1.7 Environment

1.7.1    Natural Resource Management 

1.7.1.1 Forest Reserves
The forest reserve in the Municipality covers areas around Oworobong South and the southern scarp of the Municipality and its surroundings.  The forest produces commercial wood species such as Odum, Wawa, Ofram, Asamfra, Mahogany, Okyenkyen etc. The vegetative cover is suitable for intensive agricultural and agro-based industrial activities including food processing, sawmill or wood processing. Unfortunately, human activities such as bad farming practices, lumbering (especially chain saw and firewood operations), illegal mining, construction works have had negative impact on the vegetation over the years resulting in scattered parcels of secondary forest. However pragmatic measures should be adopted to protect the forest cover in terms of reforestation and checking of illegal chain saw operators.

1.7.1.2 Mineral Reserves 
The under lying rock of the Municipality is about 95 percent granite, about 4 percent alluvial and 1 percent Birrimian. Areas where gold been discovered are usually areas with alluvial deposits. The table 1.5 shows the distribution of mineral deposits in the Municipality. There are no formal mining activities in the Municipality as far as gold is concerned. However, illegal mining activities were identified at Osubeng and its environs. Sand for construction are common in Praso, and its environs. Sand winning activities are being carried out in these communities by small scale sand winning operators. 
The illegal mining activities over the year has wrecked considerable havoc on farm lands by stripping the land of the topsoil and also leaving gaping holes most times filled with water and serving as death traps to unsuspecting people.

1.7.1.3 Green Economy
The Green Economy (GE) concept entails a paradigm shift in contemporary development thinking, taking into account the dangers posed by the unsustainable approaches to development in the past decades. The Green Economy is one that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. It underscores low carbon emission, resource-efficient and socially inclusive economy.
Practically, GE requires a great change in production and consumption or lifestyles towards economic activities that enhance and preserve environmental quality, coupled with efficient use of natural resources; and reduce social inequalities. The approach to Green Economy in the district identified broad range of opportunities that it could reap should it undertake green development initiatives (UNEP, 2013). Sectors such as agriculture, forestry, waste and energy when transitioned to green economy pathway, will be very beneficial to the economy through GDP growth and the environmental protection. 

Figure 1.11 Natural Resource Map

Source: KSMA MPCU, 2021