Fumesua (Ash), Oct. 11, GNA – The Forestry Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-FORIG), is hosting a national workshop to deliberate on threatened tree species and how to conserve them.
The workshop seeks to deliberate, share experience, obtain information and develop action plans towards safeguarding about 40 threatened tree species from extinction.
The four-day workshop would also focus on addressing key obstacles to the conservation of Ghana’s threatened tree species and strategies for their effective conservation would be explored.
With financial support from the Franklinia Foundation and Botanic Gardens Conservation International, a total of 47 delegates from various institutions, both local and international, are attending the workshop.
Professor Paul Bosu, Director General of CSIR, at the opening of the workshop, said the delegates of the workshop would examine the underpinning factors for tree loss and come out with practical measures for the sustainable use and conservation of the threatened species.
He said despite the years of hard work by the global community, deforestation and forest degradation continued at alarming rates, consequently leading to the loss of biodiversity and forest resources.
He attributed the situation to agricultural expansion, illegal logging, illegal mining, and bushfires, and called for urgent steps by stakeholders to tackle the menace.
“We know that the resilience of our food systems and our capacity to adapt to future climate change will depend to a large extent, on the existence and integrity of our forest resources,” he noted.
Prof. Bosu said it was a known fact that restoring degraded landscapes and protecting biodiversity were some of the key strategies for tackling the multiple challenges that humanity was confronted with.
He indicated that the workshop provided a unique opportunity for delegates to contribute to the conservation of threatened tree species in Ghana to preserve the integrity of the forests for humanity.
He pledged the support of CSIR to the conservation of the threatened species and charged participants of the workshop to come out with workable solutions to address the problem.
Prof. Daniel A. Ofori, Director of CSIR-FORIG, said three species like Mahogany and Odum were very difficult to find on the market these days, adding that about 40 tree species were endangered.
“Do we sit down for these tree species to get finished and other ecosystems to get lost? he asked.
He said the workshop would reflect on the causes of the depletion of forests and suggest measures that could be taken to address the perennial problem.
“This issue requires a concerted effort from all relevant institutions, including our foreign partners to protect the ecosystem from further destruction,” he submitted.
Mr Jean-Christophe Vie, Director of Franklinia Foundation, said he was excited to be part of efforts to conserve the threatened tree species in Ghana considering their importance to the ecosystem and the environment in general.
Source: Ghana News Agency
Add Comment