Traditionally Protected Landscapes

The traditionally protected landscapes in the dry marginal forest zone are the main remnant of semi-deciduous forests found in otherwise increasingly degraded landscape of coastal dry marginal ecosystems. From an aerial view, these landscapes are cathedrals of biodiversity and relic’s of tropical forests, which depicts the interrelationship between people, nature and culture and how they have co-existed in the past. Based on the survey conducted, there may be over 80 traditional sacred landscapes scattered in the various districts in the region. The landscapes provide refuge for wildlife outside the government protected areas, significantly influence the micro-climate of the geographic areas as carbon sinks and help abate the menace of global warming that is posing an existential threat to humanity and her civilization.

History, Stewardship and significance of traditional landscapes
Most traditionally protected landscapes have existed over three hundred years or more because of taboos, myth and beliefs surrounding them because the common mode of reservation of all the groves was the institution of taboos and reverence of traditional system and order. The stewardship of the protected landscapes is the corporal responsibilities of individual as well as the communities.
Clans, families or communities mostly own the lands. However, the responsibility of management lies in the hands of every citizen of the land. People may be forbidden to enter the groves on taboo days or when there are traditional or cultural rituals to be performed except on some rare occasions such as enstoolment of a new chiefs and/or festival days. Yet on those occasions, entry is limited to some selected few especially, family elders of the custodians, the chief and some sub-chiefs. The reverence of protected areas was unique to the local communities.
In some groves, all forms of resource extractions are strictly prohibited, while in others people may collect material such as fallen branches and leaves from the forest floor or fruit from the trees. In most cases, non-compliance to these rules often resulted in fines, slaughter of animals among others. In some cases, spiritual punishment prevailed as sights of dreadful animal, visitation of strange disease or death to the culprit.

During the field survey, it was revealed that severer punishments including destoolment exist for chiefs who willfully participate or encourage degradation of the groves.
The protected landscapes serve as ancestral treasury and sources of spiritual enhancement for the people. They also serve as sources for medicinal plants, food, environmental protection and amelioration of the environment. They are repository of numerous endemic species. Their protection therefore sustains and strengthens traditional values as well as protecting endangered species, water corridors of stream and rivers conserve their rich biological diversity.
While some groves are managed by the Asafo Company within the community, others are strictly protected by a clan/ family or the chief of the town.
2.0 Spatial Conditions of Traditional Protected Forests.
On the average, each community within the area has about a traditionally protected landscapes serving as ancestral heritage in a form of old settlements, royal cemeteries, abode of ancestral gods, biodiversity treasures and ecological sensitive areas (sacred stones and watersheds, crocodile sanctuaries). Over 60 percent of the communities surveyed had between traditionally protected sacred groves. There is a high concentration and vast diversity of groves within the 36 communities visited within the districts. In terms of sizes, some contain only a few trees, while others are hundreds of acres/hectares in size. Sometimes groves overlap with larger forested areas, while others stand conspicuously within an open plains or farmland.
The TFPs have different kinds of protection statuses, depending on the particular clan and the purpose of the reservation. The protection varies from a very strict total ban on use to very soft regulations. A total ban means that entering the forests by ordinary citizens is forbidden or restricted except for ritual purposes.

Classification of Traditionally Protected Forests

Most of the TPF are small and are not conserved for purposes of biodiversity conservation, although they do form a critical link between the people, their culture and the protected landscapes and the wider ecosystem. Traditionally protected forests have different kinds of protection statuses, depending on the particular clan and the purpose of the forest. The protection varies from a very strict total ban on use to very soft regulations. A total ban means that even entering the forest except for ritual purposes is forbidden.
From the inventory conducted, the traditionally protected forests exist in the following forms:
a. Ecosystem Management Areas.

These areas are series of sanctuaries and groves established for conservation of spectacular wildlife (usually totems) and other scenic protection. Some of the sanctuaries are for the protection of sacred monkeys, crocodile, rivers and watersheds. Under ecosystem preservation trees that are regarded as housing spirits such as odum, African mahogany, tall palm trees are forbidden to be harvested. Sacred animals like black and white colobus, Mona monkey and other totem animals and associated species are strictly protected.

