E4503 V8 MINI STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR SISSILI CENTRAL FOREST RESERVE Interim for 2014 - Forest Service's Division, Navrongo 1.0 Background 1.1 Name and location: The name of the Forest Reserve is Sissili Central Forest Reserve, named after the River Sissili which borders the forest on the western border. It is located within the jurisdiction of Builsa South District Assembly with its headquarters at Sandema. The Reserve fringed with communities such as Nakong, Bachonsa, Doninga and Yepala. It is located between longitude 1� 26� and 1� 35� w and latitude 10� and 10� 31� N 1.2 Date of establishment: It was constituted on 18th February, 1941. 1.3 Area and Perimeter under coverage: The total area of the forest reserve is 155.09km2 with perimeter of 44.15km. 1.4 Ownership and admitted rights: The owners of the Reserve are the Chiefs and people of Nakong, Bachonsa and Doninga. No admitted right was given to any individual within the Sissili Central Forest Reserve. 1.5 Condition of the Boundary pillars: The native boundaries lies within the jurisdiction of the Builsa native administrations. There seem to be little doubt however that the boundary between these native authorities is imperfectly known to them thus the Builsa and Kassena. The area was originally demarcated in February 1941 and has always been regarded as lying wholly within the jurisdiction of the Builsa native authorizes. The subordinate areas involve – Bachonsa and Doninga areas. All the boundary pillars are in place expect for few that are defaced. 1.6 Topography: The field sheet shows that the eastern bank of this portion of the Sissili River is flanked by a range of broken hills. The hills are at distances varying between 2-5 miles from the river. From the proposed northern border down to the point about 2 miles north west of Gungoressi, slope are medium to steep and height above mean sea level varies below 600m and 1007m The hills form an important catchment area for short small streams flowing west to the Sissili River. The north east part of the proposed reserve covers a catchment area of Streams flowing south eastern to the Doninga and Sinyensi farming areas. 1.7 Natural Forest Vegetation and Condition score The natural vegetation falls within the Guinea Savanna woodland Zone as classified by C.J Taylor (1960). It forms the major portion of the reserve covering a total area of 15,509ha. The forest is degraded due to frequent bushfires, which have resulted in poor vegetation cover. Dominant trees species found included Vetelaria paradoxum, Terminallia, Accacia senegal, Brymenocardia acida, Anogeissus Spp, Com bretum Spp, and Piliostigma thonnigii. However, some areas have diameter ranging from 25cm-45cm. The reserve is not all that degraded. The general condition score is 3 but for few areas that is 4. 1.8 Non Timber forest products (NTFPS) These include fruit trees like Shea, Baobab and Dawadawa. Large volume of nutritious grasses for cattle, wild honey and medicinal plants for use by the local population. Firewood and poles of Anogeissus, Burkea, Afzelia and Detarium are also found in the reserve. 1.9 Wildlife Resources Cephalophus spp.(Duikers) Heliosciurus spp. etc.(Tree squirrels), Kobus kob (kob), Kobus Defassa (Water Buck), Phacochoerus aethipicus (Warthhog), Cercopithecus aethiops (green monkey), Viverra Civetta (African civet),Python Sebae and Francolinus spp. (bush fowl) etc. 2.0 Factors affecting the Forest Reserve I. Grazing activities of stray cattle is prevalent due to availability of nutritious grasses and water Form Rivers which flow through the forest reserve. This activity has both positive and negative effects. a. The continuous grazing activity reduces build up of fuel from dry grass and as a result reduces fire risk in dry season. b. Grazing livestock causes some destruction to natural regeneration, though the effect is not as serious as the area is free from encroachment of man couple with its prolific trees cover. II. Wildfire: The incidence of wildfire sometimes sweep through some portions of the reserve, however the extent of destruction has not been so severe due to grazing activities of Cattle, and the fire resistant nature of the trees species. Increasing fire patrols by forest guards have also been a check on rampant bushfire. 2.1 Resource Zonations The forest reserve is under protection working Area as at present and have the potential to be converted into plantation at degraded portions. 