What a great concept to get the locals involved in their development. I hope other gov'ts can learn from this. Aggo, thanks for the news. You've been missing for a while. Post for us more of those African intriguing news. Have a great weekend and keep warm. Comfort > -----Original Message----- > From: E. Aggo Akyea [SMTP:[log in to unmask]] > Sent: Friday, January 29, 1999 5:18 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Ghana's new perspective on trees > > BBC World Service > Friday, January 29, 1999 Published at 03:54 GMT > > Ghana's new perspective on trees > A nature lesson can become an exciting adventure > > Mark Doyle reports from the forest canopy in Ghana's remarkable ecological > success story. > > Most African parks and reserves attract foreign tourists. Kakum Park > attracts young Ghanaians as well. Some 70% of the visitors to Kakum Park > are locals. The reason is a walkway high in the forest canopy. And the > walkway is obviously a major attraction. Nature lessons for the local > children will never be the same again. Most of the school children who > visit Kakum Park have parents of relatives who live off the land - some, > no > doubt, contributing to deforestation. The authorities hope that this new > generation will take more care of the rain forest. And the first step to > encouraging this is attracting the children's interest. > > Children I spoke to said they like visiting the park, and they like > learning: "If we cut down the trees and destroy the animals in it, there > will be no leaves for preparing medicine when we are ill." > > There is a growing realisation that protecting forest reserves with > physical barriers, or by mounting patrols simply does not work in places > where governments are under-resourced. > > As one of the park keepers told me, the local people have to feel that > they > own a stake in the parks - and this is where education comes in: "Last > year > for instance the Kakum Park generated about $50,000 income. This can also > help educate people on conservation because bringing up wildlife clubs.. > and so many other things all need money. Without the walkway we can't help > educate the people." > > But this remarkable structure does require expert and therefore expensive > maintenance to keep it safe. The charity Conservation International built > the walkway with American aid money. > > While it is successful at pulling in the visitors, there is a suspicion > that many people come here more for the fairground thrill than because of > any commitment to conservation. > > But my park guide admitted that was no problem at all: "Absolutely they > do, > and anyway, even if they don't gain any appreciation of the forest, their > money is still used by the park - for the anti-poaching team and for a > number of conservation activities." > > Timber felling and agriculture have eaten away at most of Ghana's > rainforest - but what remains is, by common consent being relatively well > managed, and the canopy walkway is playing its part in the strategy to > conserve what is left. > > The walkway is something of a gimic - but it is a gimic that works. It > attracts Ghanaians to the park - thereby raising awareness. > Conservationists say that that is the only way that the forest will be > saved in the long run.