Valley View University (VVU) is to establish a "Baobab", an Ecosystem Centre to carry out ecological related research activities in the country by the end of the year. The centre, when completed, will serve as a collation centre for research results on sustainable ecosystem to ensure full utilisation of the results. Dr Daniel Opoku-Boateng, the vice president for Student Life and Services of the VVU, disclosed this at the launch of 'Ecosys 2009,' an international symposium on sustainable ecosystems in Accra. The programme is to be hosted by the VVU in Jury, this year, as part of a joint research and development programme "Ecological development of Valley View University" from 2003 to 2009 with support from the German Ministry of Education and the Engineering Society of Germany. The symposium will showcase the final experiences and results of the project and also serve as a platform for dialogue and to share ideas on the establishment of similar sustainable solutions in other parts of the country. To this end, he said the university would establish a faculty for ecological studies to train students to acquire aesthetic sensibility and the appreciation for the conservation of nature for the benefit of mankind. Dr Opoku-Boateng said training would be provided for trainers to enhance the training of students as well as the management of the centre. According to him, the university was the first on the continent to develop an Ecological Master Plan (EMP), which allows for optimisation of traffic, water and nutrients, open space, energy and waste. He said through the EMP concept, recycling and re-use of waste water, grey water, urine and organics such as fertiliser and soil conditioner had been implemented at the university. Dr Opoku-Boateng noted that human activities were gradually creating imbalance in the ecosystems around the globe which posed great danger for human existence. This, he said, would call for rethinking on how countries, institutions and individuals could evolve sustainable ecological friendly ways of dealing with the challenges. "An ecosystem that works well is a guarantee for us humans that we can have the best of air to breathe, food to eat, clean and potable water to drink and a friendly environment to operate in", he stated. Dr Opoku-Boateng said VVU was not only committed to providing formal education but also the conservation of nature to ensure a sustainable ecosystem. Source: Ghanaian Times