The broad strategy for achieving sustainable use of wildlife resources involves six principal elements, which are to:

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In order to operationalise this strategy, the Wildlife Development Plan describes in detail six inter-related programmes. For each programme, its background, justification, long term goals, objectives, outputs, activities and inputs are explained. It is expected that the 'core activities' under each programme will be supported during NRMP I by the Natural Resources Management Project Phase 1 (IDA). In most cases, there are additional activities that should be undertaken as soon as capacity has developed and resources can be found to support them.

 

The sub components to be undertaken in NRMP I are summarised below. Refer to the Wildlife Development Plan or project documents for more information.

 

Objective of WRM

The policy, legal, administrative and technical framework for conservation and sustainable management of wildlife resources with the participation of rural communities established both within and outside of Protected Areas.
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Sub Components of WRM

The WRM component comprises seven sub components.

Institutional Reform and Human Resource Development in the WD

Community Participation in Wildlife Management

Economic Development of Wildlife Resources

Management of Wildlife Protected Areas

Public Education and Awareness of Wildlife Resources

Research and Monitoring for WRM

Wetlands Management

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Key Performance Indicators and Means of Verification for WRM

 

Institutional Reform and Human Resource Development in the WD

Institutional reform of the Wildlife Department is recognised as being urgently required. The long-term goal is to develop an efficient, service-oriented WD, which works in partnership with other agencies and private sector operators to maximise the contribution of wildlife to national socio-economic development. The Wildlife Department will be reorganised, concentrating initially at Headquarters and project-assisted field sites.

Three new divisions will be created; Operations Division; Development Division and Administration, Finance and Human Resource Division and headed by suitably qualified managers. management procedures will be introduced to ensure transparency and to foster a sense of involvement and commitment to decision-making. Central to this process will be the establishment of an Executive Planning Team of division and sub-division heads to develop strategic goals, review and approve work plans, and monitor and evaluate their implementation. New job descriptions will be finalised and approved so that designated staff can assume real delegated responsibility for implementing approved work plans within agreed budgets.

The Wildlife Development Plan includes a comprehensive Training Plan. The NRMP will support the implementation of activities included in the Plan, including the establishment of a mobile field-training unit based at Mole Wildlife School. Strategies for private sector involvement in protected areas will be developed and a Business Plan for Accra Zoo will be prepared.

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Community Participation in Wildlife Management

Community participation in wildlife management is necessary because the traditional approach to wildlife protection, through paramilitary law enforcement has achieved limited success. The long-term goal is to ensure participation of rural communities in wildlife management activities both in protected areas and the wider countryside outside reserves, in order to improve protection and increase the benefits of wildlife conservation.

NRMP I will support the establishment of a Community Participation Unit within the Operations Division. It is expected that by the end of NRMP I an operations manual for community participation will have been produced.

Protected Area outreach programmes will be initiated at six reserves: Kakum, Ankasa, Bia, Mole, Shai Hills and Kyabobo. Mechanisms for protected area benefit sharing with communities will be developed and tested. Management Advisory Board [MAB] and village Community Conservation Committees/Resource Management Committees [CCC] will be created and integrated into protected area planning and management structures.

Community based conservation activities outside reserves will be focused on three pilot districts in key bushmeat producing areas. Mechanisms for working with District Assemblies, including licensing for wildlife and bushmeat trade, will be developed and community-based bushmeat production projects will be piloted.

 

Economic Development of Wildlife Resources

The long-term goal of this element is to maximise the contribution of wildlife to Ghana's economic development, on a sustainable basis. Studies to develop ecotourism investment opportunities based around Ghana's National Parks will be initiated in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism. The revenue generation and sharing arrangements for protected areas with potential for ecotourism will be reviewed and revised. A marketing strategy to encourage visitors to these areas will be devised and prospectuses to attract potential investors published.

In order to ensure a supportive legislative environment for wildlife-based enterprise development, the existing legislation will be reviewed at a national workshop and revisions proposed as necessary. New procedures for licensing, registration and harvesting quotas will be introduced to support the development of trade in wildlife.

NRMP I will also support the development of new wildlife based products and markets.

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Management of Wildlife Protected Areas

Ghana's system of Protected Areas includes seven National Parks, six Resource Reserves, two Wildlife Sanctuaries and one Strict Nature Reserve. Protected Area Management Plans prepared during the FRMP will be revised and implemented. The emphasis will be on priority elements of plans for Mole, Digya and Shai Hills.

NRMP I will support limited and prioritised infrastructure improvements and operational costs for other selected protected areas. Decisions concerning specific investment priorities within individual protected areas will be arrived at through the proposed new system of decentralised management authority.

Protected area management at Mole National Park may receive additional support from NEDA. A formulation mission to prepare and cost a development plan for the Park was undertaken by a group of consultants in April 1998.  The formulation mission proposed a programme to inter-alia re-organise the management system at Mole and improve upon basic infrastructure and boundary maintenance.

To support decentralised management, a number of Management Advisory Boards and Community Conservation Committees will be established.

