View source for Bia Shelter Belt Forest Reserve

[[West Africa]] > [[Ghana]] > [[Bia Shelter Belt Forest Reserve]]

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__TOC__
= Summary =

<div style='float: right'>{{#display_map: height=190px | width=300px | scrollzoom=off | zoom=5 | layers=OpenStreetMap,OpenTopoMap|7.050600, -2.695950~[[Bia Shelter Belt Forest Reserve]]~''Pan troglodytes verus''}}</div>
* Western chimpanzees (''Pan troglodytes verus'') are present in Bia Shelter Belt Forest Reserve.
* The population size is unknown.
* The chimpanzee population trend is unknown.
* The size of the site is 31.4 km².
* Key threats to chimpanzees are poaching and logging.
* Conservation activities have focused on education and patrols.

= Site characteristics =

Bia Shelter Belt Forest Reserve is a Tropical Semi-Deciduous Forest. It is home to pangolins, duikers, and monkeys, among other species. The area also has a good forest but exploitation of the Forest and other activities are reducing the status of the forest cover (Ofori-Amanfo pers. obs. 2023).

'''Table 1. Basic site information for Bia Shelter Belt Forest Reserve'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="Site_characteristics-table"
|Species
|''Pan troglodytes verus''
|-
|Area
|31.4 km²
|-
|Coordinates
|Lat: 7.050600 , Lon:  -2.695950
|-
|Type of site
|Protected area (Forest Reserve)
|-
|Habitat types
|Subtropical/tropical moist lowland forest
|-
|Type of governance
|
|}

[[Types of sites]] [[Governance types]] [[Habitat types]] 
= Ape status =

No recent survey has been conducted at the area but some farmers and hunters within the area claimed they have been spotting chimpanzees periodically in the Bia Shelter Belt Forest Reserve (Ofori-Amanfo pers. obs. 2023).

'''Table 2. Ape population estimates reported for Bia Shelter Belt Forest Reserve'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="Ape_status-table"
!Species
!Year
!Occurrence
!Encounter or vistation rate (nests/km; ind/day)
!Density estimate [ind./ km²] (95% CI)
!Abundance estimate (95% CI)
!Survey area
!Sampling method
!Analytical framework
!Source
!Comments
!A.P.E.S. database ID
|-
|''Pan troglodytes verus''
|
|
|
|
|
|Bia Shelter Belt Forest Reserve
|
|
|
|
|
|}

[[Sampling methods]] [[Analytical frameworks]] 
= Threats =

In the past, around the 1990s, threats were not very serious, but the threats to the forest are now increasing along with the human population increase, which leads to the higher demand for resources. Poaching threat is medium in the core area of the reserve and more severe closer to towns, villages and farms; illegal logging is severe all over the Reserve (Ofori-Amanfo pers. obs. 2023). Illegal logging and some periodic spot burnings occur in the reserve (Ofori-Amanfo pers. obs. 2023).

'''Table 3. Threats to apes reported for Bia Shelter Belt Forest Reserve'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="Threats-table"
!Category
!Specific threats
!Threat level
!Description
!Year of threat
|-
|5 Biological resource use
|5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals
|Medium (30-70% of population affected)
|Farmers and hunters get most of their livelihood from the Forest Reserve (Ofori-Amanfo pers. obs. 2023).
|Ongoing (2023)
|-
|5 Biological resource use
|5.3 Logging & wood harvesting
|Present (unknown severity)
|Present since 1980s but intensified from 2005 (Ofori-Amanfo pers. obs. 2023).
|1980-2005
|-
|5 Biological resource use
|5.3 Logging & wood harvesting
|High (more than 70% of population affected)
|Part of the area was under timber concession until 2019. Illegal logging and collection of forest products are still taking place and intensified since 2005 (Ofori-Amanfo pers. obs. 2023).
|2005-Ongoing (2023)
|-
|7 Natural system modifications
|7.1 Fire & fire suppression
|Low (up to 30% of population affected)
|Sometimes the forest catches fire and destroys part of the forest, which changes the structure of the forest (Ofori-Amanfo pers. obs. 2023).
|Ongoing (2023)
|}

