3.1 PROBLEM

In most parts of the Upper West Region, forest cover, which serves as the habitat of wildlife and the source of other wood and non-wood forest products are increasingly lost. Thus, wildlife is depleted, reducing the income generation potential of the area as an eco-tourism site. In view of this the few remaining wild animals take solace in the reserve.

The increasing depletion of wildlife in Gilan and its environs is attributed to annual ritual wildfires, inappropriate farming practices and inappropriate fuel wood harvesting with their attendant destruction of vegetative cover and habitat loss which have resulted in erratic rainfall pattern, drying up of water bodies, destructive storms, loss of indigenous medicinal plants, loss of biodiversity, increasing soil erosion, depletion of soil fertility, low crop yields, poverty, gender inequality, and seasonal out migration. Uncontrolled hunting worsens the depletion of wildlife in the area.

Gilan forest used to be home to diverse wildlife species especially monkeys, and medicinal plants. However, forest cover which serves as the habitat of wild animals, is being lost to wildfires, inappropriate farming practices and other bad environmental practices with the resultant depletion of wildlife hastened by uncontrolled hunting. Urgent action therefore, needs to be taken to halt the destruction of forest cover, depletion of wildlife and medicinal plants. The Gilan nature conservation Project was therefore, initiated by the Gilan community to reinforce and conserve the reserve and consequently creates a favourable ecology for wildlife habitation and promotes eco-tourism.

The project is in line with GEF’s effort to conserve biodiversity for the improvement of the socio-economic well being of people. In addition EPA has launched an educational campaign against bushfires in the Upper West Region. Furthermore, EPA and Ministry of Lands, Forestry and Mines are encouraging all citizens and communities to establish forest reserves and sustainably manage forest and wildlife resources. The project is also in line with EPA’s effort to regulate, improve and conserve the country’s environment in particular and the global environment as a whole.

3.3 MAIN OBJECTIVE
The main objective of the project is to restore and conserve biodiversity in order to increase wildlife and other forest resources in Gilan and its environs for the improvement of the socio-economic well being of the people.

3.4 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
The specific objectives of the project are:
1) To promote sustainable development and natural resource management led by local initiative and self help activities in the community through the conservation of biological resources, sustainable land management and management of wildlife.
2) To increase forest cover in the area through creation of natural regeneration areas, reforestation and agro-forestry practices to serve as a carbon sink.
3) To promote alternative livelihood support and reduce pressure on the forest as a source of livelihood.

3.5 Intended Results

The intended results of the project are:

OUTPUT 1 Awareness Created on environmental management and local capacity in wildfire management, Enrichment Planting, Controlled Hunting, Soil Fertility Improvement and Appropriate Farming Methods developed.

OUTPUT 2: Community Conservation Area increased and secured

OUTPUT 3: Train local farmers in Appropriate Farming Methods and Alternative Livelihoods

4.0 DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT ACTIVITIES

Various project activities will be carried out to achieve the project goal and objectives. These are enumerated below:

4.1 OUTPUT 1 Awareness Created on environmental management and local capacity in wildfire management, Enrichment Planting, Controlled Hunting, Soil Fertility Improvement and Appropriate Farming Methods developed.

4.1.1 Organize Community Fora
The project will organize series of community fora in the project area to create and raise awareness, change attitudes and behaviour of the people to contain wildfires, stop hunting in the project area and contain other environmental problems. Fora will be organized during the first quarter of the project with resource persons drawn from EPA, MOFA, FSD and GNFS.

4.1.2 Compile Community Profiles of Beneficiary Communities
Profiles of beneficiary communities will be compiled during the first quarter of the project. The profile will provide in-depth baseline socio-economic data on land use options, priority needs, and areas of emphasis and for applied research. It will also serve as a database on Gilan for the project management team. EPA- Upper West Region will provide resource persons for this exercise.

4.1.3 Form and Launch a Project Management Committee (PMC)
A project management committee will be formed to organize the communities to carry out work on the project. Members of the Project management Committee will be drawn from women groups, farmers, hunters, carvers and weavers, livestock owners, commercial farmers and business people. This is to ensure that the project incorporates the interests and concerns of different groups of people. The PMC will be formally launched in the first quarter of the project and will accomplish its task in collaboration with the Traditional Council, Wa East District Assembly, and EPA-Upper West Region.

4.1.4 Enact Community Rules and Regulations
The chiefs and people of the communities in the project area will enact Rules and Regulations on the environment. Among other things the rules will prohibit poaching and wildfires in the Gilan Project. This will be done within the second quarter and resource persons will be drawn from Department of Wildlife.

4.1.5 Enforce Regulations on Hunting
The PMC will, among other functions enforce hunting regulations. This will be done throughout the project period.

4.1.6 Form and Register Hunters’ Association
All hunters in the project area will be registered to form a Hunters’ Association. The Association will be a target group for education on wildfires, wildlife breeding, endangered wildlife species and hunting laws. The Association will be formed during the second quarter of the project.

4.1.7 Form 3 Wildfire Volunteer Squads and Train 60 members
An Anti- wildfire Volunteer Squad will be formed to serve as a watchdog committee and ensure responsible environmental behaviour. A training programme will be organized for them in fire fighting and first aid techniques. They will be issued ID cards and given Wallington boots. Resource persons will be drawn from GNFS, EPA and FSD. The squad will be formed and trained during the second quarter and refresher training will be organized annually.

4.2 OUTPUT 2: Community Conservation Area increased and secured.

4.2.1 Establish Community Nursery at Gilan

A 100,000-seedling capacity community nursery will be established in Gilan to raise seedlings for planting in the existing reserve and the new one that will be created. This will be carried out during the second quarter and resource persons will be drawn from EPA and FSD.

4.2.2 Expand existing Community Conservation Area and create additional 120 ha Reserve

The Gilan forest reserve will be reinforced through enrichment planting with seedlings from the community nursery. An additional 300-acre reserve will be created and enrichment planting carried out. The Tindamba (Landlords) of the project area will set aside land for the establishment of the reserve. Survey Department will be contracted to demarcate the reserve within the first quarter of the project. The Project Management Committee (PMC) and Anti Wildfire Volunteer Squad will protect the reserve from wildfires, encroachers and poachers. The community reserve will be created during the third quarter of the project.

4.2.3 Establish Multi-Purpose Woodlot and Fodder Bank
A multi-purpose woodlot and fodder bank will be established to provide fodder for livestock and fuel wood for the community in order to reduce pressure on the forest for fodder and domestic energy. Fast growing trees will be propagated in the woodlot. Seeds of suitable forage species will be broadcast to grow in the woodlot as feed for livestock. The activity will be carried out within the third quarter of the project with resource persons from EPA, MOFA and FSD.

4.2.4 Sink a hand dug Well
A well will be sunk and fitted with a hand pump to provide water for watering seedlings, young trees planted in the reserve and woodlot, and for watering animals. The well will be sunk during the first quarter of the project and resource persons will be drawn from EPA, Survey Department, MOFA and Pronet North (NGO).

4.3 Output 3: Train local farmers in Appropriate Farming Methods and Alternative Livelihoods

3.1 Support small producers (women) to seize market opportunities for NTFPs and to build market linkages
3.2 Set up shea butter processing enterprises in Gilan
3.3 Identify and train 60 farmers in the production of honey and small ruminants rearing and guinea fowl poultry.
3.4 Identify market sources for organic honey, poultry and small ruminants for trained farmers.
3.5 Provide revolving credit scheme for farmers on alternative livelihood support.
3.6 Support ecotourism development in potential sites