Analysis of the future forestry outlook has demonstrated that the sustainable development scenario is the best path of future development for Ghana. The sustainable Ghana scenario however requires that the supply of forest resources should be adequate to meet current and future demand of forest resources whiles maintaining the forest integrity. This calls for re-organization of production and consumption patterns to maximize the welfare of the people. The scenario therefore has a lot of implications on policy and planning of sustainable forest management regimes in Ghana.
Fundamental to the sustainable forest scenario are the following:
Effective forest management administration policy review
Increased investment in natural forest management
Effective stakeholder participation in forest management
Incentives for production of value-added processing
Intensive forest plantation development
Forest Policy Research development.
4.1.1 Effective forest management administration and policy review
The first and foremost priority to promote sustainable forest management is to re-establish the organizational capacity of the Forestry Commission (FC) to make forest authorities more responsive to the management of the forest estate. The newly established FC should consider empowering its divisions to become more autonomous and efficient. The headquarters of the Forestry Commission should concern itself with monitoring whiles the Divisions concentrate the technical issues.
The FC should seek collaboration with other sectors of the national economy whose activities impinges on the forestry sector. The country should develop integrated and collaborative programs to avoid undue pressure on the forest resource base.
Having reorganized the forest institutions, the next option is for the Ministry of Lands and Forestry to review forest policies to reflect on sustainable forest management practices. The new policy should consider:
Adopting stumpage fees close to the real value of wood
Introducing pricing policies which favors the protection of highly threatened species
Adopting direct fiscal policies to down size the milling industry and encourage efficiency and recovery rates
4.1.2 Increased Investment in Natural Forest Management
Investment in forestry is an input into protection and sustainable management of forest resources. It is evidenced that even if the FSD were able to collect the full stumpage it would not be enough to meet the full cost of forest management. The public sector may have to supplement. Public funding especially for forestry research will continue to decline compared to private investment.
The Forestry Commission will have to seek investment from two broad sources namely internal and external forestry funds. The internal fund should arise from revenue generated from harvesting, processing and trade of forest products. The FC should divest itself of certain activities which the private sector can perform with more efficiency and thereby reduce its cost of operation. The external sources of investment should come from such arrangements as grants, which might be used to intervene in the timber market.
The FC would have to develop attractive investment policies, which encourage the private sector to invest in natural forest management. This calls for proper valuation of forest products and measures of economic welfare, which require efficient databases covering the direct and indirect uses of the forests.
To promote efficient forest management the following needs immediate attention:
Harmonisation of the Information Systems of the Forest Services Division and the Forest Product Inspection Bureau is crucial to ensure effective billing and revenue mobilization
Stock inventory data to be collected electronically using HHCs. The resulting GIS will be a valuable tool in managing the forest resource
Calculation of stumpage should be based on the yield stock maps, using tree diameter as an indicator of volume. Such a system would avoid the use of TIFs altogether. Documentation carried in transit should be accompanied of a list of the numbers of the bar-coded tags of the logs.
4.1.3 Effective Stakeholder Participation
The extent of forest degradation is so widespread that the forest authorities alone cannot rehabilitate them. It should therefore be high on the national forestry development agenda to involve all stakeholders in forest rehabilitation and management. Various incentive packages should be developed to assist stakeholder’s involvement in forest management.
Promoting stakeholder involvement in forest management calls for a holistic approach to building capacity for forest management. Conscious efforts should be made to assist the private sector to develop the capacities they need for forest management.
Current approach to promoting community involvement in forest management would have to be reviewed to develop the capacity of the developing partners.
4.1.4 Incentives for the Production of Value Added Product
To encourage industry to move towards value added production and export, a number of incentives schemes should be put in place. For example, to encourage the utilization and processing of the lesser-used species (LUS), concessionary royalties and tax levels should be granted. Additionally, for companies that utilize and process LUS for export, there should be a waiver on the payment of export levies. Other incentives should include a reduction in corporate tax rates for timber companies that process non-traditional wood products made from LUS, training of personnel at all levels, management, supervisors, artisans and operators.
Special programs should be developed to reduce waste and ensure residue utilization. A program to encourage product and species diversification should be launched with emphasis on promoting investment in rotary veneer, plywood moldings and other downstream products made most from Pink Star species.
The Wood Industry Training Institute should be upgraded to provide the needed skilled manpower for the industry. External fund should be sought to acquire the basic equipment and personnel needed to develop the manpower.
4.1.5 Improved Quality Assurance System Development of Timber Products Certification Procedures
This should aim at bringing Ghana in tune with international market demands for certification and eco-labelling of timber products. Using the new forest management systems as a foundation, a Quality Forest Management Standard for Ghana’s forest management systems both on and off reserve has been prepared. This Standard will be used as a basis for applying for certification of Ghana’s forests as sustainably managed.
