The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with support from the European Union is restoring depleted mangrove forests and creating community woodlots in the Volta Region.
This forms part of its commitment to protect wetlands and biodiversity in its working areas.
This restoration exercise forms part of its EU-funded project ‘Management of Mangroves Forest from Senegal to Benin” which is also called “PAPBio C1-Mangroves” which spans from 2019-2024.
Research indicates that “Ghana’s mangrove forest is declining at a rate of 8.1 km2 per annum due to over-cutting, land conversion, wildfires, pollution, overgrazing and natural death from disease.”
The IUCN estimates that 60% of mangroves in the Volta Region are degraded or lost and it will only focus on 21 hectares.
Through a small grants project awarded to A Rocha Ghana and Kasa Initiative, a total of 70,000 seedlings comprising both White and Red Mangroves have been distributed to Galotse, Bomingo, Galo, Sota, Toprakpo, and Hawei.
With depletion associated with the use of mangroves as wood fuel and construction materials, A Rocha Ghana established 6 hectares of community woodlots in Galotse, Bomingo and Sota with 14,000 seedlings comprising Acacia, Casia, and Mahogany.
The IUCN assures that these trees can be used as a sustainable source of wood fuel, which will help to reduce the demand for mangrove wood, therefore, ensuring long-term and strengthening the management of protected areas and unprotected mangrove sites.