Eighty students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and INEC Ghana have planted at least 14 trees each in depleted sections of the Asenanyo Forest Reserve in the Ashanti region.

This equates to about 2000 trees planted by students enrolled in various programmes at the University.
The Institute of Nature and Environmental Conservation (INEC) is spearheading the effort to rehabilitate degraded forests in several areas of the country.

According to the Executive Director, David Kwarteng, involving students will expand their understanding of environmental protection beyond the lecture halls.

"Our focus is also on threatened species; basically native species that are being threatened by exploitation.”

Thousands of hectares of forest have been lost to deforestation in Ghana alone, increasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Another factor contributing to the harmful effects of changing weather patterns caused by climate change is increased industrialisation.

Industries produce greenhouse gases, which form a blanket over the planet and contribute to global warming.

Due to the high temperatures, there are more dry spells than ever before in many regions of Africa, including Ghana; causing water shortages in an already water-stressed region.

This has an impact on agricultural production and food security, perhaps leading to famine and other forms of deprivation. While there are many strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change, experts say planting trees stands out. This is why these students at KNUST are helping to boost the government's plan of planting trees.

They planted Pericopsis elata, which is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). Mahogany is one of the trees planted at the forest reserve, along with other valuable trees.

"We brought 80 students, and staff from INEC to undertake the exercise. We are grateful we are able to plant about 2000 seedlings," Mr. Kwarteng said.

He says INEC has a target of planting about 200,000 trees in 2023.

According to the students, the ability to engage with nature enhances their sense of reasoning.
Agyapong Christabel Akyia, a second-year Bsc Natural Resource Management student, took part in the Green Ghana Day event for the second time.

She describes her tree-planting experience as outstanding. Christabel believes that by planting more trees and conserving them, they can be saved from extinction.

Other students, who participated in the exercise, including Esther Boateng, Adusei Poku Emmanuel, and Ampadu Cindy Boatemaa, expressed their excitement.

Daniel Peprah, the Chief Technical Officer in charge of the Asenanyo Forest Reserve said his team will ensure the trees survive and grow to maturity.

The first Green Ghana Day was held in 2021, under the auspices of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, as part of an aggressive afforestation and restoration drive to restore the country's lost forest cover.

Its primary purpose is to accelerate annual pledges and tree plantings as a way of bringing public attention to the concerns of climate change as well as forest and ecosystem loss.

According to experts, the campaign's amazing success would be due to the combined participation of people from all walks of life and from all corners of Ghana.

The exercise was a collaboration of INEC Ghana, INEC Student Chapter, A Rocha KNUST, and College of Agriculture and Natural Resources with funding from Foundation Frankilinia and AFR100.