JASIKAN : Large tract of forest reserves lost to bushfire

Forest reserve

A total of 635.0 hectares out of the 732,273 hectares of forest reserves in the Volta Region got burnt in the first half of the year.
    
The reserves that got burnt were mainly in the Jasikan and Ho districts, representing about 0.08 per cent of the total forest reserves.
    
Mr Winfred Kofi Bimah, Regional Director of the Forestry Commission stated this at a mid-year performance report meeting, called by the Volta Regional Coordinating Council for heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in Ho.
    
He said Abutia Hills and Odomi River Forest Reserves lost 600.0 and 35.0 hectares respectively to fire, with damages to ground flora and vegetation.
    
Mr Bimah noted that despite continued public education by the Commission on effects of wildfire, people were still torching bushes and reserves.
    
He urged stakeholders to help carry out more education to save lives, property and the country’s natural resources as the dry season approached.
    
Mr Bimah said the illegal felling of trees through chainsaw and lumbering remained a major source of worry for the Commission.

GNA/DS