An Assessment of the Management of the Shai Hills Resource Reserve in the Greater Accra Region, Ghana

Abstract

The management of the Shai Hills Resource Reserve was assessed in 2006 after the implementation of a 1992 management plan over a 14 -year period. The aim of the study was to find out if implementation of the management plan has resulted in improvement in animal populations. Censuses were carried out for three mammalian species, namely kob (Kobus kob), olive baboon (Papio anubis) and bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus), which are of management interest. Data were also obtained from records available at the Reserve’s headquarters on population growth trends of these species over the years. Threats to population growth, like poaching, fire outbreaks, overgrazing and predation, were also studied. In addition, resource availability and evidence of manipulations were investigated. The study revealed that populations of two species are still low in the Reserve except the olive baboons. The results also indicated that lapses in the implementation system and lack of maintenance are the main reasons why the existing management plan failed to achieve its main goal of improving upon the population of fauna in the Reserve. The study recommends the formulation of a new management plan that will address the problem of maintenance in the Reserve. Further recommendations for management have been suggested.