Atewa Range Forest Reserve (6312)
Ghana, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1b, A1d, A1e, B1
Year of last assessment: 2022
National site name: Atewa Range Forest Reserve
Central coordinates: Latitude: 6.1700, Longitude: -0.6000
System: terrestrial, freshwater
Elevation (m): 500 to 800
Area of KBA (km2): 254.818107
Protected area coverage (%): 100.00
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The KBA at Atewa Range Forest Reserve and the Atewa Extension together cover an area of 255.05 sq km. The Atewa Forest is located 90km north of Ghana's capital Accra near the Kibi township in the Abuakwa South Municipality and shares boundaries with Fanteakwa South, Ayensuano, West Akim, Denkyeambour, Kwaebibirem, and Atiwa West Districts. The forest elevation ranges from 500-800m with the main peak reaching 750m (Atewa TEEB, 2016). The forest lies within the moist semi-deciduous forest zone is the only remaining upland evergreen forest and is characterized by very ancient bauxitic soils, gold deposits and other minerals such as kaolin. The forest functions as the source of three important rivers – the Densu, Birim and Ayensu rivers and over 99 other streams. The bovals (seasonal marshy grasslands on bauxite outcrops), swamps and thickets that occur here are thought to be nationally unique. The forest has high endemism for amphibians, butterflies, diverse epiphytes and terrestrial ferns many of which are found nowhere else in Ghana (Lindsell et al., 2019).
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: The Atewa Range Forest Reserve is part of the Upper Guinea Forest eco-region which stretches from the east of Senegal to the Dahomey Gap in Togo and Benin. The forest is a biodiversity hotspot and is the home of about 20% of all threatened species known to occur in Ghana (Lindsell et al., 2019) of which five species trigger KBA status. This site is a global KBA for the critically endangered Afia Birago’s Puddle frog Phrynobatrachus afiabirago and Atewa Slippery frog Conraua sagyimase which are only known from this site (both AZE site for the species). The Atewa Slippery frog Conraua sagyimase (CR) also triggers criteria A1a, B1 and is a candidate for B2 and B3a. Other trigger elements include the White thighed colobus Colobus vellerosus (CR) which triggers criterion A1a and the Vulnerable (Vu) Lowe’s monkey Cercopithecus Lowei triggers criteria A1d. The Bobiri Reed frog Hyperolius bobirensis (Vu) triggers A1b, B1 and is a candidate for B2 and B3a whiles the Near Threatened (NR) Ghana River frog Phrynobatracus ghanensis is a candidate for B3a. The site also has potential to trigger KBA status under criteria A2b and B4 using Ecosystem criteria however, the ecosystem types of Ghana have currently not been assessed under the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems criteria and will need to be assessed before they can qualify as triggers for the KBA.
Additional biodiversity: Phrynobatrachus afiabirago,Crocidura wimmeri, Acanthixalus sonjae,Afrixalus vibekensis,Astylosternus laticephalus,Leptopelis macrotis,Leptopelisoccidentalis,Mylothris atewa,Cercocebus lunulatus,Melaenornis annamarulae,Aubregrinia taiensis,Tapura ivorensis,Monanthotaxis atewensis,Monocyclanthus vignei,Laceniodiscus punctatus,Procolobus verus,Limbochromis robertsi,Hyperolius baumanni,Bycanistes cylindricus,Lobotos lobatus,Criniger olivaceus,Bleda eximius,Illadopsis rufescens,Hylopsar cupreocauda,Parmoptila rubrifrons,Apalis sharpii,Melignomon eisentrauti,Merops mentalis,Ceratogymna elata,Psittacus erithacus,Crocidura grandiceps, Cercopithecus roloway,Caracal aurata,Phataginus tricuspis,Phataginus tetradactyla Cephalophus dorsalis Cephalophus silvicultor Eidolon helvum Amietophrynus togoensis Phrynobatrachus alleni Osteolaemus tetraspis Bonamia vignei Coccinia longicarpa Dorstenia embergeri Ixora tenuis Psychotria longituba Palisota pedicellata Asplenium schnellii Oleandra ejurana Papilio antimachus
Manageability of the site: The Atewa Range Forest Reserve and the Atewa Extension are managed by the Forestry Services Division of the Forestry Commission as nationally protected forest reserves. The adjoining landscape is managed by communities supported by NGOs such as A Rocha Gh
Other site values: No
Delineation rationale: The Atewa Range Forest Reserve and the Atewa Extension comprises a range a hills lying to the west of Kibi town and runs from Anyinam on the north to Asamankese on the south. The boundaries of the reserves were delineated by the Forestry Commission of Ghana through consultation with the local communities and indigenous peoples living around the site. The Birim river comes out of the Atewa Range Forest Reserve through the Akim Apapam community and travels North through Kibi whiles the Densu River comes out of the Atewa Range Forest Reserve through the Obuasi community in the southeast. The Ayensu River comes out of the Atewa Range Forest Reserve through the Obuoho community in the east and travels through Annum Apapam towards Asamankese in the south. The proposed KBA boundaries covers the boundaries of both the Atewa Range Forest Reserve and the Atewa Extension, both of which are recorded as separate protected areas on the WDPA. The reason for proposing the KBA to cover both protected areas is that, currently there is evidence to show movement of species between the 2 protected areas. This is due to disturbance and also seasonality. With the proposed bauxite mining looming over the Atewa Range, it is prudent to add the extension at this KBA proposal to cater for any future incidents should the Atewa Range be mined. It is also for the reason of protecting population moving between the two sites that the field assessments covered both the Atewa Range and the Atewa Extension. The provided shapefile matches the delineation union of the Atewa Range Forest Reserve and the Atewa Extension as per the WDPA 2022.
Habitats
Land use: Forest, Admitted farms
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 2 | |
| Forest | 47 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 1 | |
| Forest | 75 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Work & other activities | Ongoing |