SUSTAINING OUR ENVIRONMENT// FORESTS//PLANTS

Forestry is whereby we care and plant for forests and whereby there is management of growing timber. Our forest comprises of plants and other animals. There is an outcry over the world on our forestry and how activities are making it deplorable. The sustainability of our forest is questionable these days.Plants are very essential to our environment and it is every country's government's role to care and preserve forests in order to curb the effects of global warming not only for the present generation but also the generations unborn.

Source

---

Ghana for instance have forestry reserve commission that employs labour to check and maintain our forests. However, the bane of every government is that, it doesn't get industrious and credible people to survey these forest areas. Individuals who are assigned to care for the forest take huge sums of money from individuals and foriegn agencies. Once this amount is given,they turn to deplete and desert the forest.Forest sights in Ghana are losing their value and extincting species, because plants in these areas are deforested, which is turning some of these sights to deserts and bare lands.

Our forefathers cautioned future generations years back on the sale of lands to foriegners.However, selfish interests of some citizens and some government persons is causing us a lot of havoc. Presently, a lot of forest reserves have been sold to Chinese companies and European groups ,who deforests our lands bit by bit and send the proceeds to their country. They give huge sales to these timbers they ship to their country. Researches on these shipping of timber to America and other European nations prove that, there are warehouses that store the timber that is shipped from Africa. This storage they have can help them for about ten years if they decide not to ship again.

Source

---

Most Ghanaians do not see any value in policing plants around the environment. Trees in towns and communities are cut anyhow and no one talks about it. Hardly will one find trees in the township of Greater Accra , Kumasi, Takoradi, Tema, Sunyani etc these days. These threats of Ghanaians on the plants aroused the conciousness of the government to deploy citizens to partake in tree planting exercise early this year 2021 in towns, communities and villages in order to bring forest back home.

Though some of these implementations of the government have survived, yet a lot of deviant Ghanaians pour ashes and deadly substances on these young plants in order to kill them. These acts of people remain heinous and disastrous and posses a threat to the future of the country's environment.

---

Can we gain something from our forests and the plants we grow in our environment? I believe yes!

International reports around the Continent from the 90's till date proves that, when our forests are depleted, lands in Africa specifically Ghana, will be exposed to desertification. Researches around Africa prove that, about 120,000 of the forest disappear in Madagascar.Which tells how deforestation effects other countries. As a behaviour, it is very bad.

Also, because plants aid in rainfall,if trees are continuously cut, there will be global warming which will increase the temperature around our environment. Which may later affect the course rainfall. It is proven that, these days the sun shines a lot and causes heat to stay around us for a long time as compared to previous years . This is as a result of the activities of man on the environment. You hardly find it easy to walk in the afternoon these days.

From 2004 till date, areas in Ghana specifically Sefwi, Bono Region, Upper West have suffered the threat of bush fires and the acts of illegal miners. Unemployed youth in these areas have the habit of setting fires in bushes and farms to quest for grasscutters.Farmers around these areas' predicaments is the bush fires that extend from the farms to the forest areas. On the other hand, Chinese groups and individuals who do not have authorizations, excavate forests areas and cut down trees.

---

Previous governments have done well from the year 2012 till date, bush fires around these areas above mentioned, have suppressed and have also helped cocoa farmers and cashew farmers. This afternoon on MIDAY-NEWS on TV3, Ellembelle's member of parliament offered his full support for the District Chief Executive's effort to stop illegal mining popularly known as "gallamsey" in his area of administration.

The general land areas in Ghana have been occupied by human settlement which posses a threat to our forestry lands. Gradually, the forest sites are pushing backward, and some unknown groups are also building houses in forest reserve areas to serve as tourist site and recreational places which is not appropriate.

It is germane that, the forest areas and plants around us are cared for, this is because, it portrays the green vegetation on the flag of Ghana.Other African countries must also preserve their lands and forests. Enough efforts must be put to place to check people who commit dastard acts by cutting down trees and people who pose threat to our forestry areas. Government must intensify his Operation No Fire Campaign and also advance the Operation Tree Planting Campaign Exercise in towns, villages, cities , forestry sites etc . Enforcement of laws to check on illegal miners who excavate the forest in search for minerals must be intensified. Buildings must be situated in such a way that, pressure wouldn't be put on the forest lands.

Generally, laws that check on deforestation must be intensified and afforestation enhanced. We admonish the forestry agencies in the country, the Board of Commission and all other affiliates to concur in order to push the forestry commission's agenda. The say that if the last plant dies, the last man will die must be taken seriously so that, the future can have a better place for us.

Good afternoon fellow steemians!!!