A Rocha Ghana: fun without fire

The savannahs of northern Ghana are being destroyed by traditional hunting methods. During the dry season, groups of children commonly skip school for the excitement of setting fire to the scrub and watching the blaze roar through large tracts of vegetation. As small animals rush out, they are clubbed to death, with the meaty, tasty grasscutters (Greater Cane Rats Thryonomys swinderianus) being especially prized. In the villages around Mole National Park, where money is in short supply, free bushmeat is an important source of protein. Trees are also burned and felled by the local men to get at honey (see A Rocha International News October 2006).

Daryl Bosu, based at A Rocha Ghana’s northern office, in Damongo, has established sixteen environmental education clubs at primary and junior high schools in West Gonja District, with a total membership of 1500 children. His aim is to stop the burning, and instil in the children a desire to understand and protect their unique but fragile ecosystem. He hopes to extend the environmental education programme to twenty-three communities and involve all the schools in establishing woodlots. As these schools are on the fringes of Mole National Park, the park management has sourced funds from the Wildlife Division Support Project (sponsored by the Dutch Government) to construct a multi-purpose Conservation Centre which will house an interactive centre for kids, a museum, a craft shop, a conference hall and a reception area for visitors to the park.

Funding for the Conservation Centre furnishing, museum enhancement, information provision and exchange visits by school kids in this programme is being provided by the British High Commission in Ghana, and so Daryl was delighted when Mr Gordon Wetherell, the British High Commissioner, paid a visit to the West Gonja District. He met with the District Assembly to discuss the devastating impact of the annual bushfires and illegal hunting activities, as well as poverty-reduction activities. In a historic meeting with the Yagbon Wura, the great Gonja King, the High Commissioner lauded the prevailing peace throughout Gonja Land and discussed developmental and resource management issues. The chief’s elders praised A Rocha’s work. Mr Wetherell then met with the Manager of Mole National Park, Mr. Oumaru Farouk and Daryl, to deliberate on the challenges of sustainable development in the district.

The long-term plan for Conservation Education around Mole National Park is to establish a Conservation Education Trust Fund which will continue to generate a steady flow of funds to support school-based initiatives and promote environmental stewards in the young generation. A Peace Corps Volunteer, Corrie Landgard, was seconded to the office in November 2007 to assist in realising these goals around the largest national park in the country.