What does the forest science-policy interface in Ghana look like? For some time now policy makers have blamed research scientists for not living up to expectation since they do not see what scientists do and what impact their work has on national development. In other parts of the world, this is also the case where it appears there is poor communication between scientists and the intended users of their research results. The forestry science/policy interface in Ghana has not been systematically examined. To enlighten stakeholders, a study was conducted among forestry research scientists of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and some university researchers and policy and implementing partners in the forestry sector. The research focused on communication channels and their effectiveness, institutional arrangements and how they affect the interface between science and policy actors. In Ghana, the Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG) which mainly hosts forestry scientists is administratively under a different Ministry from the Forestry Commission which is the main client of research results. Interviews were conducted with 82 people; 45% being researchers and 55% being policy actors. Researchers mainly used publications and informal meetings to receive information from policy and end- users while policy actors mainly depended on meetings and official requests in receiving information. The study concludes that institutionalising communication channels such as informal network and face-to-face interaction seems to be more beneficial to both scientists and policy actors than just an administrative integration of their respective agencies.

Kenya depends on fuel-wood for cooking and heating in most households. Over 80% of both rural and urban households in the country use fuel wood for cooking. These Prosopis plant species provide excellent fuel wood. These plants were introduced in the arid and semi-arid areas of Kenya in the early 1970s as a source of woodfuel and also for the rehabilitation of degraded lands. Prosopis is a prolific seeder and has invasiveness behaviour that results in a number of social, ecological and economic concerns to the local communities, and challenges to development partners. Now with the Kenyan Forest Policy 2005 which proposes strategies and actions to enhance sustainable and efficient production of wood-fuel, Prosopis species is a suitable candidate. The Kenya Forest Service is now issuing permits allowing charcoal burning of Prosopis species in an effort to manage and curb uncontrolled spread. There is a national ban on charcoal making from unsustainable wood sources which include the woodlands and natural forest reserves. The aim of this project was to determine the energy values from Prosopis fuel-wood. The moisture content, volatile matter, ash content, carbon content and calorific values were determined from Prosopis fuel-wood plants. The calorific values for Prosopis juliflora and Prosopis pallida wood are 4.952 and 4.862 Kcal respectively. The calorific values for P. juliflora and P. pallida charcoal are 7.854 and 7.797 Kcal, respectively.

Particleboard and solid wood stakes were treated with either an isocyanate or phenol formaldehyde resin and exposed in soil beds comprising three different soil types and two moisture contents. The treatments resulted in a marked improvement in the dimensional stability of particleboard but had no effect on solid wood. Higher moisture uptakes in stakes exposed in sandy soils indicated that the technique used for measuring soil water holding capacity needs to be reviewed.

Melia volkensii commonly known as Mukau is an well known indigenous tree species in the plant family Meliaceae growing naturally in the semiarid zones of Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania and Kenya.Melia volkensii mechanical properties are compared with mahogany (Khaya species), teak (Tectona grandis) and mvule (Milicia excelsa)

This study was carried out using 15-year old Eucalyptus regnans F. Muell trees from three seedlots in a progeny trial in Norbethong, Victoria in Australia. Colour, stain and light table methods were used to demarcate the boundary between the sapwood and heartwood on the discs cross sectional surface. The main objective of this study was to examine the variation within and between tree in heartwood and sapwood in plantation grown Eucalyptus regnans material and also to compare the three techniques used in demarcating the boundary between sapwood and heartwood. Wood discs were removed from the base, breast height, 20%, 40%, 60% and 80% of the total tree height. Measurements were made on cross sectional surfaces of the discs to determine the sapwood width and heartwood percentage. The results showed that there was no significant difference in heartwood-sapwood demarcation methods using natural colour and stain. However sapwood-heartwood demarcation method using light table method had significant difference with both colour and stain methods with P = 0.000. The mean sapwood and heartwood width varied significantly between trees and along the height. The lowest mean sapwood width of 21.0 mm was found at breast height which increased with height to 33.9mm at 80% tree height it also increased from breast height to 29.9mm at the base of the tree. The largest heart wood percentage of 69.51% was found at breast height and decreased with height to zero at 80% height and it also decreased from breast height to 65.75% at the base. A very high correlation was found between the heartwood diameter and disc diameter.

Wood energy provides 70% of Kenya’s national energy needs and it is expected to continue as the country’s main source of energy for the foreseeable future. Wood is the standard cooking fuel for the majority of Kenyan households and also an important energy source for small-scale rural industries. Past studies on supply demand balance of woodfuel have shown a deficit. To address this deficit there is need for a comprehensive wood energy plan with implementation strategies which ensure its sustainable production. This paper outlines some of the strategies that need to be put in place for a sustainable woodfuel production. The strategies are both supply and demand oriented which are aimed at either increasing the supply or reducing the demand. The supply strategies include; enhancing on-farm tree planting, efficient management of rangelands and woodlands, development of fuelwood plantations by Kenya Forest Service. The demand oriented strategies include ; reducing demand through promotion of more efficient cooking stoves and charcoal conversion kilns, use of alternative sources of energy other than wood. Other strategies include formulation of woodfuel policies that enhances decentralized sustainable wood energy planning at all levels. The later can only be achieved if the wood energy institutional framework is strengthened and facilitated to collect wood energy data to be used in national energy planning alongside the conventional fuels that are currently given more emphasis. The decentralized wood energy planning is important as the strategies to be used for sustainable woodfuel production may vary from one region to the other