Efforts will be made to resolve specific conflicts between local people and the management of a number of Protected Areas. Through consultation it is hoped that disputes can be resolved and boundaries for these protected areas demarcated. PADP will be one of the main agencies for designing and testing appropriate systems.

In collaboration with the FD/GFS, efforts will be made to protect faunal diversity in areas of globally significant biodiversity inside forest reserves. The Wildlife Department will also assist the FD/GFS with the identification of priority Forest Reserves for holistic biodiversity conservation and the design of strategies to incorporate holistic biodiversity conservation into forest reserve management plans.

The sub-component will be supported by the Natural Resources Management Project Phase 1 (IDA), the ongoing Protected Areas Development Project (EU) and the proposed Project to support the Development Plan for Mole National Park (NEDA).

 

Public Education and Awareness of Wildlife Resources NRMP

I will support the establishment of a public education unit at Wildlife Department headquarters. Specialist training will be provided to the staff appointed to the Unit. A wildlife education resource unit will be equipped with reference materials, desk-top publishing and audio visual facilities.

In order to improve information exchange within WD, a series of quarterly newsletters and annual reviews will be produced and distributed. An internet web site will also be designed and installed to disseminate general information on Ghana's wildlife and protected areas.

Partnerships will be developed with the formal education sector, NGOs and the mass media. A forum for those involved in wildlife education will be initiated and regular press releases on wildlife development produced. Educational materials on wildlife will be produced in collaboration with the GES and the Ghana Association of Science Teachers. An NGO support fund will be established and disbursements made.

In order to develop Protected Area interpretation facilities and visitor services, outreach staff and volunteer assistants will be appointed at three reserves. Brochures will be produced and made available for 5 reserves and a design study of Mole visitor centre will be undertaken. The educational role of zoos will be developed. A Friends of National Zoo (FONZ) management study will be undertaken and a plan produced.

 

Research and Monitoring for WRM

NRMP I will strengthen the capacity of the Wildlife Department to undertake research and monitoring functions. A research co-ordinator will be appointed. Basic monitoring procedures will be field tested at two sites. A library will be established and catalogued.

A research co-ordinating committee will be established. Research and monitoring priorities will be determined and a research fund established. In order to encourage outside participation in wildlife research, a list of priority research topics will be prepared and distributed. An internet web site will be established, guidelines for outside researchers will be prepared and a first annual research meeting held.

Wetlands Management

The Wetlands Management Project (WMP) was initially funded with a grant of US$7.2m by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the World Bank for a five-year period (1993 to 1997). It covers five coastal lagoons designated as Ramsar Sites (i.e. wetlands of international importance especially as waterfowl habitat). The emphasis is on creating an enabling environment for the participation of local communities and other wetlands resource users and stakeholders in the sustainable management of these areas.

Even though there was a one-year extension (up to December 1998), after the initial period, the project was not fully implemented. A third phase of the WMP, with an amount of US$1.95m, being the balance of the initial GEF grant, will be implemented under NRMP I covering the period January to December, 1999. 

Under NRMP I, the Project will seek to consolidate the achievements of the WMP by ensuring that the necessary policy framework and institutional arrangement are in place, to support collaborative management initiatives for sustainable conservation of wetlands, and measures to improve the habitat of target species.

To promote public participation in the conservation and management of the Ramsar sites, WMP will maintain the decentralised management arrangement by supporting the Site Management Committees at the Ramsar sites and community income generation ventures under the poverty alleviation programme.

The Project will complete prioritised infrastructural development to support education, research and tourism.  In order to create awareness on wetland issues, a national public awareness and education programme will be implemented in collaboration with the appropriate environmental NGOs throughout the country.

Baseline studies will be completed and research findings collated to provide sound scientific knowledge for the management of wetlands and the information of the general public. Furthermore, the Project will promote research and monitoring in wetlands, by collaborating with various research institutions and establishing a wetlands management database.

To ensure that wetland management and conservation issues are included in national land use planning, a National Wetlands Policy will be promulgated. The necessary legislation and institutional arrangements would be put in place to facilitate the sustainable use and management of Ghana's wetland resources. In addition, to ensure sustainable funding for wetlands conservation in Ghana, a Wetlands Trust will be established.

 

Key Performance Indicators and Means of Verification for WRM

 

In summary, at the end of NRMP I, successful completion of the WRM component will be measured using the following key performance indicators and verifiers.

  Wildlife Department restructuring completed, new management procedures introduced and Training Plan under implementation. Refer NRMP annual reports to verify.

  Community Participation Unit established, operations manual for community participation published and necessary legislation enacted. Refer NRMP reports to verify.

  Regulatory and legal framework for wildlife enterprise development revised.

  All Protected Area management plans revised and updated and annual work planning procedures adopted.  Refer WD annual reports to verify.

  Policy framework, basic infrastructure and institutional arrangements in place to facilitate participatory and sustainable management and conservation of Ghana's wetland resources.

  Wildlife education resource unity established and operational. Refer WD annual report to verify establishment.

  Research fund established and first disbursements made. Refer records of research co-ordinating committee to verify.

  Trust Fund established to facilitate sustainable wetlands conservation.