The conversion of landscapes for human habitation and other land-use activities has led to the alteration of ecosystems, loss of biodiversity, and an acceleration in the rate of climate change. In order to mitigate the effects of climate change, it is important to restore and protect the landscape’s original vegetation and to encourage sustainable land use. Through the European Union-funded Landscapes and Environmental Agility across the Nations (LEAN) Project, Tropenbos Ghana and EcoCare Ghana have established three Landscape Management Boards (LMB) in the Transition Landscape. The three boards were established to serve the sixty project communities in Techiman Municipal and North, Nkoranza North and South, as well as Offinso North and South District Assemblies.
Project Manager at Tropenbos Ghana, Mr. Daniel Abu, who spoke at the inauguration of the Nkoranza LMB, said the boards were established as part of efforts to institute landscape governance structures across the nation to ensure community ownership of the LEAN Project and other restoration and conservation projects. He added that the boards will be crucial in developing integrated landscape management as a solution to building community resilience to climate change.
The Nifa-Hene of Techiman, Nana Boakye Ameyaw II, acknowledged that despite being in the transition landscape, the area is gradually losing its tree cover due to an increase in population. He lauded the LEAN Project as timely, describing the establishment of the LMB as a great intervention to support the government’s efforts to conserve biodiversity. He entreated the elected executives to take their role seriously since the environmental sustainability of the landscape and their community’s development had been entrusted into their care.
In his acceptance speech as the Chairperson for the Techiman LMB, Mr. Gyau Peprah said “we will work assiduously to protect the environment, promote farmers’ welfare and ensure that trees planted as part of the project are nurtured to grow into maturity”. He emphasized that the Board will develop a landscape sustainability plan in collaboration with ex-officio members to restore and conserve the biodiversity of the landscape beyond the LEAN Project. The ex-officio members who will support the LMBs to ensure that the project objectives are achieved include representatives from, the Forestry Commission, District Planning Offices, Department of Agriculture, Environmental Protection Agency, Traditional Councils, Department of Social Welfare, and Lands Commission, among others.
