Prioritize securing what is left of Ghana’s forest resources else – A ROCHA

A ROCHA Ghana, an environmentally friendly non-governmental organization has called on the country to prioritize securing what is left of Ghana’s forest.

According to them, it is very important Ghana does so else its may not have anything from its reserves to fall on to produce or even consume in the near future.

This was contained in a statement release by the organization to mark this year’s International Day of Forest on March 21, 2022 sighted by GhanaPlus.com.

“As Ghana joins the rest of the world to mark IDF 2022, it will be prudent to first of all work towards addressing the challenges hampering the effective and sustainable management of Ghana’s existing forests. It is imperative to prioritize securing what is left of Ghana’s forests resources else we may not have anything left of our forest to either produce or consume , talk-less of doing so sustainably,” the statement said.

“No matter how clichéd this may sound, the truth is that , the water we drink , the medicines we rely on for good health, the books that our children use in school and the roof over our heads (just to mention a few) are all connected to the forest but unfortunately , we  fail to make those salient connections,” the statement added.

The statement noted a reorientation and a paradigm shift is required in the country’s forest utilization in the face of recent threat to climate change, biodiversity and environmental pollution.

“The current existential threat of climate change, biodiversity and environmental pollution requires a reorientation and paradigm shift in the way we utilize forests for timber, wood fuel, and also for provision of non-timber forest products”.

International Day of the Forest

International Day of Forest is celebrated annually to raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests and trees outside forests for the benefit of current and future generations.

The day, instituted by a United Nations General Assembly’s resolution on November 28, 2013 is celebrated on March 21 every year across the globe.

This year’s celebration is on the theme “Forests And Sustainable Production And Consumption”.

 Speaking on the theme, A ROCHA Ghana said the theme is timely in the face of the many destruction Ghana’s forest area has seen in recent times.

They noted the country is fixated on exchanging all of its forests for other land uses without and consideration for the needs of future generation and advised “As we reflect on the theme of sustainable production and consumption of forest products, it is critical to ensure that all the forest management policies, protocols, guidelines and much importantly investments lead to outcomes for forest gains as well as enhance forest services and products and not forest loss as we are experiencing now”.

Source: GhanaPlus.com