Ghana - Additional Financing for the Sustainable Land and Water Management Project : environmental assessment (Vol. 5 of 9) : Mini strategic management plan for Chiana Hills forest reserve

 E4503 V5 MINI-STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR CHIANA HILLS FOREST RESERVE 1.0 CURRENT RESOURCE SITUATION l.1 Name and Location The Chiana Hills forest reserve is one of the six (6) forest reserves, which constitute Kassena-Nankana working plan. As the name of the reserve suggests, it is named after Chiana Hills, which are located right inside the reserve. The reserve is located between longitude 1° 19' Wand 1°27' Wand between latitudes 10°52' Nand 10° 54' N. 1.2 Date of Establishment Chi ana forest reserve was established on 1 February, 1951. 1.3 Area and Perimeter The Chiana forest reserve covers land area of 4359 ha with a perimeter of 16.2 kri. The total external boundary comprises of cut-line, which is maintained twice yearly b) Forest Guards. 1.4 Forest Owners and Admitted Farms The native authorities within whose jurisdiction are Chiana, Katiu, Kayoro and Nakong Chiefs. There are no admitted farms within the reserve. 1.5 Condition of Boyndary Pillars The following boundary pillars are broken. They include BPs, 17, 18,20,35,53,55 and 56, Defaced pillars include BPs. 43, 45, 49 and 50 is missing. 1.6 Natural Forest V c~etation and Condition Score The natural vegetation falls within the Guinea Savanna Woodland Zone as classified by C.J. Taylor (1960). It forms the major portion of the reserve, coving a total area of 4,260 ha. Out of the total areas of 4,359 ha. The reserve is no degraded. However, frequent incidence of bushfires has resulted in poor growth of vegetation in some areas. Dominant tree species found include Parkia biglobosa, Vitellaria paradoxum, Diospyros mespiliformis, Tamarindus indica, Piliostigma thonningii, Anona senegalenis, Zizyphus mllcronata and Acacia species. The vegetation is charactised by short branching trees and shrubs with dense undergrowth of tall grasses and Forbs. Height of most of the trees is below 20 metres tall and diametres less than 40 cm. Natural regeneration during the rainy season is very encouraging throughout most part of the reserve. However, the open nature of canopy tends to promote proli Iic growth of grass species, which results in abundant source of combustible material during the dry season for bushfire outbreaks. Survix al rate of regeneration is therefore reducc.l considerably, as a result of fire damage. The condition score of the reserve could be described as 4, but there are few areas where the :;core is 3 where vegetation is almost a t climax. a. Degradation and Stocking Level: Highly degraded area of the reserve located between BP 48 and 49 covering an area of approximately 8- 10 hectares. The stocking level of this area ranges between 100 - 200 trees per hectare, with diameters range between 12 - 14 cm. Tree species found include Anogeisus, Balanites and DiospyrC?s species. . b. Less Degraded Area: This encompasses area within the vicinity of boundary pillars 29 up to 36; and also from boundary pillars 19 to 21. The degradation here is due to the proximity of that area to the Katiu community and also admitted path from Katiu through the reserve to the other side of the reserve where their farms are located. The stocking level of trees is about 250 - 300 stems per hectare with average diameter of 22 ern. c. Well Forested Area: With the exception of those areas indicated above, the rest of the reserve is generally well-stocked. The stocking level is about 350 - 400 trees per hectare with diameter ranging between 22 ern. and 40 cm. 1 .7 Plantation Forest This constitutes a relatively smaller area of the reserve. It covers an area of only 99 hectares. The area was developed into plantation through taungya system. Unfortunately, merely 11.2 ha. Was successful. The average stocking level is between 650 and 800 trees per hectare, with diameter range falling between 10 em. and IS em. at breast height. A good number of them have bad form as a result of lack of silvicultural reatment after planting :'1HI continual exposure to annual fires. A few could be harvested for telephone poles and also for building poles for the local population. 