The Forestry Commission (FC) has received logistics and operational equipment from Zijin Golden Ridge Limited to strengthen conservation efforts under the Atewa Biodiversity Offset Programme.

The programme, a 10-year initiative, is Ghana’s first large-scale, science-based mining biodiversity offset scheme. It is designed to achieve no net loss of biodiversity resulting from mining activities at the Akyem Mine. The initiative focuses on conserving and rehabilitating the Atewa Range Forest Reserve, a Globally Significant Biodiversity Area( GSBA), through forest protection, habitat restoration, enrichment planting, and sustainable livelihood support for surrounding communities.

The equipment presented included vehicles, motorbikes, communication devices, tents and drones is expected to significantly enhance the Commission’s capacity to patrol, monitor, and protect the Reserve.
The handover ceremony marked a key milestone in the implementation of the program, which aims to safeguard and restore the Forest Reserve over the next decade.

The Chief Executive of Forestry Commission, Dr. Hugh Brown, expressed appreciation to Zijin Golden Ridge Limited, noting that the support reinforces ongoing efforts to restore degraded forest landscapes and protect wildlife habitats. He also hammered on the supportive nature of the existing relationship between the Commission and Zijin Golden Ridge Limited.

Mr. Jason Zhang, the Vice President for Sustainability and External Relations at Zijin Golden Ridge Limited , mentioned that the Company has already exceeded its reforestation obligations, having established 317 hectares of plantation forest compared to the required 303 hectares. They noted, however, that reforestation alone is insufficient to address the full ecological impact of mining in forest reserves, and that the Atewa Biodiversity Offset Programme has been designed to tackle residual impacts beyond tree planting. He further outlined plans to achieve more than 371 hectares of quality biodiversity gains while improving the forest condition score over the course of the programme.

The Senior Manager for Sustainability and External Relations, Zijin Golden Rigde, Mr. Derek Boateng, highlighted the scale of the initiative, stating that it will strengthen protection and management of over 8,260 hectares of natural forest while restoring approximately 4,400 hectares of degraded forest land. He emphasised that forest protection remains central to the programme, with the provision of vehicles, drones, communication tools, and field logistics expected to enable the Forestry Commission operate effectively at the required scale. “2026 will mark the transition into full implementation of the programme, with targets set for approximately 1,500 hectares of enrichment planting and 500 hectares of active restoration within the year” , he added.

The meeting concluded with an official handing over , which saw the signing of handing over certificates by the heads of the two organisations to acknowledge receipt of the items