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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.
Function/Role
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
History
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:
a) The
experimenting of both economic and decorative plants from other tropical
and sub-tropical countries with a view to finding out those which could
thrive under local conditions.
b) The exhaustive exploration of the agricultural resources of the country
with a view to finding suitable economic plants for European markets
c) The teaching of scientific methods of agriculture
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.
Development
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:
a) Poor
and rocky soil
b) A damp climate
c) Lack of space for expansion
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:
a) Achimota
Kindergarten (evacuated during the war)
b) Soil and Land-use Survey Department
c) Political Department and District Commissioner's Office.
Contents
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