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Implementation gaps in forest management prescriptions and noncompliance in forest regulations in Ghana: Case study of four forest reserves

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Abstract

In spite of the provisions of forest management prescriptions for forests in Ghana, forest degradation and deforestation are very high. This paper contributes to the discourse on sustainable forest management in Ghana by documenting the gaps in the implementation of forest management prescriptions and forest users’ compliance with forest regulations. We used desk study, field observations and measurements, interviews as well as focus group discussions to solicit for information from different stakeholder groups. The study showed major gaps between the application of official forest management prescriptions and their practical implementation, as well as lack of compliance of logging regulations. These gaps encouraged forest encroachment, illegal exploitation of wood and wood products and undermine the effective generation of forest management data for planning and forest management decision support. Furthermore, poor compliance to management regulations was noted to constitute a critical factor limiting the achievement of forest management objectives. Reasons assigned to these gaps reflect institutional weaknesses and the constraints of resource under which such institutions operate. Therefore, as Ghana implements forest management mechanisms such as the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+), attention should be focused on factors hindering the implementation of management prescriptions and compliance with forest regulations.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Dr. Kwakye Ameyaw (Forestry Commission, Ghana) and Bright Owusu Sekyere (Timber Validation Department of the Forestry Commission, Ghana) for their contributions during data collection and the ideas developed for this paper. We are also grateful to the editor and the two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Timber Validation Department, Forestry Commission, Accra, Ghana

    Frank Ankomah

  2. Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

    Frank Ankomah, Kyereh Boateng, Winston Asante & Michael Ansong

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  1. Frank Ankomah
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Correspondence to Frank Ankomah.

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Ankomah, F., Boateng, K., Asante, W. et al. Implementation gaps in forest management prescriptions and noncompliance in forest regulations in Ghana: Case study of four forest reserves. Environ Dev Sustain 24, 9355–9379 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-021-01828-9

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