Fuelwood harvesting practices and human reliance in Navrongo Forest District

Abstract

Global interest in fuelwood as a renewable biomass energy resource has soared in recent times because it can be developed and used sustainably. Ghana's forest resources are subject to many pressures, and therefore there is a need to consider sustainable long-term resource management options. Fuelwood remains the primary source of energy in both urban and rural areas within the study area. The current research aimed at gaining insights into the fuelwood harvesting activities in some selected rural communities in the Navrongo Forest District. Using a structured interview questionnaire comprising closed-ended questions, 246 actors from 20 local communities were interviewed across four political districts. Overall, 32 tree species belonging to 20 families were listed as tree-species commonly harvested and preferred as fuelwood. The study revealed that the most preferred tree-species for fuelwood were mainly indigenous trees, which were generally low in distribution in the area. The famous “Rosewood” (Pterocarpus erinaceus) currently listed by the IUCN as an endangered tree-species was found to be locally valued for its quality flaming and charcoal producing characteristics. Furthermore, there were more male actors (53.3%) in fuelwood harvesting activities than females (46.7%). Majority (52%) of the actors were least educated and in their late 40years. Knowledge of environmental conservation among the actors was high, and fuelwood harvesting constituted a significant part of their livelihood. Based on this study, less economic indigenous tree-species such as Anogeisus leiocarpus possess superior fuelwood characteristics, and they may be considered for inclusion in future energy plantation programs in the study area.