Afienya (G/A), Jan. 24, GNA- Mr Emmanuel Okrah, Assistant District Forestry Manager at Tema on Friday reminded the public that forest reserves are assets to the country and advised that they are preserved properly for economic use for both the present and succeeding generation.

He said many people are ignorant of the fact that bushfires caused to the forest was an important asset to the nation and entreated those who are in the habit of causing fires to stop it.

Mr Okrah asked the public not to regard forest reserves in the Savannah areas as waste of land just because there are no trees, adding that as a small portion of firewood plantation harvested from the Savannah last year yielded over 100 million cedis.

He was addressing 600 participants drawn from villages in the Dangme West District at a durbar on fire prevention to climax a series of anti bush fire campaigns in the district.

The participants, mostly farmers were from Agomeda, Kordiabe, Manya, Gigedoku, Okusibri, Apese, Asebi, Mobole and Odumsei/Fiankonya. Mr Okrah said the forest reserve in the Savannah area has the potential of generating revenue when put to good use and urged the District Assembly to consider going into that venture in order to generate funds for the district.

He called on the public to be conversant with the Forest, Protection Amendment Act 624 of 2002, which provides higher punishment for bush fire offenders.

He said last year some portions of the forest reserves that got burnt and destroyed large acreage of trees and seedlings planted under the President's Special Initiative (PSI) on the forest caused the nation about 19 million cedis.

Mrs Irene Ewusie Wilson, Tema District Manager of the Forestry Division called on farmers to adopt cattle range management without resorting to the burning of bush.

This would curtail various burning and the adverse effects it has on the woodlands and forest and said uncontrolled fires have serious effects on human existence and called for an end to the unpatriotic practice.

Mr Wilson called on all to support the government's efforts in preventing indiscriminate arsons to bring sanity into the system. The participants were taken through topics such as "Effects of wildfires on forest, woodlands and local communities", "bushfire prevention laws and their enforcement'.