The exercise, part of the Greening Ghana Campaign, was also to educate the surrounding communities close to the Shai Hills Reserve on the need to preserve the Forest Reserve and to cultivate woodlots, which they could rely on for their household activities.

In all, the group planted 1,111 trees on a hectare of land donated by the Divisional Chief of Manya, Nene Tei Djahene Korabo IV who is celebrating his 18th year on the throne. The Vice President of the Association, Mrs Mary Balkono, said the body is a reflection of the Commission’s vision to create and protect more forestry and wildlife resources in the country.

She said the Forestry Commission could not carry out activities alone and needed the communities’ participation and support to succeed. Mrs Balkono said there is the need for community engagement and education on how these resources should be protected and also to plant more trees to protect the environment.

“This particular community is close to one of our reserves and this is part of measures to prevent the community from entering the reserve for their needs. With what we are doing, they won’t have the interest to enter the reserve to cut down trees but use the woodlot,” she said.

The ladies also educated the students of the Manya Jorpanya Junior High School on the importance of trees to human life and handed over the woodlots to the school to ensure they nurture the seedlings to grow well.

At a meeting with Nene Karabo IV prior to the tree planting exercise, the Association expressed appreciation to him for the hectare of land released for the tree planting exercise. Nene Karabo IV said his administration has ensured that the community members are environmental conscious and that no one is allowed to cut down trees indiscriminately.

“There is restriction on tree cutting here.  Before you cut down a tree here you need a permit. If you go ahead without it, sanctions apply,” he said.He said he would do all in its power to ensure that unbridled development does not destroy the beauty of the community.

The Greening Ghana project was launched in 2010 to address environmental menaces such as deforestation, illegal mining and chainsaw operations and their attendant ramifications that are robbing the nation of its water bodies, forest reserves, wildlife habitation and other natural resources.

The project also seeks to ensure the restoration of wildlife habitats and forest reserves by planting trees in communities and along water bodies.