Interventions
A Rocha Ghana (ARG) is sensitising communities on the importance of protecting buffer zones of rivers and other water bodies. Currently six communities have been supported to plant about 35,000 indigenous tree seedlings along the Densu river to reduce possible incidences of dryness due to over-exploitation of trees by illegal loggers and for farm encroachments. With support from the Water Resources Commission, these communities have developed Water Resources Management Plans (WRMP) to protect, preserve and enhance water quality and quantity in their respective communities.
We are also embarking on rigorous public education on the need to avoid planting food crops on recently-deserted mined lands to avoid contamination of food with heavy metals. To help curb the situation, we are piloting a phytoremediation method of bringing back the productive use of mined-out lands. We’ve started with a 6-acre land where together with communities, a little over 1,100 indigenous trees have been planted together with nitrogen-fixing legumes, with the anticipation that the land will regain its productivity and provide ecological functions and environmental services.
We are also embarking on rigorous public education on the need to avoid planting food crops on recently-deserted mined lands to avoid contamination of food with heavy metals. To help curb the situation, we are piloting a phytoremediation method of bringing back the productive use of mined-out lands. We’ve started with a 6-acre land where together with communities, a little over 1,100 indigenous trees have been planted together with nitrogen-fixing legumes, with the anticipation that the land will regain its productivity and provide ecological functions and environmental services.