1.8 Non Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) They include fruits, fuelwood, medicinal plants, poles and small timber. a. Poles and Small Timber: Demand exist for poles of Anogeisus ~., Albiziasnn., Tamarindus indicaand other species with straight bole for building poles and rafters. Small timber of Mitragya inermis and Diospyros mespiliformisare also used for tool handles, while those of Vi tell aria paradoxum, Khaya senegalensi and Afzelia Sl2l2. are used for mortars. Fuelwood: Dead wood are" gathered at will and without permit by the local population for domestic use. However collection could be done on large scale for commercial purposes on permit from Forest Services Division. d. c. Fruits and Seeds: Parkia biglobosa yields fruits which are used for food. The seeds are used when boiled and the yellow matter around the seeds are also, used. The pods are used in the preparation of extracts which renders mud walls and floors waterproof. Fruits of Vi tell aria sW.. Are eaten as a delicacy and the seed used for shea butter extraction. Other fruits which are used in lesser extent for food include Adeasonia diagitata, Tamarindus indica, Lannea acida and Anona senegalensis. e. Medicinal Plants: Medicinal plants also constitute another important feature of resources. Herbs, bark, leaves and roots of many species are also collected for medicinal purposes. 1.9 Wildlife: The forest reserve hosts various species of wild animals including Loxodonta africana (elephants), Phacochoerus aethipicus (warthog), Syncerus caffer (buffalo), Kobus kob (kob), Xerus spp. (ground squirrels), Cricitomys gambianus (giant rat) and varieties of birds. The indication of the presence of these wildlife are attributed to direct observation of staff especially, forest guards and range supervisors in-charge of the reserve, as well as information ascertained from local hunters. 1.10 Factors Affecting The Resource a. Hunan Activities 1. Illegal Exploitation: Owing to lack of readily available source of poles and firewood in the off-reserves and closeness of adjoining communities (Katiu and Kayoro) to the forest reserve, there is a high tendency for the local people to  infringe on the reserve for poles and firewood. It is on record that some of the local people even cut live trees from the reserve and dry them for firewood and also for building poles. 2. Another common injury to specific species is the removal of their bark for medicinal purposes. Those trees affected include Khaya senegalensi~and Vitellaria~. In some cases they are often mutilated that it results il \ the death of such trees. Another tree species which suffer similar fate include Par Kia biglobosa and Piliostigma thonningii whose barks are used for making waterproof extract for treating mud walls and floors. b. Annual Fires Fire more or less sweeps through some parts of the reserve especially those area near settlements during the dry season through the negligence of farmers, hunters and honey- harvester. The recurrent annual fires destroy most of the saplings and retard the growth of those which survive the ordeal. 111. c. Animal Destruction Quite appreciable number of livestock from the communities graze in the reserve causing a lot of destruction to saplings through grazing and trampling activities to young shoots. Wild animals in the reserve also cause the same kind of damage to your shoots and regeneration. 2.0 ZONATION The forest reserve could be zoned into two (2) main divisions for management purposes. They are protection and production working areas. The level of agreement on the Zonation of the reserve was reached between [he District and the Regional Forestry Offices. Table of Zones Working Areas of Chiana Hills Forest Reserve ZONE AREA (HA.) REMARKS Protection Working Area 4,260 Natural forest including watershed area and hills. Production Working Area 99 Plantation forest including failed areas. Total Area 4,359 Please see attached progress map. 3.0 WHA T EACH ZONE WILL BE MANAGE FOR 3.1 Broad Management Objectives of the Reserve The goals of management include:- I. To protect headwaters ofrivers and streams which flow south and south-east through Nakong and Katiu farming area and eastward to join the Chiana River. II. To achieve reafforestation by protection of natural vegetation and by planting to prolong dry season flow and reduce flooding and erosion the rains. 112. To provide a valuable source of supply of poles and firewood in future years. 3.2 Protection Working Area The protection working area comprising of the natural forest area will be managed with the objective mentioned below. a. Specific Management Objectives 1. To protect existing vegetation to check erosion and flooding; 11. To provide a barrier to dry north east harmattan winds, insulation and other harsh environmental factors; To protect headwaters of the area to prolong dry season flow. b. Management Strategies 1. Boundary Maintenance: The forest reserve boundary will be maintained through cleaned, boundary planting, patrolling, check survey of boundary and replacement of broken, defaced and missing pillars. 