Nyamibe Bepo Forest Reserve (200445)
Ghana, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1b
Year of last assessment: 2023
National site name: Nyamibe Bepo Forest Reserve
Central coordinates: Latitude: 6.1702, Longitude: -1.3544
System: terrestrial, freshwater, freshwater
Elevation (m): 3 to 400
Area of KBA (km2): 22.52472
Protected area coverage (%): 100.00
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: No
Site details
Site description: The Nyamibe Bepo Forest Reserve is located approximately 1 km from Bonkro village, east of the New Edubiase township, in the Ashanti region of Ghana. This reserve spans a total area of 26 km2 and is known for its abundant and diverse biodiversity, which attracts tourists. The vegetation is a moist semi-deciduous forest with timber trees such as Cedrela, Entandrophragma angolense, Khaya ivorensis, Pterygota, and Terminalia superba. The terrain is generally undulating with few isolated hills, which rise to a height of about 400 metres above sea level. Because of the availability of suitable habitat in this forest, the reserve is home to diverse birds such as African Grey Parrot, White-necked Picathartes, Brown-cheek Hornbill, Yellow-casqued Hornbill, and White-crested Hornbill, as well as mammals such as the Black-belied Pangolin and White-bellied Pangolin.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: The Nyamibe Bepo Forest Reserve is home to several threatened bird species, including African Grey Parrot, White-necked Picathartes, Brown-cheek Hornbill, Yellow-casqued Hornbill, and White-crested Hornbill. This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance, as it hosts a significant proportion of the population of threatened White-necked Picathertes which is also endemic to the Upper Guinea Forest of West Africa. The site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area with the White-necked Picathertes as the trigger species.
Additional biodiversity: The forest is home to a diverse array of economically valuable trees such as Cedrela, Entandrophragma angolense, Khaya ivorensis, and Terminalia superba. The area hosts a diverse array of animal life, including the tree pangolin, red river hog, bongo, bushbuck, and Maxwell's duiker, among others. Additionally, the reserve is home to several threatened bird species, which contribute to its ecological significance. These species include African grey parrots, White-necked Picathartes, Brown-cheek Hornbill, Yellow-Casqued Hornbill, White-crested Hornbill, Great Blue Turaco, and African Green Pigeon. The reserve serves as a destination for avitourism.
Manageability of the site: The Nyamibe Bepo Forest Reserve is classified as a Category VI protected area, which falls under the IUCN categories for protected areas. The site is managed and protected by the Government of Ghana through the Forest Service Division of the Forestry Commission.
Delineation rationale: The boundary of the KBA follows the boundary of the protected area
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: The Nyamibe Bepo Forest Reserve is situated within the moist semi-deciduous forest zone of Ghana, one of the country's most ecologically significant vegetation zones. This forest type is characterized by a high diversity of tree species and a multi-layered canopy structure. The reserve predominantly supports tall, broadleaved deciduous and semi-deciduous tree species, with emergent trees reaching heights of approximately 40 meters
The forest exhibits a two-layer canopy structure comprising an upper layer of tall emergents usually found around the rocky areas within the reserve and a middle layer of medium-sized trees and understory vegetation. Common tree species in forests include Triplochiton scleroxylon (Wawa), Antiaris toxicaria, Khaya ivorensis (African mahogany), and Ceiba pentandra (Silk cotton tree).
The forest is seasonally dynamic, with a well-defined rainy season that promotes luxuriant vegetative growth and high biodiversity. Additionally, the Nyamibe Bepo Forest Reserve plays a critical role in local livelihoods, supplying non-timber forest products (NTFPs), medicinal plants and regulating ecosystem functions.
Land use: The forest ia a production forest reserve, which means it is protected mainly for it timber product
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 100 | Forest – Subtropical/tropical moist lowland |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The forest is subject to increasing pressures from agricultural expansion, illegal logging, and poaching.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Shifting agriculture | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Unintentional effects (species being assessed is not the target) | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Intentional use: large scale (species being assessed is the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Logging & wood harvesting | Unintentional effects: large scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Afrifa, J. K., Ahema, E., Kanyi, W., Osei, G. N., Amoateng, D. Y., & Asamoah, A. (2025). Trends and population size of White-necked Rockfowl Picathartes gymnocephalus within the Nyamibe Bepo Forest Reserve in Ghana. Ostrich, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.2989/00306525.2025.2479534
BirdLife International. 2018. Picathartes gymnocephalus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T22708108A129919593. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22708108A129919593.en. Accessed on 12 April 2025.
Contributors: Joseph Kwasi Afrifa, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Richard Appoh, Ghana Wildlife Society