[[Threats]] 
= Conservation activities =

Forestry Commission staff undertake patrols within the forest and carry out conservation education in the communities on the best conservation practices. The Forestry Commission is making efforts to intensify protection by deploying reinforcement teams from Ghana Forest RAPID RESPONSE TEAMS to the area to support the protection of the forest (Ofori-Amanfo pers. obs. 2023).

'''Table 4. Conservation activities reported for Bia Shelter Belt Forest Reserve'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="Conservation_activities-table"
!Category
!Specific activity
!Description
!Implementing organization(s)
!Year of activity
|-
|2 Counter-wildlife crime
|2.3 Conduct regular anti-poaching patrols
|Wildlife staff and Forest Guards undertake patrols in the reserve to control illegalities (Ofori-Amanfo pers. obs. 2023).
|
|Ongoing (2023)
|-
|4 Education & awareness
|4.1 Educate local communities about apes and sustainable use
|Conservation education is carried out by Wildlife staff (Ofori-Amanfo pers. obs. 2023).
|
|Ongoing (2023)
|-
|5 Protection & restoration
|5.2 Legally protect ape habitat
|
|
|Ongoing (2026)
|-
|5 Protection & restoration
|5.6 Habitat restoration
|Enrichment planting is ongoing in the Forest Reserve and the trees are doing very well (Ofori-Amanfo pers. obs. 2023).
|
|Ongoing (2023)
|}

[[Conservation activities]] 
= Challenges =

Restrictions into Forest Reserves are not the same as for National Parks and Resource reserves; as a result, illegal offtake control has not been so effective and the increase of population and demand for resources for their livelihood has made effective conservation difficult. Inadequate staffing, bad roads, little field equipment, no survey equipment, lack of vehicles, inadequate funding etc. hampers protection  (Ofori-Amanfo pers. obs. 2023).

'''Table 5. Challenges reported for Bia Shelter Belt Forest Reserve'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="Challenges-table"
!Challenges
!Specific challenges
!Source
!Year(s)
|-
|1 Site management
|1.2 Need for improved coordination
|Ofori-Amanfo pers. obs. 2023
|
|-
|2 Resources and capacity
|2.2 Lack of staff
|Ofori-Amanfo pers. obs. 2023
|
|-
|3 Engaged community
|3.1 General lack of community engagement or support
|Ofori-Amanfo pers. obs. 2023
|
|-
|4 Institutional support
|4.1 Lack of law enforcement
|Ofori-Amanfo pers. obs. 2023
|
|}

[[Challenges]] 
= Enablers =



'''Table 6. Enablers reported for Bia Shelter Belt Forest Reserve'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="enabler-table"
!Enablers
!Specific enablers
!Source
!Year(s)
|-
|1 Site management
|
|
|
|-
|2 Resources and capacity
|
|
|
|-
|3 Engaged community
|
|
|
|-
|4 Institutional support
|
|
|
|-
|5 Ecological context
|
|
|
|-
|6 Safety and stability
|
|
|
|}

[[Enablers]] 
= Research activities =

Periodic research by the Forestry Commission, NGOs and others take place in the Forest Reserve.

= Documented behaviours =



'''Table 7. Behaviours documented for Bia Shelter Belt Forest Reserve'''
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="behaviours-table"
!Category
!Behavior
!Observation type
!Prevalence
!Observation dates
!Source
!Habituation
!Species
!Comment
|-
|
|Not reported
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|}

[[Behaviours]] 
= Exposure to climate change impacts =



= External links =

[https://fcghana.org/ Ghana Forestry Commission]

= References =





'''Page created by: '''Richard Ofori-Amanfo''' Date:''' 2023-11-09