Kindlers of Deforestation in WA West District, The Case of Tanina Community

The protection of the environment is important to the development of humanity, socially, culturally and economically. However, due to inadequate appreciation for the environment there is a horrid degradation of the environment worldwide. Deforestation rate is predicted to remain high and probably increase in the coming years as population grows especially in rural communities where life is connect to the forest as a means of survival. Ghana is not exempted from the negative impact of deforestation. With an original forest cover of 8.2 million hectare drastically reduced to about 1.7 million hectares. Finding out the factors accounting for this drastic rate of lost has been the purpose of this study in Tanina in the Wa West district of the Upper West region of Ghana where deforestation is highly prevalent.

This study focused on 199 respondents whose views and responds were documented using observation, focus group discussion, questionnaires and interviews in a mixed method approach.

Findings from this study revealed that over 60% of lands in Tanini have been destroy through charcoal burning, and crude farming methods, a situation that has resulted in the loss of economic and medicinal trees. Water bodies have dried up with poverty levels soaring among farmers who depend on farmlands to make ends meet.

Massive community based sensitization; alternative livelihood sources and enactment of byelaws to crumb deforestation menace in Tanina are among recommendation made.