The District Manager of Tema-Ada Forest Services Division of the Forestry Commission, Winifred Ohene Wiafe, says the Tsipa Forest Reserve in Accra recorded at least 60 percent survival of seedlings planted during last year’s tree planting exercise to mark the Green Ghana initiative.

She disclosed this on Friday during the celebration of the Green Ghana initiative when Karpowership Ghana joined the Commission to plant 5000 trees at Tsipa Forest Reserve.

“The trees from last year are surviving. At least in here, we had about 60% success rate and even last year the rains did not come early,” she said.

Winifred Ohene Wiafe also explained what accounted for the 60 percent success recorded last year.

“Last year there were no provisions also for watering so it was really difficult. The rains stop apparently and then they could not get water but this year that’s why we have put in place measures that will water for some time for the trees to be established,” she added.

According to her, a portion of the forest reserve has deteriorated as a result of unlawful activities and cattle grazing.

“Here, it is mainly due to illegal harvesting of firewood because here we do not get Timber,” she said.

Meanwhile, staff of Karpowership Ghana have planted 5000 trees at Tsipa Forest Reserve as part of the Green Ghana Project on Friday.

The project is to help restore the lost forest cover of Ghana and contribute to global efforts to mitigate climate change.

This year’s Green Ghana Project which is being spearheaded by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources is under the theme; “Mobilising for a greener Ghana.”

It is aimed at planting about 20 million trees.

Communication Head for Karpowership Ghana, Sandra Amarquaye, explained that “as a global business, we decided that embarking on the tree planting exercise was one way to protect our climate and biodiversity.”  

She said, “we adopted a portion of the Tsipa Forest Reserve to plant 5000 seedlings. We will nurture these seedlings to grow. Trees we all know combat global warming by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.”