Cape Three Point Reserve Community Project

The Cape Three Point Forest Reserve is designated as a Key Biodiversity Area, a Globally Significant Biodiversity Area and Important Bird Area. It is the only coastal forest in Ghana and among the few remaining coastal rainforest reserves in West Africa. The CTPFR is one of the three forest reserves in Ghana which continues to provide habitat for endangered primates including roloway, white-thighed colobus, white-naped mangabey, olive colobus and Lowe’s monkeys. Since July 2020, WAPCA (in partnership with Hen Mpoano) has been working with the Community Resources Management Area (CREMA) to ensure maximum protection of the reserve from illegal activities; support sustainable livelihood for forest fringing communities; and to improve the biodiversity within the Cape Three Point Forest Reserve through community led Initiatives.

Capacity building, strengthening and support of community patrols:

After successful recruitment of Community Monitoring Team, WAPCA organised two days of training for the twenty-two Community Monitoring Team members at Adalazo. The workshop engaged the service of Wildlife and Forestry Division Services staff who facilitated both technical and theoretical aspects of the training. The young able men were given the kind of skills they required for forest patrols. The CMT members were also provided with some patrol equipment such as machete, rain coat and wellington boots. The CMT have started regular forest patrols, and we are working with them to collect valuable biodiversity data as well as reporting illegal activities.

Implementation of awareness campaign programmes:

WAPCA has a 12-month radio broadcasting contract with Ogya FM in Agona Nkwanta to raise awareness of key conservation issues in the Cape Three Points landscape. WAPCA Radio Program Cape Three Point Project – July 2021 effort is meant to reach a larger audience beyond the forest fringing communities with information about the reserve and conservation education. The program features experts from government institutions, NGOs and from the communities to discuss varied issues.

Restoring degraded area of the forest reserve:

To restore the degraded areas around the forest reserve,

WAPCA has made arrangements for areas to site six

nurseries. The nurseries will be sited in Adalazo,

Seremowu, Asuboe, Akatekyie, Ketakor and Akyinim. The

nursed trees will later be planted in degraded areas,

buffer zones and along the boundary lines of the forest

reserve. WAPCA and Hen Mpoano also received over

2000 tree seedlings from the Forestry Services Division as part of the Green Ghana Event. The seedlings were planted within the communities with nurses, community members, school children and teachers.

Strengthening Community Resource Management Area:

There are eleven communities that have been sensitized about the project. Each community was invited to attend a meeting to re-energise the dormant CREMA, including CREMA Executives, Community Resource Management Committees and opinion leaders. By a way of an introduction to the programme, participants were made to understand that various nations have signed agreements, ratified treaties, and conventions to protect natural resources and therefore Ghana is no exception. And as a nation it is imperative for us to conserve the environment. Printed photos of primate species and camera traps photos were shown to emphasise the importance of Cape Three Points forest inhabitants.

CREMA Executive Committee and Community Resource Management Committees (CRMCs) from eleven communities attended a one day meeting in Adelazo. The meeting explained the plan to review the CREMA management structure by conducting new CREMA Executive elections and expand membership of CRMCs. In going forward the project implementing team were going to re-establish effective collaboration with Ghana police, Forest Service Division, Wildlife Division, Local Assembly and media to ensure effective management of the CREMA.

Engaging with forestry commission, wildlife division, local NGOs, local municipal assembly and other stakeholders:

During the period, some selected CEC members paid a courtesy call to the newly appointed Manager of the Takoradi District of the Forest Service Division at his office in Takoradi. The call was meant to welcome the District Manager and to highlight some key enforcement issues in the Cape Three Points forest reserve that required immediate attention. They also urged the FSD to institute a more transparent benefit sharing mechanism with the CREMA.

WAPCA staffs, Hen Mpoano staff, FSD staffs and CEC meeting at Takoradi

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