S/R: Ghana Wildlife Society Plants 600 Native Trees at Keni-Keni Forest Reserve
Project Aims to Restore Ecosystem and Promote Climate Stability Around Mole National Park
- Ghana Wildlife Society planted 600 native trees at Keni-Keni Forest Reserve
- The project targets gaps in tree coverage around Kabampe and Kananto CREMA communities
- Diverse tree species like Mahogany and Tamarind were planted to avoid monoculture
As part of its conservation efforts, the Ghana Wildlife Society, a nongovernmental organization, planted 600 native trees on Friday, May 30th, 2025.
The trees were planted in the Keni-Keni Forest Reserve near the Kabampe and Kananto Community Resource Management Area (CREMA) communities close to Mole National Park in the West Gonja Municipality of the Savannah Region.
According to Prof. Erasmus Owusu Ag, Executive Director of the Ghana Wildlife Society and Council Member, the purpose of the tree planting is to enrich the forest reserve and support Ghana’s diverse wildlife, ultimately leading to a better environment and improved quality of life for all.
Prof. Owusu further explained that there is a gap in tree coverage between the Kabampe, Kananto, and Larabanga CREMA communities. The project targets this gap to ensure full 360-degree CREMA tree planting coverage, as the CREMA concept serves as a critical buffer zone for the conservation of Mole National Park.
He also noted that the Ghana Wildlife Society, with support from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) in the UK, secured funding from the Ecological Restoration Fund to restore ecosystem functions by planting native trees, thereby enhancing oxygen production and climate stabilization.
“These tree plantings are strategically designed to feature different species, including Mahogany and Tamarind trees, among others, to avoid monoculture,” he added.
Mr. Wenceselas Gatarabirwa, Head of Flyway Conservation at RSPB, addressing the media, emphasized the crucial role trees play in bird survival, noting that the extinction of a single species is a significant loss for mankind.
“Birds have important functions. For instance, vultures help prevent disease spread by cleaning up carcasses of dead animals,” he said.
“For smaller birds, many feed on insects like mosquitoes, which helps reduce the prevalence of malaria and other diseases,” Gatarabirwa added.
He further indicated that tree planting is the first major step on a long journey toward community-led landscape conservation, as the trees will take several years to mature.
Dr. Joe Gilbert, Director of the International Department of RSPB, in an interview before the planting exercise, mentioned that trees benefit society in many ways, including serving as homes for birds, improving climate conditions, and supporting the surrounding communities.
She appealed to the two communities to take good care of the trees with support from the Ghana Wildlife Society and Mole National Park.
Members of the Kabampe-Kananto CREMA expressed their joy about the benefits the trees will bring and promised to ensure their survival in the area.
They also noted that the tree planting exercise, organized by the Ghana Wildlife Society, would foster unity between the two communities, who will work together to care for the trees.
The Ghana Wildlife Society is the leading wildlife conservation NGO in Ghana, with over three decades of experience promoting the conservation of wildlife in all its forms.
