Ghana Launches Two-Year Restoration of Subri River Forest Reserve

Ghana has launched a two-year project to restore 50 acres of degraded land in the Subri River Forest Reserve, in a partnership that ties the country’s mineral wealth directly to the repair of its forests.

The Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) has joined forces with the Forestry Commission of Ghana to carry out the work, backed by Zijin Golden Ridge Limited, Ghana International Bank and three other financial institutions. The project, titled “Support of Forest Rehabilitation in Mining Regions and Promotion of Sustainability in Mining”, will run for two years under a memorandum of understanding.

What the project will do

Under the agreement, the Forestry Commission will provide technical expertise and supervise the restoration work on the ground. The activities will focus on targeted reforestation and other rehabilitation measures in degraded sections of the reserve, with the aim of restoring damaged forest land, protecting biodiversity and encouraging more sustainable management of natural resources in Ghana’s mining regions.

MIIF, led by chief executive Justina Nelson, will oversee the initiative. The work is being carried out with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the Forestry Commission and the Environmental Protection Authority, and forms part of the partners’ corporate social responsibility commitments on environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards.

Why Subri matters

The Subri River Forest Reserve sits in Ghana’s Western Region, an area where mining pressure has weighed heavily on forest land. Just days before the restoration announcement, the Forestry Commission arrested 20 suspected illegal miners during an operation in the reserve, a reminder of the threats facing the forest the new project aims to heal.

Restoration here is therefore about more than planting trees. It is about reclaiming land damaged by extraction, protecting the wildlife and water systems the forest supports, and giving nearby communities a forest they can benefit from for generations.

Read more on forest restoration in our earlier story: SUNY Oneonta reforestation project plants thousands of native trees.

Value from minerals, responsibility for nature

MIIF manages Ghana’s mineral income and state interests in the mining sector. Its chief executive, Justina Nelson, said the project reflects the fund’s responsibility to ensure that income from mineral resources is managed alongside proper environmental protection.

“As an institution entrusted with managing Ghana’s mineral income and State interests in the mining sector, MIIF recognises that value creation must go hand in hand with environmental responsibility,” she said. “Restoring degraded forest landscapes is not only about planting trees; it is about protecting biodiversity and ensuring that communities can continue to benefit from our natural resources for generations to come.”

Key facts

• Project: two-year rehabilitation of 50 acres in the Subri River Forest Reserve, Ghana.
• Partners: Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) and the Forestry Commission of Ghana.
• Supporters: Zijin Golden Ridge Limited, Ghana International Bank and three other financial institutions.
• Framework: memorandum of understanding; Forestry Commission supervises and provides technical expertise.
• Goal: reforestation, biodiversity protection and sustainable resource management in mining regions.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Subri River Forest Reserve restoration project?

It is a two-year partnership between Ghana’s Minerals Income Investment Fund and the Forestry Commission to rehabilitate 50 acres of degraded land in the Subri River Forest Reserve, focusing on reforestation and sustainable natural resource management in mining regions.

Who is funding and supporting the project?

The project is supported by Zijin Golden Ridge Limited, Ghana International Bank and three other financial institutions, as part of their corporate social responsibility commitments on environmental, social and governance standards.

What role does the Forestry Commission play?

Under a memorandum of understanding, the Forestry Commission provides technical expertise and supervises the implementation of the restoration work on the ground.

Why does the reserve need restoration?

Parts of the Subri River Forest Reserve have been degraded, including through pressure from illegal mining; the Forestry Commission arrested 20 suspected illegal miners in the reserve days before the project was announced.

How long will the project run?

The project will run for two years, with community engagement and ESG reporting forming part of the work.