2. Rehabilitation Qf Degraded Areas: All degraded areas including watershed area in the natural forest will be surveyed and demarcated for planting/enrichment planting to enhance protection of soils against erosion and enhance infiltration, reduce flooding, and prolong dry season flow of streams which take their sources from the area, through preparation and implementation of planting schedules. 111 Fire Protection: In order to speed up regeneration and recovery of the vegetation, complete protection from fire will be attempted. A fire trace of 10 meters wide will be early burnt around the whole reserve at the beginning of each dry season. In order to achieve success intensive propaganda and rigid enforcement of District Assembly rules will be necessary. Communities will be educated and encouraged to embrace fire-free environment concept, solicit their involvement in the practice of early burning of forest fringe vegetation, physical fire fighting by fire volunteers, and in organizing training and village educational durbars. However should complete protection prove impossible early burning will have to be substituted. IV Encroachments: Collaborative forest management committees will be formed in Kayoro and Katiu to detect and report on pilfering, squatting, illegal farming, Fulani herdsmen; poisoning of river for fish and illegal commercial wood harvesting. v. Non-Traditional Forest Produce (N.T.F.P) and Community Interest: Community Reserve Assessment team will be formed to collect information on N.T.F.Ps concerning their distribution, frequency, seasonally, location, availabi i i t. and extent of their exploitation to determine their levels of sustainability for domestic use. Possibility of domestication and cultivation of some N.T.F.P by user-groups will also be considered. No live tree will be allowed to cut from the protection working area during the period of this plan. The collection of deadwood, grasses and fruits by the local population will be allowed throughout the area. 3.3 Production Working Area a. Specific Management Objectives: The objectives for management of the area are as follows 1. To create a commercially valuable resource that will provide products for use by the local population on sustainable basis; in this case firewood and poles. 2. To arrest environmental degradation by restoring forest cover over degraded areas within the reserve. b. Management Strategies: 1. Compartment. Demarcation and Assessment: Currently, there is no record on compartmentation and existing stock in the production area. There is therefore the need to demarcate the plantation area into 32-hectare compartments and erect compartment pillars. Coppice-with-standards will be prescribed for used in the plantation. Refer to harvesting schedule attached. 11 Rehabilitation of Failed Areas: Failed areas within compartments will be  rehabilitated. In the course of this, areas covered by stunted plantation stock will be cut for firewood and replanted with fast-growing species like Eucalyptus.s.pJ2. III Fire Protection: The plantation area will be protected from devastating annual fires by constructing fire ride of Sm wide. The compartment boundaries and rides will also be maintained annually. 4.0 IN WHOSE INTEREST WILL THESE BE MANAGED The categories of beneficiaries include:- a Central Government:Benefits to central government include:- 1. Revenue generation; 11. Source of employment to cross-section of the population; 111. Maintenance of environmental quality; IV. Provision of resources for infrastructural development. b Kassem Nankana District Assembly: Benefits to Kassena-Nankana District Assembly are as follows:- 1. Revenue ( levies) from wood dealers; 11. Provision of forest products e.g., poles for local development; 111. Provision of environmental quality to forestall environmental degradation with its attendant disasters. c. Chiefs and Traditional Leaders: Benefits to chiefs and traditional leaders of Chi ana, Katiu, Nakong and Kayoro communities include:- 1. Source income in form of royalties; H. Cultural and religious benefits; HI. Products for domestic and communal use. d. Forest Fringe Communities: Benefits to Katiu and Kayoro communities include:- 1. Source of income from community boundary maintenance contracts and other collaborative activities like fire protection, etc.; H. Access to improved