Growers end workshop on tree maintenance

Akim Oda (E/R), April 18, GNA - Tree growers in the Birim Central Municipality have ended a day's workshop on the benefits and maintenance of trees that they grow.

The workshop was organised by the National Working Group on Forest Certification in Ghana at Akim Oda on Thursday. Addressing the participants Dr. Ernest Asare Abaney, chairman of the working group, said forest certification education was necessary due to the fact that most tree growers did not take proper care in the maintenance of the trees.

He said it was time that tree growers attended frequent workshops and seminars to be sensitised on tree growing, especially from the transplanting to the matured stages.

DR. Abaney said: "Lack of maintenance has made it difficult for the trees to attain their natural growth."

Dr Abaney said certification provided the surest warranty to consumers that the timber bought was from a sustainable managed forest. "It is unfortunate that our forests are being destroyed by a lot of illegal felling thereby destroying the gains and importance of the forests."

He said technical know-how had contributed to the loss of the forest and that most tree growers did not seek advice from experts on the preservation of trees.

"Pruning is a major factor in tree growing but this is not encouraged. This factor is not pursued and therefore, allows the trees to become useless", he said.