Aburi Botanical Garden launches 110th anniversary

Accra, April 19, GNA - The Aburi Botanical Garden in the Eastern Region, is implementing major reforms.

These include the construction of a multi-purpose environmental education centre to enable the garden to play a more purposeful role of saving plant diversity and promote the development of plant resources.

It is also conducting feasibility studies for the establishment of a Network of Botanical Gardens in West Africa, out of which a branch office of the Botanical Garden Conservation International (U.K.) would be established at Aburi to serve the sub-region.

Speaking at a ceremony to launch the 110th anniversary of the Garden, Mr George Owusu, Chief Parks and Gardens Officer, said when these projects are completed, they would help the Garden achieve its goals of training, conservation, research and raise national interest in the value of native plants.

He said the Garden has since its establishment in 1890, been solely responsible for the introduction of species of economic value into agriculture, horticulture and forestry, as well as education of students of botany.

However, many unproportionate developments, population explosion and the over exploitation of forest resources have threatened the survival of species in Tropical Africa.

"Aburi, the only public botanical garden in the country, has a major role to play if these plants are to be conserved for the benefit of future generations",Mr Owusu said.

Mr Owusu said Aburi is currently among the 17 botanical gardens tasked to develop policy guidelines for the world's 1,800 botanical gardens, adding, "this is no mean achievement."

He urged all public parks, horticultural nurseries and private gardens to strengthen existing co-operation for their mutual benefit. For the Northern sector to also benefit from the exploration of plant life, the Techiman Traditional Area has promised Aburi land to establish a botanical garden there.

Mrs Cecilia Johnson, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, who launched the anniversary, said the garden has provided a good opportunity for people, especially urban dwellers and tourists, "to come close to nature thereby enhancing their understanding of economic, cultural and aesthetic value of plants."

She said the establishment of a 50-acre First Aid Garden funded by Darwin Initiative Project and National Lotteries Charities Board (U.K.), would enhance the sustainable use and documentation of medicinal plants in Ghana.

Mrs Johnson said the re-housing of the School of Horticulture in a new complex at Aburi, would promote botany education and expressed the hope that the school would soon be affiliated to one of the universities and upgraded to a diploma awarding institution.

To promote private sector participation in the development of the garden, a special golden lawn has been established in the garden where companies, district assemblies, non-governmental organisations and individuals would be invited to plant cocoa seedlings and economic trees for a fee of one million cedis and 500,000 cedis respectively.

As part of the celebrations, which is under the theme '"Botanical Gardens, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow'', the Department of Parks and Gardens will organise environmental education for pupils in the Akwapim Ridge and plant shade trees at the Kanda and La cluster of schools in Accra.

The celebration would be climaxed with a durbar of chiefs and the commissioning of the School of Horticulture at the Aburi Gardens on May 28, 2000.