The aim of this study was to carry out nutrient content of Sclerocarya birrea (Amarula) fruits as one of the
Kenyan drylands indigenous fruits with a high potential. Mature fruit samples were collected from the field in
Mbeere in Eastern part of Kenya and then taken to the Forest Products laboratories for analysis. Edible portions
were analysed for the nutritional composition. The analysis carried out included energy, moisture, ascorbic acid,
proximate and minerals (i.e. Ca, Mg, K, Cu, P, Fe and Zn). Flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer (FAAS)
was used for elemental analysis, Ultra Violet-visible spectrophotometer (UV/VIS.) for phosphorous analysis,
Kjedahl method for crude protein, bomb calorimeter for internal energy and soxhlet method of analysis for crude
fat while various classical methods of analysis were employed for the other parameters. The results of analysis
indicated that the kernel was rich in fat (57.36 ± 0.95%), energy (30.36 ± 0.04kj/g), protein (30.34 ± 0.36%),
potassium (486.64 ± 2.6mg/100g), phosphorous (160.74 ± 2.6mg/100g) and calcium (449 ±18.59mg/100g) while
pulp had significantly high values of ascorbic acid (190 ± 0.81mg/100g), Potassium (K) (3220.3 6± 4.32mg/100g),
Phosphorous (P) 145.634 ± mg/100g), Calcium (Ca) (688.488 ± 20.74mg/100g). However iron (Fe) (2.792 ± 0.26
mg/100g), Magnesium (Mg) (155.82±1.044mg/100g), zinc (2.33 ± 0.03mg/100g) and copper (0.32 ±
0.075mg/100g) were present in low quantities.

In 1996, the Government of Ghana restructured the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to make it more responsive to private sector needs and to promote demand-driven research. To ensure that research institutions were partly self-financing, a “Commercialisation Policy” was incorporated into the activities of the CSIR by an Act of Parliament (Act 521 of 1996). The Act sought to promote the commercialisation of research. This study was carried out in 2010 to assess the effects of the commercialisation policy on the performance of CSIR-Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG). Specific areas of interest investigated included the extent of commercialisation activities at FORIG and a comparative study of the Institute’s performance before and after the policy. A sample size of 50 workers (out of a total of 256 staff members) was chosen for the study. Convenience and purposive sampling technique was employed for the study using the available staff list. The list consisted of research grade staff as well as senior and junior members of staff. The study revealed that majority of respondents (62%), were aware of the policy, they could not accurately state the tenents of the policy. Commercial product and services at the Institute increased significantly from seven prior to the implementation of the policy to approximately twenty after the policy. Generally, the financial performance of the Institute over
a twelve-year period (1996 – 2008) after the introduction of the Commercialisation Policy in 1996 recorded a significant increase of over 1000%. Various set-backs such as a weak marketing strategy and obsolete equipment accounted for the slow implementation of the policy. Based on the findings of the study, practical steps have been recommended to improve the situation. These include vigorous education and sensitization of staff to embrace the policy, as well as improvement in the Institute’s current marketing strategies.

In Buyangu, the first people to settle there were Abaragoli and Abanyole of Vihiga
District and this was in the 19th Century. The main settlement of the Abaluya in and
around Kakamega forest appears to have occurred in the late 19th and the early 20th
century. The area is densely settled and the demand for forest products is very evident.
The Kakamega forest area adjacent to Buyangu village is under KWS management
and communities are not allowed to access any forest products. Despite of this, the
community indicated that they still access some forest products illegally. Further more
the growing population in Western Province is the biggest obstacle in the conservation
of Kakamega Forest and its valuable resources and services
With a growing population the choices become very limited to provide for all and
conserve the forest and its resources for generations. This requires introduction of a
dynamic management approach like PFM. Though there are social cultural differences
like young women not being allowed to sit facing old men which stifles discussions
during group exercises, there is potential to introduce this management approach.
During the survey, a large number of people turned up and showed interest to get
involved in the management of the forest. There are continuing projects in the area
by Abiota, ICIPE and ICRAF. The communities also belong to several CBOs and large
associations like the sugar cane growers association.
For the above activities to be undertaken to be undertaken, the policy, legislation and
practice of wildlife management in the country has to be changed or special piloting
status has to be granted to Kakamega forest area under KWS management.

Abstract
Kenya generates about 1.6 million tones of sugarcane bagasse which has enormous
potential for exploitation in modern commercial applications. Due to rising fossil
fuel prices, availability in large quantity and rapidly growing interest in bio-energy
as well as technological advances and environmental concerns , bagasse could be
utilized for the formulation of charcoal briquettes for household use to
supplement wood charcoal. In this study briquettes were formulated using
carbonized bagasse, clay as a binder and molasses as a filler. Bagasse was obtained
from sugar factories for carbonization. Carbonization was carried out using a
brick-built kiln while blending used a manually operated drum mixer. A piston type
briquetting press fitted onto a universal strength testing machine was used for the
production of briquettes. The most optimum parameters that produced briquettes
which complied to current charcoal specifications for household use were in the
ratio of 1:1:40 for molasses, clay and carbonized bagasse respectively at
0.50N/mm2 pressure. At this formulation, briquettes were produced whose ash
content, volatile matter and calorific energy were 36.4%, 27.2% and 4.390 Kca/g
respectively. The briquettes produced burnt without sparks and were smokeless,
producing no irritating smell. They ignited easily and took relatively long before
they extinguished. They were recommended for household use in Kenya.