PD 44/98 Rev. 2 (I) 

Handbook on description and identification of 120 timber species from tropical Africa with special reference to lesser-used and lesser-known species selected from Ghana

Ghana

This project aims to promote a better and more effective identification of 100 lesser-used and lesser-known timber species which are likely to form the bulk of raw material for the timber industries of tropical Africa in the future. Herbarium and wood samples of 130 species including the 100 under-exploited and virtually unexploited species will be collected from the vegetational zones of Ghana. The dendrological and wood identification characteristics will be studied and compiled into an identification handbook with notes on ethnography, silviculture and uses. A workshop for stakeholders will be convened to guide them on how to use the book.

Implementing agency  

Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG)
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (SFIT)
Budget  

Total: USD 360'700
Swiss contribution: USD 100'000
Planned duration   2 years
Starting date   June 1999
Status   under implementation
Topics    
Contact   jblaser(a)intercooperation.ch

 

Progress report

November 2009

In the 43rd Session of the Committee on Forest Industry and the Committee on Economic Information and Market Intelligence, the ITTO Secretariat reported that in the last session, the delegation of Ghana reported that finalization of the project's reports was in progress to be submitted to the Secretariat by the end of 2008. The Committees noted that the project would be declared complete at this session of the Committee. However, the revised completion report, technical reports, and final financial audit report had not been submitted to the Secretariat. The executing agency has been consulted and requested to submit the outstanding reports as soon as possible. The Committees noted that the project would be declared complete at the next session of the Committees, i.e December 2010.

November 2008

In their November 2008 session, the Committees on Forest Industry and on Economic Information and Market Intelligence were informed that all project's activities have been completed. The final output is a handbook titled "100 African Timber Trees from Ghana: Tree description and wood identification with notes on distribution, silviculture, ecology, ethnobotany and wood uses". This 304-page, 5-chapter handbook has over 150 illustrations, more than 200 references and a glossary of over 300 words. It provides a quick reference guide for identification of 100 timber species based on taxonomical features and bark characteristics; and wood identification based on macroscopic and physical features through dichotomous or computer aided identification programme. The book further gives a concise account of ecological and silvicultural profiles of all the species. It is a store of information on essential data on growing stock, minimum felling diameter, species volume harvested and exported, and IUCN Conservation Status on all the 100 timber species. These variables are all important data used by decision makers in determining a species availability for commercial exploitation as timber. The project is expected to be reported as completed at the next session of the Committee subject to the submission of the technical reports and the final financial audit report.

November 2007

During the reporting period, the full manuscript of the handbook was prepared, taking into account the recommendations of external reviewers. The book was printed out but there were some printing errors in the first published book. The improved handbook will be launched by the project at a national workshop. The project is expected to complete all its activities by the end of 2007.