The Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) has launched a five-year project to restore 50 hectares of degraded forest in the Subri River Forest Reserve, expanding efforts to address environmental damage and protect biodiversity in mining areas.
The project, commissioned in Sekyere Krobo in the Western Region, is being undertaken in partnership with the Forestry Commission, with support from Zijin Golden Ridge Ghana and other partners.
The initiative forms part of MIIF’s Environmental, Social and Governance Biodiversity Reforestation Project, which aims to promote environmental sustainability and strengthen conservation in Ghana’s mining regions.
MIIF Chief Executive Officer Justina Nelson said the project reflects the need to balance the economic benefits of mineral extraction with the protection of natural resources.
“The true value of our nation’s mineral wealth lies not only in what we extract today but also in the natural heritage we preserve for generations to come,” Nelson said at the commissioning ceremony.
She said the project’s success would depend not simply on the number of trees planted but on their survival and the long-term recovery of the forest, requiring sustained monitoring and maintenance.
The Forestry Commission will provide technical expertise and implementation support to guide the restoration work and improve the survival of planted trees.
Dr Sarfo Adu, Executive Director of the Commission’s Forest Services Division, said effective forest management and continued collaboration would be necessary to achieve lasting results. He also urged other companies to partner with the Commission to restore degraded forest areas.
The initiative is also expected to involve local farmers, whose participation traditional authorities say will be important to maintaining the restored forest.
Nana Kwao Badu II, the Paramount Chief of Sekyere Krobo, called for closer cooperation between the Forestry Commission and farmers, saying communities should benefit from their role in protecting and nurturing the trees.
He also appealed for additional support for forest guards to strengthen protection of the reserve. MIIF has provided farm tools to participating farmers, according to the statement.
The project is aligned with broader government efforts to restore forest cover, including the Tree for Life Restoration Initiative launched by President John Dramani Mahama on March 21, 2025.
MIIF said the project brings together government agencies, corporate partners, traditional authorities and the local community to address forest degradation and support biodiversity conservation.
