Conservation and sustainable use of medicinal plants in Ghana 1999-2002

The magnificent central avenue at Aburi
The project offices within Aburi Botanic Garden
	Silk cotton tree Ceiba pentrandra. This specimen is the sole survivor of the original forest that once covered the Aburi hills. This species is one of the largest trees in West Africa, growing to 48m or more, with a girth up to 5-7m above the buttresses. This is one of the sacred trees of West Africa. The seed oil is used for rheumatism and the kapok is used for surgical purposes as a substitute for cotton wool. The seeds which contain 22-25% oil are pounded and ground to a meal and used in soup, or eaten after being roasted. The white wood is used for making stools, domestic utensils, wooden figures, drums and coffins

The Aburi Botanic Garden is one of the most beautiful peaceful and fascinating places in Ghana. The Aburi Botanic Gardens is one of the world's 1,600 botanic gardens and between them grow the largest array of plant diversity outside nature and receive over 150 million visitors every year.

Function/Role
History
Development

Introduction

The Aburi Botanic Gardens, situated on the Akwapim ridge is about 39 kilometres north-east of Accra along the old Accra Koforidua road. It is also 22 kilometres from Nsawam and 48 kilometres from Koforidua. The Garden overlooks the coastal plain at an elevation of 370 to 460 metres (1,200 - 1,500 ft) above sea level.

Map showing location of Aburi Botanic garden (This is a large file, 679 bytes long)

The Garden covers an area of 64.8 hectares (160 acres) but only 12.2 hectares (3 acres) have been developed in to a formal garden with the remaining 52.6 hectares forming the Botanical reserve.

Aburi Botanic Garden is among the 1600 botanic gardens worldwide, leading the fight to save plant diversity as well as creating an understanding and awareness for the promotion of methods of conservation and development of plant resources. The Garden's main activities include:

• Scientific research
• Horticultural training
• Growing endangered plants
• Introducing rare plants into nature
• Managing natural reserves
• Environmental education

As far back as 1842, the select committee of the House of Commons in London recommended the establishment of a model farm or botanic garden in the then Gold Coast. Although the advantages of such an institution were again pointed out in evidence before the committee in 1865 it was not until March 1890 when a botanic garden was officially opened at Aburi in the Akwapim hills.

Prior to the establishment of the garden, the Gold Coast Government had built a sanatorium at the site for convalescing Government officials in 1875. In 1889, during the Governorship of his Excellency, Sir W. Brandford-Griffith, K.G.M.G., a few hectares of land was cleared in the vicinity of the sanatorium to begin the Botanical Department. The clearing was under the supervision of a German carpenter serving with the Basel Mission. In 1890, Mr. William Crowther, a student from the Royal Botanic Garden, Kew, arrived in the Gold Coast as the first Curator of the Botanic Garden. By 1908, 64.8 hectares of land had been cultivated and plots for selected economic plants, botanical specimens and decorative plants had been established.

At the time of its establishment, the Garden had the following as its main objectives:

In 1895, William Crowther died of malaria and was succeeded by Mr. G.H.Humphries also from Kew Gardens. In 1899, Mr. W.H.Johnson took over the Curatorship.

The greater part of the present garden was developed by Curator W.Crowther and W.H.Johnson, during whose time the Garden assumed much of its present form. Mr. Johnson later became the first Director of Agriculture. His intention was to turn Aburi into an Agricultural station.

Aburi, however, later proved unsuitable as an Agricultural station due to:

The research branch of the Agricultural Secretariat was therefore moved to Accra in 1922. In 1928, it was finally decided to abandon all agricultural experiments on the station and to convert it into a "purely" Botanic Garden. The work was under the management of Mr. G.H.Eady who had previously been in charge of the station. Several minor alterations were quickly made and more decorative plants were introduced.

Between 1939 and 1953 several departments sojourned in the Garden. Some of these were the: