Concerned Citizens of Atewa Landscape with funding from the Dutch National Postcode Lottery, coordinated by IUCN NL and Wilde Ganzen, and implemented by A Rocha Ghana and WACSI has launched a project to safeguard the biodiversity of Atewa Range Forest Reserve.

The project dubbed "Mobilizing Community Support to Safeguard the Biodiversity of Atewa Range Forest Reserve" is to be implemented within the Atewa Range Forest Reserve Landscape aimed at empowering communities within the landscape to actively participate in conservation efforts and advocate against farming, hunting, mining and logging within the Atewa Forest Reserve through awareness creation.

The Launch 

The official Launch took place on Saturday 18th of October,2023 at Segyimaase. In attendance were CCAL's representatives from all the 52 communities fringing the Atewa  Range Forest Reserve landscape. It also brought together some personalities from ARG (A Rocha, Ghana) who served as key facilitators for the program. A total of 150 people were present. Mr. Emmanuel Akyeanor Tabi (Project Coordinator) in his opening remarks admonished members to take advantage of their numbers and distribution around the Atewa Range Forest Reserve to safeguard its biodiversity by reporting observed illegalities to the CCAL's executives. 

Workshop: Evidence Gathering Using Citizen Science Approach

Illegal mining, logging, farming, and hunting are the major threats to the biodiversity of the Atewa Range Forest Reserve. coupled with the low number of forestry staff to effectively manage the Forest Reserve.  it has therefore become necessary that communities support evidence gathering to facilitate the protection of the Atewa Range Forest Reserve. 

Ransford Agyei Kofi (Conservation and Research Development Officer - A Rocha Ghana) took participants through evidence-gathering and reporting strategies. This was to equip members with the requisite skills and a standard format for reporting illegal activities within the Atewa Range Forest Reserve to the relevant authorities. By doing this it's anticipated to curb the destruction of the Atewa Range Forest  Reserve by Illegal mining (galamsey), logging, farming, and hunting. The biodiversity of the Forest Reserve will be managed with accountability.