African Tropical Rainforest Observation Network

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Cape Three Points

  • December - December 2013
  • Ghana
field team for CAP-09 (photo: Wannes Hubau 2013)

The two CAP plots (CAP-09 and CAP-10) I visited are located in the Cape Three Points forest reserve, near the Atlantic Coast. The village of Cape Three Points, just south of the reserve, is the southernmost point of Ghana. Similar as in Dadieso, farmers respect the reserve borders remarkably well, creating a very sharp distinction between plantations and forest reserve. The forest belongs to the wettest forest type in Ghana, classified as wet evergreen rainforest. According to Jonathan Dabo (FORIG botanist), the Cape Three Points forest contains less exploitable species than the Asenanyo forest, but a larger floristic diversity. We didn’t come across many signs of human activity, although there are traces of logging activity in the margins of the reserve, probably remains of small-scale charcoal production. The forest understory is very open compared to Asenanyo and Dadieso, but the area is very hilly and many streams cross the trails.

Ladder tree at CAP-10The first plot (CAP-10) is located in mature rainforest and doesn’t bear any trace of disturbance. 15 subplots are located on flat terrain crossed by a rather wide (1-2m), mostly shallow, branching river.The first 10 subplots are located on a steep slope (30-40º). There are very few boulders or rocks in this plot.

The second plot (CAP-09) is also located in mature rainforest without any trace of disturbance. The plot is located on a saddle-shaped ridge running through the whole plot, inducing very steep slopes (20-40º) everywhere. Small rocks and stones are found everywhere in the plot, but no large boulders and no river.

 

Wannes Hubau