In a detailed flora and fauna survey of seven of the TPA the total number of species identified, the families they belong to and their star ratings is summarized in table 2. The groves were very rich in plant and animal diversities.
Twenty-five species of large mammals, two species of small terrestrial rodents, a fruit eating bat, forty-five species of birds, ten species of amphibians and reptiles were recorded. Signs of the following first schedule species of Ghana’s wholly protected species (endangered species) were recorded: Senegal Galago, Tree Pangolin, Black and white Colobus, Chimpanzee, Olive Colobus, and Nile Monitor. However, it has been recommended from the survey report that follow–up surveys must be conducted to validate the presence of the Chimpanzee, Olive Colobus and the Black and white Colobus. The presence of wire snares and used bullet cartridges depicted a spate of illegal hunting in the grove.
The TPF have an abundance of birdlife. Over 68 bird species belonging to over 47 genera are known to exist in these areas. Some well-represented genera include Chrespectivelrysocosyx spp. Eupleates spp. Hirund spp. Malimbus spp. Nectarenia spp. Ploceus spp. Pogoniulus spp. Prinnisa spp. And Turtur spp. These birds are widespread, found in both farmlands, and forested areas.
The survey report revealed that the grove falls under forest condition between 2 and 3 indicating a very good canopy closure. One hundred and fifty–nine (159) species belonging to fifty families were recorded. Species identified in the TPA can be classified into various star categories- Black star, Gold star, Blue star, Green star, primarily according to genetic scarcity. The classifications found were:
• Weedy species, which will still exist if all of Ghana’s forest were to be removed, and are not scored or rated. They score a low conservation priority in Ghana.
• Star rated indicating genetic scarcity for plant community and such a score gives an indication of the total genetic heat of that community.
• Rare species
• Comparison with nearby forest reserves also shows lower GHIs for groves but with some expectations.

b. Conservation of ecologically sensitive areas

For the conservation of sacred mountains and stones and other sensitive areas that have cultural /religious significance. Water Vegetation cannot be cleared along a strip of 30 m at both banks of streams and rivers. Fishing days and periods of banned fishing and hunting are practiced. In most cases, pregnant females are not allowed access.

c. Conservation of religious/cultural heritage

These are mainly battle grounds of several ancient wars, burial grounds of prominent paramouncies, protection religious sites as abode of ancestral gods and conserving remnants of old settlements for posterity.

d. Production of timber and woodfuel.

These areas are set aside to be used by the royals for harvesting wood fuel like Esa during festival or funerals or harvest and processing of wood fuel for communal projects. Herbal medicines used to prevent and treat (common) diseases in humans, animals and plants are often allowed to be harvested

It is not easy to distinguish between the forests. All the forests are sacred are treated with reverence, deference and prohibition, and are protected from the secular (and from everyday use). Taboos are the traditional management tools used in all cases. Most of the sites are not accessible to ordinary beings and in some cases where ordinary being can enter, certain areas or objects are not to be touched. Table 3 is a summary of the descriptions of the different types of TPFs. Some of these forests are said to have supernatural, ritual, spiritual and sacred elements that are functional to the needs of the community.

Traditional beliefs and ownership of TPFs

Most TPFs are associated with strong traditional beliefs. Within the protected area, communities perform annual festivals and rituals to appease the presiding deity to ensure the well-being of the community. It is also common for the people to make individual offerings, often in the form of drinks and coins, in exchange for wishes such as good health, good harvest or the birth of a child. These TPFs help to define the cultural values and identity of the communities that reserve and protect them.
The traditional belief associated to each grove is closely linked to the history, politics and economies of the communities. These indicate the roots of their ancestors or their political domain.
In these areas trees that are regarded as housing spirits are not be felled without performing rituals. This custom had a protective effect on trees as Odum (Chlorophora excelsa), African mahogany (Khaya ivorensis) and tall palm trees as betene (Elaeis Guineensis) and Osese (Funtumia sp.). Animals in a particular habitat may be regarded as sacred and are therefore protected from hunting. In these areas the Black and White colobus (Colobus polykomos) and the mona monkey (Cercopithecus mona) are considered as sacred. A similar situation is reported of bats in caves of certain areas. The overhanging rocks found in certain groves house an impressive colony of large bats that are said to be conserved by the local community. Many wildlife species are regarded as totems due to their historical or sociocultural significance. Totem animals vary significantly over tribes and clans. They include merely mammals (leopard, elephant, lion, monkey, buffalo) and birds (falcon, raven, parrot). In addition, turtles, crocodiles, snakes (python), scorpions, crabs and fishes are also totems. Some totem animals as the crested porcupine (Hystrix cristata) and the patas monkey Cercopithecus patas) are threatened. There is a belief that an intimate relationship exists between the totem animals and the tribe. Therefore, the members do not eat, kill or trap these animals.

Threats to Community Protected Areas in the study area

From the study, some of the groves looked well protected, with little or no apparent signs of degradation while others are completely or partially degraded. However, most the groves are being threatened by human-induced activities. This is further attributed to the erosion of traditional beliefs that protect them.
The gradual dwindling of major protected areas in the communities was evident due to the decline of customary laws and beliefs behind them. Erosion of traditional beliefs that have sustained this ecosystem tends to threaten the survival of protected areas as most of them have been encroached. It was also found during the study that, some sites were degraded beyond recovery leaving behind relatively small patches with few trees due to intensity of encroachment.

Drivers of Degradation
Major activities that are threatening the CPAs are:
• Timber harvesting
• Chainsaw operation
• Hunting
• Wildfires
• Infrastructure development and
• Farming
Chain saw operation in community protected areas