Insights, motives, and means of overcoming forest offenses in Ghana's forestry sector: The case of the Bibiani Forest District

Abstract

The high prevalence of illicit forest activities has adverse effects on biodiversity and the environment and setbacks to sustainable forest management and economies. This paper analyzed official reports on forest offenses and linked tree offenses' types to their ecological importance over a ten-year period (2008 to 2017) in the Bibiani Forest District. It sought insights from forestry officials and forest fringe communities' motives and means of managing forest offenses in Ghana. The reviewed official records revealed seven offenses types, with the most frequently recorded offense being illegal farming (n = 67). It was followed by illegal logging (n = 51), illicit mining (n = 33), and chainsaw lumbering (n = 13). The lowest recorded offenses (n = 3) were human-induced wildfire, charcoal production, and canoe carving. From the tree species related offenses, a total of 31 timber species were reportedly felled illegally, with Celtis mildbreadi being the most felled, followed by Triplochiton scleroxylon and Pterygopta macrocarpa. It was also revealed that most of the trees were under imminent threat of extinction (Scarlet-star rated species). The study found lack of farmlands, limited access to NTFPs and trees, logistical challenges (e.g., vehicle, motorbikes, staff and modern technology like drones), weak law enforcement and interferences from some key stakeholders to be factors that motivate culprits to commit illicit forest activities. It is recommended that the Forestry Commission should invest more in technological and human resources to strengthen its surveillance in partnership with forest fringe communities to enhance the ecological, economic and social benefits of forest resources to all segments of society.