Mr Dery Chemogo, a forester, has lauded the people in and around the Nkwanta forest area for their whole-hearted embracement of the re-forestation programme introduced in the area in 2003.

The Nkwanta Forest District includes Krachi -East and Krachi-West.

Mr Chemogo, Nkwanta District Manager of the Forest Services Division of the Forestry Commission was speaking to the Ghana New Agency (GNA) in an interview at Nkwanta.

He said the importance the people attached to the establishment of woodlots was an indication of their readiness to recover lost forests.

Mr Chemogo said the five-year programme was at the instance of Forest Resources Utilization and Management (FORUM) project and the Forestry Commission.

He said so far, the programme's target of 30 percent recovery within four years had been surpassed.

Mr Chemogo said 923 hectares off-reserve plantation or private woodlots had been established.

He said last year 422 hectares of land was planted with trees as against a projection of 300 hectares, adding that another 300 hectares of private woodlots would be established this year and that work would complete before the 2007 target.

Mr Chemogo said 100 hectares of the Chai Forest Reserve would also be rehabilitated this year and that community members in the three districts would benefit from workshops on forest protection measures and the legal framework on forestry.

He said forestry workers in the area were grateful that under the FORUM project, now in its final year, material support including four staff bungalows at Kpassa, Dambai, Asukawkaw and Nkwanta were provided for plantation officers as well as the provision of office accommodation, motorbikes and a German resource person.

GNA