TITLE:
Pastoralism and Forest Conservation in Ghana’s Forestry Sector
AUTHORS:
Eric Gyamfi, Dennis Dei-Kusi, Frank Ankomah
KEYWORDS:
Cattle Grazing, Cattle Herders, Forest Reserve, Forest Resources Conservation, Forest Officials, Pastoralism
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection,
Vol.14 No.8,
August
31,
2026
ABSTRACT: Forest conservation is vital for maintaining biodiversity, ecosystem stability, sustainable livelihoods, and supporting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 13 and 15. However, increasing pastoralist activities within forest reserves threatens forest resource conservation and management efforts. This study examined forest officials’ and cattle herders’ perceptions of the drivers of pastoralists’ cattle movement into forest reserves, and the perceived effects of pastoralism on forest resource conservation and management in Ghana. Data were collected from 119 forest officials and 8 cattle herders using semi-structured questionnaires and interview guides and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics in RStudio version 2025. Results show that cattle movement into forest reserves was mainly driven by the availability of abundant high-quality forage (85.7%), limited grazing land outside protected areas (79.8%), availability of water resources (75.6%), and weak enforcement of grazing regulations (73.9%). Perceptions of grazing effects differed between officials and herders; officials generally viewed pastoralism as harmful to forest ecosystems, whereas some herders considered livestock manure beneficial to soil fertility under controlled grazing. Damaging tree seedlings and saplings, soil compaction, habitat destruction, water pollution, and increased risk of forest degradation were the most reported effects on forest resources conservation. Additionally, increased budgetary expenditure (21%), conflicts between officials and herders (16.8%), and delayed staff attention to other duties (14.2%) were the most prioritized effects of pastoralism on forest management authorities’ activities. However, significant differences existed among all the study districts in officials’ perceptions of these effects (p p > 0.05). These findings underscore the need for the Forestry Commission to strengthen monitoring and surveillance systems while enhancing collaboration with district assemblies, traditional authorities, and security agencies. Such coordinated efforts would improve the enforcement of forest protection regulations and contribute to reducing illegal grazing activities within forest reserves.