stronger economies of sub-Sahara Africa due to its array of natural resources. However, the
exploitation of these resources, coupled with the overall lack of environmental awareness, has devastated the country's forests. In less than 50 years, Ghana's primary rainforest has been reduced by 90 percent, while in the past 15 years (1990-2005), the country lost 1.9 million hectares or 26 percent of its forest cover.
Subsistence agriculture and cutting for fuelwood is common throughout Ghana and worsening due to a population growth rate approaching 3 percent. Logging and the pursuit of gold have also proved costly to the country's natural areas.
Forest loss in Ghana has exacerbated droughts and bushfires. In 1997 and 1998, widespread bushfires led the government to step up its anti-bushfire campaign, but the reform had little effect. Desert is encroaching on some deforested lands and soil erosion is
rampant. The economic development of Ghana has come at a great cost to its forests and environment.
On a more positive note, Ghana is host to Kakum National Park, which attracts thousands of visitors every year. The park's main draw is its canopy walkway and the forest's diverse array of wildlife, including monkeys, bongos, and forest elephants. Kakum is one of the last isolated fragments of rainforest that once extended across West Africa. In total, about 15 percent of Ghana's land area is under some form of protection, though the government still struggles with enforcement. Despite these difficulties, the government has taken an active role in trying to curb logging. After its 1995 log export ban, the government has actively pushed plantation development projects in degraded forest lands to reduce the pressure on natural forests. The efforts yielded a 44 percent decline in log exports between 1994 and 1997.
According to data from the World Resources Institute, Ghana has 3,725 species of plants, 729 birds, 222 mammals, 131 reptiles, and 90 fish.
Recent articles
Forest protection could earn tens of millions for Ghana -- 11/06/2006
Ghana could earn tens of millions of dollars for reducing its deforestation rate under a carbon-trading initiative proposed by a coalition of developing countries and under discussion this week at U.N. climate talks in Nairobi, Kenya.
Recent articles | Ghana news updates | XML
Pictures of new species discovered in West Africa
(12/6/2007) Scientists have discovered significant populations of new, rare and threatened species in one of the largest remaining blocks of tropical forest in West Africa, reports Conservation International (CI). The findings underscore the need to conserve the area's high biological richness.
Looming desertification could spawn millions of environmental refugees
(12/14/2006) Africa may be able to feed just 25% of its population by 2025 if soil degradation on the continent continues at its current pace, according to a water expert presenting at an upcoming United Nations University (UNU) conference on desertification in Algiers, Algeria. Karl Harmsen, Director of UNU's Ghana-based Institute for Natural Resources in Africa, says that should soil conditions continue to decline in Africa, nearly 75% of the continent could come to rely on some sort of food aid by 2025.
Forest protection could earn tens of millions for Ghana
(11/6/2006) Ghana could earn tens of millions of dollars for reducing its deforestation rate under a carbon-trading initiative proposed by a coalition of developing countries and under discussion this week at U.N. climate talks in Nairobi, Kenya.
Goodbye to West Africa's Rainforests
(1/22/2006) West Africa's once verdant and extensive rainforests are now a historical footnote. Gone to build ships and furniture, feed hungry mouths, and supply minerals and gems to the West, the band of tropical forests that once extended from Guinea to Cameroon are virtually gone. The loss of West Africa's rainforests have triggered a number of environmental problems that have contributed to social unrest and exacerbated poverty across the region.
Cocoa innovations could help West Africa escape poverty
(9/21/2005) Ghana is leading efforts to use waste from cocoa farming to produce household products and drinks -- from fertilizer and soap to wine and brandy -- that will boost income for poor farmers.
Builder of rainforest canopy walkways believes conservation can be profitable
(9/20/2005) This month's issue of The Ecological Finance Review details Greenheart Conservation Company, a for-profit company that designs, builds and operates conservation based canopy walkways (canopy trails) and other nature-based attractions around the world. Operating on the premise that conservation can be economically viable, Greenheart believes that is has already become a "model of how to shift gears from an industrial to a green economy." Greenheart has developed or is developing canopy walkways in Peru, Nigeria, Madagascar, Ghana, Brazil, Guyana, the United Kingdon, and Canada.
Studying the rainforest canopy
(4/21/2005) The Global Canopy Programme, a groundbreaking new project dedicated to studying rainforest canopies, is about to enter the implementation stage in five tropical forests across the globe. Headed by Dr. Andrew Mitchell of Oxford University, the project will place giant cranes in Brazil, Ghana, India, Madagascar and Malaysia
Ghana: Environmental Profile
(2/15/2005) An overview of tropical rainforets found in Ghana. Includes forest cover and deforestation statistics.
Suggested reading - Books
Unless otherwise specified, this article was written by Rhett A. Butler [Bibliographic citation for this page]
Other resources
Contact me if you have suggestions on other rainforest-related environmental sites and resources for this country.
Image copyright Google Earth, MDA EarthSet, DigitalGlobe 2005
CIA-World Factbook Profile
FAO-Forestry Profile
World Resources Institute
Last updated: 4 Feb 2006 |
|
|