taungya rights; 111. Communal rights and responsibilities such as right to fish on permit, right to hunt and harvest honey on permit, right to controlled watering and grazing, right to maintain existing foot paths in forest reserve, collect edible fruits, herbaceous, medicinal plants and termites, as well as cutting of grass for mat-making and roofing as indicated in table 2 below:- Table 2 Communal Rights Admitted (Source: Reserve Settlement Committee Report) NATURE OF RIGHT EXTENT OF RIGHT PERSONS PERMITTED TO EXERCISE RIGHT l. Right to collect dead fall for firewood; - Right to cut grass for mat-making and roofing; Inhabitants of Kassena- - Right to collect edible Unrestricted Nankana Local Council fruits and herbs and Area and people from leaves for medicinal Chiana, Katiu, Nakong and purposes; Kayoro - Right to maintain existing foot paths. 2. Right to graze and water Subject to control by Forest - do -  cattle. Officer . Unrestricted except in the ..., Right to collect honey months of October, - do - -'. November and December. 4. Right to collect sticks for For personal and family use tools handles and only. - do - household implements. Free on permit at the 5. Right to cut rafters arid discretion of the Forest poles for building. Officer and it is subject to - do - any future agreement the people and governrnent. 5.0 BY WHO WILL THESE BE MANAGED All beneficiaries of the resources will as well have some responsibility for ensuring sustainable management of them. a. Forest Services Division: Forest Services Division as Central Government Agency primarily responsible for the forest resources will continue to ensure conservation and sustainable management of the resources for the maintenance of environmental quality and socio-economic development of the District Assembly area. These will be achieved through:-  1. Monitoring the condition and extent of forest resources and provision of accurate and timely forest data (information) to aid decision-making; 2. Re-establishing domestic use rights for resource owning communities and ensuring that they receive a fair share of forest revenues where appropriate and related benefits in timely and sustainable manner, as well as consulting fully with them in declaration of community reserves and adoption of reserve management plans; lll. Pursuance of collaborative forest management practices with local communities in the protection of the forest resources; IV. Controlling and monitoring the harvesting of all forest products; v. Creation of enabling environment for effective community afforestation project. Planted trees will belong to those who plant them. Modified taungya systems where tree tenural rights will be established among stakeholders, i.e., Forest Services Division land owners and tree planters. b. Kassena-Nankana District Assembly: The Kassena-Nankana District Assembly will be responsible to:- 1. Enact environmental bye-laws and ensure compliance by the local population in order to maintain the integrity of Chiana Hills forest reserve in all respects; 2. Assisting in writing forestry component of 5-year District Medium-Term Development Plan; Ill. Assist in creating awareness on environmental management and protection; IV. Provision of funds for afforestation programmes in the communities. c. Chief and Traditional Leaders: The chiefs and traditional leaders in the various communities will have the responsibility for:-  1. Mobilization of community members for execution of planned forest activities; 11. Enforcement of community decisions and traditional laws on environmental management and protection; 111. Ensuring availability of land for community afforestation programmes. d. Fringe Communities: Fringe forest communities of Chi ana hills forest reserve including Katiu and Kayoro will have the responsibility for.- 1. Embracing fire-free environmental concept; 11. Active involvement in activities of collaborative forest management committee in areas of tree nursery production, planting and protection, resource management plans; 12. Involvement in Community Boundary Maintenance Contract (CBMC), detection and reporting of forest offences and possibly causing arrest of offenders. e. Fuelwood Dealers and Wood Processors: These categories of stakeholders will also be responsible for.