Students of Universities of Eastern Finland and Cape Coast have visited the Forestry Commission (FC), to familiarise themselves with the Institution’s role of forest conservation and climate change mitigation.

Delivering the welcome statement, Dr. Hugh Brown, Chief Executive of FC, stated that it was a privilege to host the delegation. He gave a brief overview of the FC, explaining the Commission’s mandate, the various divisions among other support units, what they do and staff strength. To conclude, Dr Brown hoped for a memorable time of interaction.

This was followed by a brief statement from Prof. Frank Berninger, Department of Environment and Biology, University of Eastern Finland (UEF). He expressed pleasure to be present at the Commission with the students studying Biology in different spectrums and appreciation for the role of FC in promoting forestry to a higher level .

Also delivering a statement, Dr. (Mrs) Julia Quaicoe, Lecturer at the Department of Geography and Regional Planning, University of Cape Coast (UCC), expressed profound appreciation to the Commission for its support in facilitating a 12-day educational tour of Ghana’s protected areas, a programme first conceived last year, and made possible through the Commission’s guidance and positive response.

She highlighted the exceptional reception and security provided at Mole and Kakum National Parks, commending staff for the in-depth lectures and practical insights that enriched the learning experience of the Ecology students. She mentioned that the tour had broadened both the local and international students’ understanding of Ghana’s forest conservation efforts and revealed the impressive work of the Commission. Emphasising the diverse, trans -disciplinary background of the visiting group, she proposed strengthening collaboration by creating internship opportunities for UCC students and involving the University’s youth mapping and geospatial technology group in future Forestry Commission projects. She concluded by thanking the Commission for the valuable exposure and encouraged continued partnership.

On behalf of the Executive Director of the Forest Services Division (FSD), Dr. John Appah, Manager, Projects, Plantations Department, delivered a presentation outlining the Division’s mandate and achievements in protecting, managing and developing Ghana’s forest resources. He highlighted the FSD’s core functions, including coordinating forest plantation development, enforcing sustainable forest management systems and regulating forest product harvesting, alongside key programmes such as natural forest operations, boundary demarcation, reserve protection, rapid-response deployments and highway patrols.
The presentation also covered targeted conservation initiatives in biodiversity hotspots and cultural sites, as well as extensive plantation and restoration efforts guided by the Ghana Forest Plantation Strategy (2016–2040), including enrichment planting, Trees on Farms and flagship projects such as the Tree for Life Reforestation Initiative. Dr. Appah further outlined the status of Ghana’s forest estate, comprising 288 forest reserves covering 25,704 km² across the savannah, transition and high forest zones, categorised for production, plantation conversion and research, with 30 designated as Globally Significant Biological Areas(GSBAs).

Mr. Charles Sarpong Duah , Monitoring, Budgeting and Evaluation Manager of the Climate Change Unit of the Forestry Commission, outlined the mandate of the Unit, situating Ghana’s forest-based climate actions within the global effort to address climate change driven by greenhouse gas emissions. He referenced the Paris Agreement’s goal of keeping global temperature rise well below 2°C through forest conservation, carbon markets and Nationally Determined Contributions.
Citing the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Sixth Assessment Report, he noted that in 2019 about 78 per cent of global emissions came from energy and industrial sectors, while agriculture, forestry and land use accounted for 22 per cent, with forests capable of delivering up to 30 per cent of the mitigation needed globally. Against this context, he highlighted Ghana’s flagship REDD+ initiatives such as the Ghana Cocoa Forest REDD+ Programme (GCFRP); the Ghana Shea Landscape Emission Reduction Programme (GSLERP); and the FC/Tullow REDD+ Project. The presentation also outlined accountability systems such as monitoring, reporting and verification and grievance redress mechanisms, while acknowledging challenges including illegal mining and bushfires.

Mr. Christian Atsu Fumey-Nassah, Director, Stakeholders and Ecotuorism for the Wildlife Division (WD), concluded the round of presentations for the day, shedding light on the Division’s role. The presentation outlined the WD’s core functions, which include managing and regulating the nation’s protected areas and wildlife resources, supporting the private sector in policy implementation, and promoting public education and awareness on conservation. The Division also plays a key role in advancing ecotourism and facilitating research to enhance wildlife management and sustainability. He also stated some challenges of the Division as poaching and infrastructural constraints.

Mr. Fumey-Nassah highlighted the Wildlife Division’s approach to off-reserve resource conservation, emphasising the establishment of Community Resource Management Areas (CREMAs) that empower fringe communities to protect biodiversity outside protected areas, share in revenue and benefits, and pursue alternative livelihood opportunities.

In an interactive session, the students posed questions to deepening knowledge gained from the presentations, as well as their experiences in their diverse areas of study and educational trip to Ghana.

To conclude the day, Dr. Brown in his closing remarks thanked the gathering for a remarkable knowledge sharing engagement and hoped to deepen the relationship for future interactions.