Environmental scientists are urging immediate community action to save Talbotiella genti, a critically endangered tree species found exclusively in Ghana.
Dr. Enoch Gyamfi-Ampadu, a lecturer at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), issued the warning during a community engagement in Yenguase, Eastern Region.
“This tree is not only ecologically important but also uniquely Ghanaian, found nowhere else in the world,” Dr. Gyamfi-Ampadu told residents. “Its fast depletion should be of concern to all of us.” The species faces rapid decline due to deforestation, limited public awareness, and inadequate protection despite its ecological and cultural significance.
Dr. Gyamfi-Ampadu emphasized local ownership of conservation efforts for long-term sustainability. Eric Nana Acquah, Range Manager at the Forest Services Division, stressed education’s role: “It is only through education and active involvement of local people that we can protect what’s left of this vital species. Without understanding its value, communities may treat it like any other tree.”
This outreach is part of broader efforts to strengthen environmental awareness and protect Ghana’s biodiversity against growing threats to native species.
The survival of Talbotiella genti now depends on translating scientific concern into sustained local conservation action across its shrinking Ghanaian habitat.