- 1. Strict adherence to rules and regulation guiding the resource harvesting, transporting and marketing; 11. Showing respect for community rights, cultural rules and local infrastructure; Ill. Making prompt payment of all charges and fees concerning their operations. f. Hunters and Fishermen: They will be required to adhere to rules and regulations guiding the rightful and sustainable use of the resource. These include:- 1. Permit acquisition; 11. Observance of close season; Ill. Avoidance of use of poisonous substances for fishing and hunting; and also fire for hunting. 6.0 HOW GOALS OF MANAGEMENT WILL BE ACHIEVED a. Production Working Area Output 1: Seven (7) compartments demarcated, assessment carried out and manage till 2020. Activities Form District Survey Team of six (6) to demarcate area into comparments of 32 ha 1. 11. Carry out pillaring of demarcated compartments and prepare compartment maps; 111. Carry out enumeration in compartment to determine existing stock, and prepare thinning schedule; IV. Contract out thinning for pole and firewood; v. Manage coppice in thinned compartments. Output 2: All failed areas replanted by 2010 Activities 1. Determine total failed areas in all compartments; II. Prepare rehabilitation schedule; 111. Establish tree nursery in conjunction with collaborating communities; IV. Prepare and implement planting schedule on 'improved' taungya with Kayoro, Katiu and Chiana communities; v. Carry out tending in collaboration with the above-mentioned communities. Output 3: Entire plantation protected from devastating annual fires during the period of this plan. . Activities 2. Construct a fire ride of five (5) metres wide around plantation area by 2002, using contracted labour from Katiu, Chi ana and Kayoro communities; 11. Maintain compartment boundaries and rides yearly. b. Protection Working Area Output 1: 16.2 km of external boundary of Chiana Hills forest reserve maintained twice a year till 2020. Activities  1. Clean and patrol 16.2 km of boundary twice a year and carry out boundary planting on contract by Katiu and Kayoro communities; II. Inspect 16.2 km of external boundary twice by Forest Services Division Range Supervisor responsible for the forest reserve; 111. Check survey reserve boundary by 2003. Output 2: All degraded areas including watershed area surveyed and planted by 2020 Activities 1. Survey degraded areas using contract labour from fringe communities; 11. Encourage community tree nursery establishment to raise required seedlings for planting; . 111. Implement planting schedule in collaboration with communities; IV. Joint management of planted areas by collaborating communities and Forest Services Division staff in the District. Output 3: Fire-free environment achieved in the protected area by 2020. Activities 1. Embark on and complete extensive fire education in all fringe communities by 2004; 2. Select and train fire volunteers in forest communities to combat wildfires in collaboration with Ghana National Fire Service; lll. Create and maintain fire traces around the area with the support of forest fringe communities (i.e., Katiu, Kayoro communities); IV. Form Collaborative Forest Management Committees (CFMC) to enhance community level participation in forest management. Output 4: Perpetual flow ofNTFP supply for domestic need of Katiu, Chiana and Kayoro communities ensured and integrity of the forest resource maintained by 2020. Activities 1. Consult ~ommunities on their NTFP needs and usufructuary rights in the reserv~; 11. Form community resource assessment team to collect information on NTFPs in the  reserve; 12. Encourage and assist user-groups to domesticate and cultivate NTFP where possible. The groups may include shea nuts processors, hunters, mat and basket weavers, etc. 7.0 INFRASTRUCTYRAL DEVELOPMENT 7.1 Building The Junior Staff Quarters at Chiana need some rehabilitation work at the foundation, which has developed serious cracks. 7.2 Communication The road from Navrongo to Katiu and from Katiu to the western boundary of the reserve is an all-weather road. The reserve is about 35 kilo metres from Navrongo and 10 kilometres from Chi ana. 7.3 Boundary Pillars Six (6) broken, three (3) defaced and one (1) missing boundary pillars need to be restored. 8.0 REVENUE GENERATION No revenue has been accrued from the reserve over the past years. Thinning of 11.2 ha. portion of the plantation may yield some revenue during the period of this plan (i.e., 2001 - 2020). See appendix 2 for projected revenue base on thinning schedule. APPENDIX I ThinninglHarvesting Schedule Chiana Hills Forest Reserve Plantation HARVESTING COMPART- NO. OF TREES TO PERIOD MENT BE REMARKS REMOVEDIHA. 2001 - 2005 1 100 100 x 32ha = 3,200 trees 2006 - 2010 2 200 200 x 32ha = 6,400 trees 2011-2015 3 250 200 x 32ha = 6,400 trees 2016 - 2020 1,2 200 150 x 32ha = 9,600 trees