3.0 What the zone will be managed for 3.1 Broad management objective of the reserve The broad management objectives for the reserve are as follows; i. Protect headwaters and catchment of streams ii. To prevent erosion on hill sides iii. To create and ensure sustainable supply of forest produce to the surrounding fringed communities. 3.2 Protection Working Area a. Specific management objective; The specific management objective for working area includes 1. Provision of barrier to dry north -east harmattan winds, insulation and other harsh environmental factors. 2. Protection of existing vegetation in order to check erosion and assist in raising water table level. 3. Provision of Non Timber forest produces on sustainable basis for domestic use by the fringed communities. b. Management Strategic Objective 1. The forest reserve boundary perimeter of 44.15km will be cleaned, planted and patrolled to check encroachment. 2. Fire protection; Bachonsa, Yepala, and Doninga within the Builsa South District Assembly as well as Nakong in the Kassena Nanakana West District Assembly would be educated and encouraged to embrace fire free environment concept, their involvement will be solicited in the practice of early burring in fire hazard areas, physical fire fighting through the formation fire volunteers and in organization of training and educational durbars. 3. Encroachment; Collaborative forest management will be formed to detect and report pilfering, squatting, farming, poisioning of river for fish and illegal commercial wood harvesting. 4. NTFP and community interest; Community Resource Assessment Team will be formed to collect information on NTFPS distribution, frequency, seasonality, location, availability and extent of their exploitation for domestic use. Possibility of domestication of some NTFP by user groups with the local population will be allowed through the area. Compartment demarcation and Stock Assesment; currently there are no records. 4.0 IN WHOSE INTEREST WILL THE FOREST BE MANAGED The Categories of beneficiaries include:- a. Central Government 1. Revenue generation; 2. Source of employment to cross section of the population; 3. Maintenance of environmental quality. 4. Provision of resource for infrastructural development. b. Bochonsa, Doninga and Nakong communities within the Builsa and kassena South District Assemblies Benefits include: i Revenue (levies) from wood dealers. ii Provision of forest products eg. Poles for local development; iii. Provision of environmental quality c. Chief and Traditional Leaders benefits -Source of revenue -Cultural and religious benefits -Access to forest products for domestic and infrastructure development. d. Forest Fringed communities; Benefits include. -Source of income Community contract boundary maintenance -Collaborative activities in management of the resource eg. Protection -Communal rights and responsibility 5.0 BY WHOM WILL THESE BE MANAGED Forest Services Division as Central Government Agency primarily responsible for the forest resources will continue to ensure conservation and sustainable management of the resource for maintenance of environmental quality and socio-economic development. 7.1 Description of boundaries Proposed Sissili Central forest Reserve The starting point is FRBP 8 of the Sissili North Forest Reserve and is situated approximately 60 chains, south of milestone 30 on the Navrongo-Tumu motor road ,thence a cut line on a bearing of 164� for a distance of 104 chains; thence a cut line on a bearing of 180� for a distance of 232 chains; thence a cut line on a bearing of 251� for a distance of 171 chains; thence a cut line on the bearing of 251�for a distance of 232chians ;thence a cut line on the bearing of 213� for a distance of 71chians;thence a cut line on a bearing of 200� for a distance of 275 chains; thence a cut line on bearing of 178� for a distance of 203 chains; thence a cut line on the bearing of 130� for a distance of 549 chains to the Afoembeli river in general southerly direction for a distance of 106 chains to the junction with Sissili River in general north westerly direction up to the stream for a distance of 220 chains; thence a cut line on a bearing of 45� for a distance of 94 chains; thence a cut line on a bearing of 297� for a distance of 186 chains; thence a cut line on a bearing 225� for a distance of 53 chains to the Sissili River, then following the left bank of the Sissili River upstream for a distance of 1600 chains to FRBP10 of Sissili North Forest Reserve; thence a cut line on bearing of 81� for a distance of 155 chains to FRBP9; thence on a cut line on a bearing of 47� for a distance of 216 chains to the starting point.