THE CAUSES OF AND IMPACT FROM DEFORESTATION ON LOCAL LEVEL 
                 SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT IN GHANA.  A SURVEY OF DWEASE 
                 AND PRAASO COMMUNITIES IN THE ASHANTI REGION  
                                                    
                  
                                           Peter Dok Tindan 
                                                    
                                                    
                                                    
                                              Supervisor 
                                             Kjell Havnevik 
                                                    
                  
                        
                  
                  
                  
                  
                                         University of Agder, 2013 
                                   Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences 
                                     Department of Development Studies 
          Abstract  
          The objective of this study has been to examine the causes of and the impact from 
          deforestation and inquire into the conditions for local level sustainable forest 
          management in Ghana. This has become necessary in the light of the fact that research 
          and policy on deforestation has often asserted it as “evil” because of the long term 
          environmental implication for sustainable development evident in global warming, 
          biodiversity loss and soil degradation. While this is true, it is also undeniable that forest 
          degradation and deforestation have contributed tremendously to the development of 
          households’ livelihoods, income and employment as well as social amenities for the 
          sustenance of indigenous people. Considering the negative consequences albeit socio-
          economic benefits, this current research has provided a holistic discussion on the impact 
          of deforestation on sustainable management of forests, and has rather asserted 
          deforestation as a “necessary evil”. Using a cross-sectional design approach, the research 
          questions are fashioned and built on the tripartite relationship that between development, 
          environment and management, the major tenets of sustainable development, thereby 
          inquiring into the conditions for local level sustainable forest management in two 
          communities: Dwease and Praaso of the Asante Akim Central Municipality of Ghana. A 
          key argument advanced by this study is that sustainable forest management is a 
          collaborative activity, hence at the local level efforts should be made ensure broad public 
          participation of all stakeholders in decision making and policy design and 
          implementation.  
           
           
           
           
           
                              i 
           
              Acknowledgement  
              First of all, I am grateful to Almighty God for his guidance and direction through this 
              work. That aside, I am highly indebted to my supervisor Prof. Kjell Havnevik, for your 
              insightful comments and putting clarity to this work, I say thank you and God bless you. 
              This appreciation is also extended to all the courses tutors and co-tutors as well as the 
              administrators of the Development Management programme at the University of Agder, 
              and also to all my course mates, for the tutelage and wonderful support that shaped my 
              academic evolution over the two years.  
              To all the respondents in Dwease and Praaso, I am very grateful to you for giving me the 
              much needed information that contributed tremendously to making this wholesome 
              masterpiece. Also to all the staff at the Juaso Office of the Forestry Services Division, 
              especially Mr. Boakye M. Amponsah and the forest guards at Dwease, I am grateful and God 
              richly bless you. My appreciation is extended to the technical officer at the Municipal 
              Agricultural Development Unit, Konongo, and Mr. Wellington Asirifi Asuah at the Asante 
              Akim Central Municipal Assembly for providing me with the needed official statistics and 
              background literature on the study area. To all the research assistants and friends who helped 
              me during my data collection, especially Mr. Akurugu, Bernice and Sherry, you are all very 
              much appreciated.  
               
              I am also grateful to my family members for your love and support and for believing in 
              me even in the hardest moments, I love you all. Finally, I will like to thank the Norwegian 
              Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) for providing a generous NOMA (Norad’s 
              Programme for Master Studies) scholarship which made it possible for me to complete this 
              two-year MSc programme in Development Management. 
              All errors remain my own. 
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
                                         ii 
               
                Dedication  
                 
                 
                “This thesis is dedicated to my Family” 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                                                iii