The forest certification scheme should be fully promoted to enable Ghana to produce from a sustainable managed forest base. The introduction of forest certification will add cost to forest management so the private sector would have to be motivated with tax incentives to enable them to practice the forest certification scheme.
4.1.6 Intensive Forest Plantation Development
The future of the wood industry lies in plantation development. The current strategy of promoting investments in the plantation development through the private should be reviewed. The forest authorities have very limited control on the private sector. This means that investment in timber plantations cannot be guaranteed. The public should therefore seek external grants to invest in timber plantations to which the private sector will supplement.
4.2.1 Securing the Resource Base
In view of the current state of the forest the following strategies are being recommended to supplement the current policies to make Ghana more sustainable:
Promoting Community involvement in forest management:
The Forest Services Division should develop workable systems with communities to define communal roles and responsibilities in resource inventory and management, yield allocation, mapping and monitoring of the utilisation systems. This requires training of selected individuals and groups within the communities in resource inventory, preparation of management plans, yield allocations and monitoring the utilisation of the resources and identifying what the communities can do with regards to the management of each resource.
The District Assemblies in collaboration with Information Services Department and the Forest Services Division should embark on intensive public education to create awareness and also get communities involved in management of forest resources
The Forest Services Division should assist the District Environmental Management Committees (DEMCs) to develop and implement indicators and standards to monitor changes in the environment and to track logging activities in the region. The training will require a dialogue between the forestry sector and other sectors of the regional economy in order to emphasize on sectoral issues and impacts, to harmonize sectoral policies and actions for the harmonization of other planning activities that influence forestry activities.
The FSD should assist the DAs to develop adequate consultations with women’s groups to ensure full participation of women in resource management
The FSD should train farmers in the new felling controls for logging on farms to allow farmers to monitor (and indeed veto) logging on their farms
There is the need to introduce new elements in the participatory process–participatory inquiry, communication/information and education campaigns, round table and special committees must have greater impact. Non-governmental Organizations and local governments should be involved to improve the process.
4.2.2 Controlling Illegal Harvesting of timber
The scenario indicates that that the activities of illegal timber harvesting will be on the ascendancy. The following are recommended:
The FSD in collaboration with the Information Services Department should embark on intensive public education on the new harvesting procedures, which give a farmer the right to veto felling of trees on his or her farm. A list of concessionaires operating in the areas, a map showing the location of the concession and property marks should be made accessible to the local communities by the Forest Services Division and DAs.
Forest Services Division in collaboration with DAs should form, train and equip local communities to monitor timber felling, processing institute and conveyance of logs/lumber to market. Part of the money paid to the task force for arresting illegal operators should be used to maintain the group
DAs working through the Forest Services Division, Traditional Authorities and Timber Concessionaires should establish a Timber Trust Fund to provide an avenue for the timber industry to contribute to the cost of restocking on farms and community lands
4.2.3 Operational Guidelines For Fire Management
Considering the incidence and detrimental effects of bushfires to forest resources in the country, there is the need to prepare guidelines and a manual of operation for preventing and controlling bushfires at district and community levels.
4.2.4 Community-Based Land Use Planning
To improve on the unsustainable farming practices in the region, which is contributing to deforestation in the country, there is the need to develop and implement sustainable land use planning in the region. The following are recommended:
The District Assemblies (DAs) should assist the Survey Department, Land Title Registry (LTR) and Town and Country Planning to embark on the registration of all titles to lands by enacting byelaws, which will compel landowner, families and stools to register all lands with Lands Commission for Title Deeds.
The DAs acting through the Regional Coordinating Councils and in consultation with the Regional House of Chiefs should assist Traditional Authorities to harmonise all land allocation procedures and land tenure and security systems in region
DAs in collaboration with interested NGOs should build up capacities of local communities to develop local standards to monitor incompatible local land use and ensure correction. This involves introducing participatory land use planning methods at community levels to develop sustainable land use plans
4.2.5 Improving upon the Livelihood of the Rural Communities
Poverty coupled with increasing population was identified as one of the main underlying causes of environmental degradation in the country. Due to limited disposable incomes, farmers are not able to practice intensive agricultural practices leading to loss of soil fertility and decline in productivity. Poverty has also drawn the youth into illegal harvesting of timber, which contributes to deforestation and loss of biodiversity. To solve the problem of poverty in the region the following are recommended:
The farmers, women’s groups and the unemployed youth should be introduced to snail farming, bee keeping, and mushroom production
Set up Business Advisory Boards in all the district capitals and operate revolving funds to assist small enterprises. This will reduce the dependence of the people on the forest resources
Part of the timber royalties payable to the District Assemblies and the stools should be used to mitigate the negative effects of exploitation at areas that are badly affected. This requires that money accruing from royalties are used to develop communal infrastructures which will assist in improving their standards of living
The solution to the degrading resource base lies in Intensive Timber Plantation Establishment. The Plantation development funds should be made available to both private and public institutions to invest. Degrade forest areas should be made available to plant.
