MONITORING VISIT TO THE BIA BIOSPHERE RESERVE

The MAB Committee embarked on a monitoring visit to the Bia Biosphere Reserve from the 29th to 30th of May, 2023. The team which undertook this exercise comprised officers of the Wildlife Division, the Environmental Protection Agency, the University of Ghana and the University of Energy and Natural Resources.
As part of the activities planned;
1. The team inspected the palm nut processing facilities constructed under the Green Economy Project and proposed measures to ensure their sustainable use for local benefit.
2. The team inspected the library constructed through the initiative of the German volunteer and interacted with the school authorities as well as some of the students.
3. The team noted the incidence of illegal mining in some areas near Asempanaeye in the transition area.
4. Also, the team paid a courtesy call on the DCE of Bia West district, Hon. Bernard Gyebi Blay, to discuss the status of the MAB program in the district, human-wildlife conflicts, an impending school support program for the girl-child, among others.
5. The monitoring visit provided the team an avenue for the sighting and discussion of proposed schools to be involved in an upcoming UNESCO gender-support program for schools.
6. The visit also revealed some of the challenges and threats posed to the Biosphere Reserve.
The field visit forms part of the planned activities for the annual work plan to undertake routine monitoring in the various Biosphere Reserves to assess the status of the Biosphere Reserves and the implementation of the MAB Program. The objectives of the monitoring visit were achieved and could be dubbed successful.