Forest Okyeman: Communities Rise to Protect One of Ghana’s Last Ecological Strongholds

Life Pulse Daily | Environmental Conservation & Community Governance

In the lush, resource-rich hinterlands of Ghana, a quiet revolution is taking place. For generations, local communities have relied on the forest for survival. Today, they are transitioning from passive beneficiaries of nature to its most determined guardians. This shift is not accidental; it is the result of a strategic, multi-agency initiative designed to place people at the very center of environmental protection. Welcome to the story of Forest Okyeman—a globally significant ecosystem fighting for its future.

Introduction

Deforestation, illegal mining (galamsey), and unsustainable land use have long threatened the ecological integrity of Ghana’s forest reserves. Among the most critical is the Forest Okyeman landscape, a vital water catchment area and biodiversity haven. Recognizing that environmental degradation directly correlates with human insecurity, a consortium of United Nations agencies and local partners has launched the FOREST Okyeman Project. This initiative moves beyond traditional conservation by equipping communities with the legal knowledge, governance structures, and economic alternatives necessary to protect their natural heritage.

This article explores how the intersection of community empowerment, natural resource governance, and sustainable development is creating a new model for conservation in West Africa.

Key Points

Background

The Ecological and Economic Significance of Forest Okyeman

Forest Okyeman is not merely a collection of trees; it is a complex, life-sustaining ecosystem. Ecologically, it is a treasure trove. The Atewa Forest Range, a key part of this landscape, is recognized as a Globally Significant Biodiversity Area. It hosts over 1,100 plant species, representing approximately 26% of Ghana’s total flora. This botanical diversity supports a faunal population that includes over 77% of Ghana’s butterfly species and more than 30% of the country’s recorded bird species.

Water Security and Human Existence

Beyond biodiversity, the forest is the hydrological heart of the region. It is the source of the Ayensu, Birim, and Densu rivers. These waterways, along with hundreds of tributaries, supply drinking water to millions of Ghanaians and irrigate agricultural lands that produce cocoa, oil palm, rubber, plantain, cassava, and cocoyam. The economic livelihood of the surrounding population is inextricably linked to the health of the forest.

The Threat of Resource Extraction

Beneath the forest’s fertile soils lies immense mineral wealth. The Birimian rock formations contain commercially viable deposits of gold, bauxite, diamonds, and kaolin. Historically, this geological endowment has been a double-edged sword. While offering economic potential, it has also attracted both legal and illegal exploitation, leading to widespread deforestation, water pollution, and land degradation. For years, the tension between immediate economic gain and long-term environmental sustainability has threatened to unravel the region’s ecological balance.

Analysis

A Paradigm Shift: The Human Security Framework

The traditional approach to conservation often involved “fencing off” nature, excluding local communities who were viewed as the primary threats. The FOREST Okyeman Project challenges this narrative by adopting a human security framework. This approach recognizes that environmental destruction and human insecurity are deeply intertwined. When natural resources are depleted, food security, water access, and health deteriorate.

By placing people at the center of conservation, the project treats communities not as enemies of the forest, but as its most effective stewards. This analysis reveals that sustainable conservation is impossible without addressing the socio-economic needs and legal rights of the local population.

Capacity Building: From Ignorance to Agency

Through a series of workshops across eight communities, the project has focused on the “six pillars of human security”: economic, food, health, political, environmental, and community. Participants were not just taught how to plant trees; they were educated on:

• Legal Frameworks: Understanding national laws regarding water, forests, wildlife, minerals, and land tenure.
• Sustainable Agriculture: Implementing agroforestry techniques that preserve soil integrity while maintaining crop yields.
• Monitoring Protocols: Identifying and reporting illegal activities such as galamsey and deforestation.
• Value Chains: Recognizing market opportunities for non-timber forest products and sustainable enterprises.

Dr. Ferdinand Tornyie, a Research Fellow at UNU-INRA, emphasizes that this is about agency: “These trainings were not just about conservation. They were about empowering communities to understand their rights, their responsibilities, and the tools available to protect what sustains them.”

The Power of Governance: The CREMA Model

Knowledge without authority is limited. The project introduced the Community Resource Management Area (CREMA) model. This is a landscape-level governance structure that formalizes the role of communities in resource management. It brings together farmers, traditional leaders, landowners, and government representatives into a cohesive decision-making body.

Under the CREMA framework, the community gains the legal standing to:

• Co-manage natural assets.
• Generate revenue through sustainable resource use.
• Enforce rules and address violations internally.
• Promote best practices in agroforestry and land use.

This transforms local inhabitants from passive observers into organized, knowledgeable, and legally empowered actors.

Legal Enforcement: From Bylaws to Gazettement

One of the most significant achievements of the project is the move toward formal legal recognition. The project supported communities and district assemblies to draft specific bylaws regarding natural resource extraction and protection.

The critical step was the gazettement of these bylaws. In Ghana, gazettement means the bylaws have been published in an official government gazette, giving them the full force of law. This provides a legal basis for communities to prosecute environmental offenses and regulate activities within their jurisdiction. As Dr. Tornyie noted, “People now know what is legal, what isn’t, and how to report and fight environmental injury, including illegal mining.”

Practical Advice

For communities, NGOs, and policymakers looking to replicate the success of the Forest Okyeman model, the following practical steps are essential:

1. Adopt a Multi-Stakeholder Approach

Conservation cannot happen in a vacuum. Success depends on the collaboration between international bodies (like the UN), government agencies (Forestry Commission), civil society (A Rocha, OEF), and traditional authorities. Each plays a unique role in funding, technical support, and cultural legitimacy.

2. Prioritize Legal Literacy

Empowerment begins with knowledge. Communities must be trained not just in ecology, but in the legal frameworks that govern their land and resources. Understanding the Water Resources Commission Act or the Minerals and Mining Act allows citizens to hold illegal operators and negligent officials accountable.

3. Implement the CREMA Governance Structure

Establishing a Community Resource Management Area is a practical way to formalize community rights. This structure ensures that benefits from natural resources (whether through ecotourism, sustainable harvesting, or carbon credits) flow back to the community, creating a financial incentive for conservation.

4. Develop Economic Alternatives

Protection is sustainable only if livelihoods are secured. The project highlights the need to identify “natural resource-based enterprises.” This could include:

• Ecotourism: Leveraging the biodiversity of the Atewa Forest for bird watching and hiking.
• Agroforestry: Integrating cash crops like cocoa with shade-giving native trees.
• Non-Timber Forest Products: Sustainable harvesting of honey, medicinal plants, and snails.

5. Formalize Local Bylaws

Internal community rules must be backed by state power. Work with local government assemblies to draft, review, and gazette bylaws. This ensures that fines and penalties for environmental destruction are enforceable by law enforcement agencies.

FAQ

Conclusion

The Forest Okyeman initiative represents a pivotal moment in Ghana’s environmental history. It demonstrates that the solution to ecological degradation lies not in excluding people, but in including them. By combining scientific knowledge, legal empowerment through CREMAs, and economic incentives, the project is building a resilient defense for one of Ghana’s most critical ecological strongholds.

As the communities of Okyeman rise to protect their forests, they are not only securing water and biodiversity for the nation but also restoring their own dignity and agency. They are proving that when local people are empowered as stewards, nature has a fighting chance.