For this International Day of Forests we are
CLOSING THE RESEARCH
GAP IN WEST AFRICA
Bismark Ofosu-Bamfo
Lecturer of Biological Sciences
University of Energy and Natural Resources Ghana
On the 10th of May we are traveling to Ghana in West Africa to train local scientists how to tree climb, so they can undertake important canopy research.
With the help of our equipment partners, we are also able to donate $12,000 of tree climbing equipment. We need your help to assist with travel, carbon offsets and in country costs.
Project Costs Per Trainer
Flights, Hobart - Accra - Hobart = $3200
Carbon Offsets, 4.4 tonnes CO2-e = $80
Accomodation & Food (12 Days) = $900
TOTAL PP = $4180
Key Funding Thresholds
$3200 Two instructors, 8 Participants
$6400 Three instructors, 12 Participants
Meet The Trainers
Sam Hardingham
EverydayArbor,
Newcastle Australia
Sam is a part time teacher at Ryde TAFE NSW, delivering and assessing the practical units of the AQF Certificate 3 in Arboriculture. He is an active member of industry groups such as the Practicing Arborist Committee of Arboriculture Australia and the state-based group NSWarb has given Sam opportunities to contribute to industry progression.
Since 2005 Sam has worked all over the world and in 2019 he started Everydayarbor. Everydayarbor has worked with ecologists from University of Sydney, World Wildlife Fund, Science for Wildlife and Birdlife Australia. These projects have included iconic species like the Greater Gliders in Tallaganda National Park NSW, and Koalas in the Blue Mountains NSW.
Vicki Tough
Big Canopy Campout / Sylvana Alta
Tübingen Germany
As an arborist and tree climbing instructor Vicki founded Sylvana Alta to combine these professions and promote scientific exploration in forest canopies worldwide, believing that the greater understanding of its value will better protect it for the future. Having studied Zoology Vicki has organised, participated and led research expeditions for 20 years assisting and contributing to scientific studies worldwide. With a professional (possibly unhealthy) obsession with sleeping in trees Vicki co-founded Big Canopy Campout to share the importance of connecting people all over the world that are dedicated to fighting for the protection of native forests. She loves coffee and frogs, not together. She hates leeches, they are sneaky.
Steve Pearce
The Tree Projects / Big Tree State
Tasmania Australia
Steven Pearce is an award-winning photographer and filmmaker and is the creative director for The Tree Projects. Willing to push the boundaries and embrace the latest technologies, Steve is able to deliver content that is unique, beautiful and inspiring. As an avid tree climber and a passionate naturalist, he has spent over 10 years documenting trees and forests.
Steve has assisted over 500 people into the giant trees of Tasmania and runs the Tasmanian Recreational Tree Climbing Club. He has been actively engaged with the international arboricultural community and has travelled widely to assist with treetop research projects including USA, Taiwan, Panama and NZ
Fighting for equality and the rainforest canopy
Empowering Ghanian scientists to undertake research and develop conservation strategies
Ghana is a continuation of the second largest block of tropical rainforest found on earth
Ghana has some of the least studied tropical forest canopies remaining on earth
We will be training Ghanian scientists to climb and will be donating four sets of climbing equipment. This will be helping them undertake important research and to develop local conservation strategies with global outcomes.
PREVIOUS RESEARCH
To date, previous research has almost exclusively be carried out by western scientists. On completion of their projects they return home, taking with them the skills, know-how and equipment. This leaves local scientists in a situation where they were simply unable to independently continue with canopy research.
THIS PROJECT
We are designing this project to enable Ghanaian scientists to take a self-determined pathway forward into the areas of research previously unavailable to them. Four complete sets of tree climbing equipment will be donated and stay in the possession of the university at the conclusion of the project.
THE FUTURE
The team is already in motion with technical assistants, undergraduate students and masters students participating in the training. As part of the training we will be travelling into the forest with the students to undertake a short epiphyte diversity project. Post project, several students are ready to start working on their own projects.
In October 2023, we attended the International Canopy Conference in China. Not a single presentation was delivered by West African scientists. This research gap was acknowledged by the group and we began working towards providing this training expedition.
Together with Dr. Kenneth Bentum Otabil, Head of the Department of Biological Sciences and Bismark Ofosu-Bamfo, Lecturer of Biological Sciences at the University of Energy and Natural Resources in Ghana we are choosing to solve this problem.
HOW IT BEGAN
An incredible $12,000 of climbing equipment committed by our partners.
International tree climbing manufacturers Teufelberger, Petzl and DMM Wales have committed equipment to this project. Several other manufacturers have expressed a strong willingness to support with confirmation on the way.
The cost of professional tree climbing equipment designed and manufactured to comply with international safety standards is simply to high for most researchers. The international Arboricultural community has rallied behind this project with enthusiasm because the spirit of discovery is infectious.
Your donation will empower local researchers
As climate change increases, it is prime forested areas like Ghana that need dedicated research and appropriate conservation strategies. We will be enabling scientists to find local solutions to global issues.