Author(s)

Charles Adusei^1*, Jasper Yao Dunyah²

¹Department of Accounting, Finance and Banking, Faculty of Business Studies, Garden City University College, Kumasi, Ghana.
²Forest Services Division of Forestry Commission, Atebubu Brong-Ahafo Region, Ghana.

The paper investigated the forest fringe community’s participation in forest reserve sustainability in Ghana using Brong-Ahafo Region of Ghana as a case study. The key issues examined are the forest reserve management strategies, stakeholder’s participation and livelihood activities of forest fringe communities. Two stage sampling technique was used to sample forty-two respondents for the study. A structured questionnaire in an interview form was used to solicit information from the respondents. Descriptive statistics was used to analyse the data. The results of the study indicate that there is a management plan for the forest reserve but Forest Services Division (FSD) does not follow its prescriptions strictly, the involvement of Forest Fringe Communities (FFCs) by FSD in the management of the forest reserve was insignificant and evidence of FSD not establishing income generating activity for FFCs livelihood sustenance. It is therefore recommended that community members should be empowered to play the role of co-managers of the forest reserve and there should be regular visit and interaction between FSD and the FFCs.

Forest Reserves, Sustainability, Forest Fringe Communities, Ghana

Adusei, C. and Dunyah, J. (2016) Forest Fringe Communities Participation in Forest Reserve Sustainability in Ghana. Open Journal of Forestry, 6, 94-105. doi: 10.4236/ojf.2016.62009.