Bia Shelter Belt Forest Reserve
Summary
- 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 unknown.
- 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
| Area | km² |
| Coordinates | 7.050600, -2.695950 |
| Designation | Forest Reserve |
| Habitat types | Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland Forest |
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 in Bia Shelter Belt Forest Reserve
| Species | Year | Abundance estimate (95% CI) | Density estimate [ind./ km²] (95% CI) | Encounter rate (nests/km) | Area | Method | Source | Comments | A.P.E.S. database ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pan troglodytes verus | Bia Shelter Belt FR |
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).
Table 3. Threats to apes in Bia Shelter Belt Forest Reserve
| Category | Specific threats | Threat level | Quantified severity | Description | Year of threat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Residential & commercial development | Unknown | ||||
| 2. Agriculture & aquaculture | Unknown | ||||
| 3. Energy production & mining | Unknown | ||||
| 4. Transportation & service corridors | Unknown | ||||
| 5. Biological resource use | 5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Medium | Farmers and hunters get most of their livelihood from the Forest Reserve (Ofori-Amanfo pers. obs. 2023). | Ongoing (2023) | |
| 5.3 Logging & wood harvesting | High | Part of the area was under timber concession until 2019. Illegal logging and collection of forest products are still taking place (since 1980s but intensified from 2005 up to date) (Ofori-Amanfo pers. obs. 2023). | Ongoing (2023) | ||
| 6. Human intrusion & disturbance | Unknown | ||||
| 7. Natural system modifications | 7.1 Fire & fire suppression | Low | Sometimes the forest catches fire and destroys part of the forest, which changes the structure of the forest (Ofori-Amanfo pers. obs. 2023). | Sporadic | |
| 8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases | Unknown | ||||
| 9. Pollution | Unknown | ||||
| 10. Geological Events | Absent | ||||
| 11. Climate change & severe weather | Unknown | ||||
| 12. Other options | Absent |
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 in Bia Shelter Belt Forest Reserve
| Category | Specific activity | Description | Year of activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Residential & commercial development | Not reported | ||
| 2. Agriculture & aquaculture | Not reported | ||
| 3. Energy production & mining | Not reported | ||
| 4. Transportation & service corridors | Not reported | ||
| 5. Biological resource use | 5.6. Conduct regular anti-poaching patrols | Periodic patrols are carried out by Forestry Commission staff (Ofori-Amanfo pers. obs. 2023). | Ongoing (2023) |
| 6. Human intrusion & disturbance | Not reported | ||
| 7. Natural system modifications | Not reported | ||
| 8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases | Not reported | ||
| 9. Pollution | Not reported | ||
| 10. Education & Awareness | 10.1. Educate local communities about primates and sustainable use | Conservation education is carried out by Wildlife staff (Ofori-Amanfo pers. obs. 2023). | Ongoing (2023) |
| 11. Habitat Protection | 11.2. Legally protect primate habitat | Ongoing (2023) | |
| 11.8. Plant indigenous trees to re-establish natural tree communities in clear-cut areas | Enrichment planting is ongoing in the Forest Reserve and the trees are doing very well (Ofori-Amanfo pers. obs. 2023). | Ongoing (2023) | |
| 12. Species Management | Not reported | ||
| 13. Livelihood; Economic & Other Incentives | Not reported |
Challenges to conservation
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 (Ofori-Amanfo pers. obs. 2023).
Table 5. Challenges reported for Bia Shelter Belt Forest Reserve
| Challenge | Source |
|---|---|
| Lack of human resources | Ofori-Amanfo pers. obs. 2023 |
| Lack of law enforcement | Ofori-Amanfo pers. obs. 2023 |
| Lack of trust and support from local communities | Ofori-Amanfo pers. obs. 2023 |
| Lack of logistical means | Ofori-Amanfo pers. obs. 2023 |
Research activities
Periodic research by the Forestry Commission, NGOs and others take place in the Forest Reserve.
Documented behaviours
Table 6. Ape behaviors reported for Bia Shelter Belt Forest Reserve
| Behavior | Source |
|---|---|
| Not reported |
External links
References
Page completed by: Richard Ofori-Amanfo Date: 14/08/2023