- Creation-Management of Community based Protected Areas
- Bénéficiaire WAPCA - West African Primate Conservation
- Montant du projet 144 312€
- Subventions FFEM 50 000€
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État du projet en cours
Cape Three Point Forest Reserve is in The Ahanta West District, in the Western Region of Ghana. It is the only coastal forest in Ghana, and among the few remaining coastal rainforest reserves in West Africa, situated with the Upper Guinean Rainforest.
Its protection comes under the Forest Service Division of the Forestry Commission of Ghana, classified as a Forest Reserve therefore its conservation focus is entirely on the trees and not the wildlife within. Illegal logging, makes up 80% of timber harvested in Ghana. One third of illegal logging is by companies that take more than their quota, expand into protected areas, and/or continue to log after their permits have expired. The remaining two thirds are rogue illegal chainsaw operator. The Forest Guard is completely ineffective and consequential the forest is becoming degraded, and biodiversity diminishing.
The Reserve is habitat for four threatened primate species according to the IUCN Red List: the Roloway Monkey, the White-thighed Colobus and the white-naped mangabey. The region is one of the top global priorities for primate conservation due to both high levels of endemism and threat.
The Cape Three Point Forest Reserve is under severe threat from extensive illegal logging, illegal mining, extensive poaching and charcoal production. Additional pressure comes from illegal opportunistic hunting with snares, dogs and guns. Together with low level government protection the forest is highly vulnerable. The forest currently does not have a buffer zone or fire belt, it is surrounded by rubber plantations and thereby exposing the forest to threats such as bush fires, encroachment on the forest for agriculture and expansion of already existing admitted farms.
