Protection of species in critical conditions: Tracking ecosystems at the Atewa Range Forest Reserve in Ghana

Mr Edward Amankwah¹

¹Center For Environmental Governance (cego), Legon – Accra, Ghana

Protected areas constitute one of the viable tools that countries like Ghana can count on for securing and conserving environmental, social and economic capital. Ecosystem provide the foundation for all human survival , since they provide food, air, soil and other materials support for life ( World  Resources, 2005 ).  The rural poor have a unique and special relationship with ecosystems that revolves around the importance of these natural systems to rural livelihoods. Livelihood is used to express the whole complex of factors that allow people to sustain themselves materially, emotionally, spiritually, and socially. The motivating factors that induce or drive people to deforest and degrade the forest and the environment are solely pushed by a number of multivariate factors

The issues of deforestation and forest degradation continue to be the bane of communities living on the fringes of reserved forest and other protected areas. The study relied on both primary (from the field) and secondary data .The primary data were collected were randomly sampled from the communities. The multi – stage sampling procedure consisting of stratified, purposive, systematic and simple random sampling methods were used to select the sample units for the study.

Biography:

Edward Amankwah works as a Development Practitioner for the Center for Environmental Governance (CEGO), a think tank in Ghana.  CEGO promotes research, sensitization and advocacy on themes as Voluntary sustainability standards, biological diversity, climate change, and land governance. As an Assessment practitioner with over 20 years’ experience his work traverses identified disciplines. Performed active roles as an advocate on conservation and ecosystem services and climate change. Has received fellowships from several reputable institutions had offered him fellowships and awards such as: The Dutch – German ABS Capacity Development Initiative for Africa; Australian Government  to participate in the World Indigenous Network (WIN) Conference in Darwin as one of African representatives Also selected as an  expert on the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) (a) Conceptual Framework (2013)  and (b) Deliverable 3 (d) Values Work Program 2014 – 2018 etc.