Mineral resources have become fundamental for economic development throughout the world. In several low- and middle-income countries that are rich in non-fuel mineral resources, mining contributes to national economic development (Addison and Roe, 2018; Ericsson and Löf, 2019). Artisanal and Small-Scale gold Mining (ASM) is an important economic activity in several gold-rich developing countries around the world (Kahhat et al., 2019). In Ghana, ASM has provided jobs and supported the livelihoods of many rural communities for over a century (Mantey et al., 2016). It is estimated that over 1.1 million people are currently engaged in it (McQuilken and Hilson, 2016). Since Ghana implemented the mineral sector reforms in the 1980s to attract foreign direct investment into the large-scale mining sector, the contribution of ASM to total gold production has been rising steadily. In 1989, it accounted for 2.2 percent of total production. By 2014 and 2018, the figure rose to 34.4 and 41.1 percent, respectively, (Ghana Chamber of Mines, 2014 and 2019).
Despite the clearly laid out formalization process in Ghana’s Mineral and Mining Act (Act 703), bureaucratic bottlenecks and prohibitive licensing costs are compelling between 60 and 80 percent of miners to operate illegally. Illegal mining has been acknowledged as widespread in Ghana and the full geographic extent of it is unknown as data are limited due to the clandestine nature of its operations. This practice has led to deforestation and loss of biodiversity, accelerated soil erosion and sedimentation, and water and air pollution in many parts of the Country.
In many parts of Northern Ghana, illegal small scale gold mining is deep rooted and wreaking havoc to swathes of land and forest reserves. Unlike the south where water bodies are being polluted with impunity, the fragile vegetative cover in the north appears to be bearing the brunt of the menace.
Large tracts of farmland and forest reserves in the Upper West, Upper East, Savannah and the North East regions have been destroyed and deep pits left behind that serve as death traps to residents in the mining communities. The areas include Bawku West, Talensi, Wa West, Wa East, Bole and Mamprugu/Moaduri districts as well as the Kasena-Nankana, Jirapa and Sissala East municipalities, all in the five regions of the north.
The Gold belt of the upper east region which falls within the scattered savannah woodland forests of Ghana is among the worst hit by this illegal mining menace and needs urgent rehabilitation, restoration and Conservation. The RECONS Project therefore aims at rehabilitating and conserving the savannah woodland forests patches of the Upper East Region of Ghana.

Main objective: The main objective of this action is to rehabilitate, restore and conserve the savannah woodland forests of the gold belt of the Upper East Region of Ghana.

SGDs co-relation: The main SDG reflected in this project is SDG 15 however it also has implications for SDGs 1, 2, 8, 12 & 13. These SDGs will be achieved through the involvement of all stakeholders in the ecosystem and encouraging a thinking that aligns with the doughnut economics and not the traditional GDP approach.

Key Activities at this Stage of the Project.

1. A training of CAOF Stakeholders on the need for Forest Ecosystem Restoration - Done by CAOF
2. A participatory action and learning research to assess the extend of forests degradation in the region and proposed solutions.
3. Develop a Strategic Plan for Rehabilitation, Restoration and Conservation of forest ecosystems in the Region
4. Fundraising activities
5. Implementation of Projects.