By Isaac Arkoh
Abrafo (C/R), Nov 01, GNA – The Ghana Heritage Conservation Trust (GHCT), has re-opened its refurbished state of-the-art eco-tourism Exhibition Centre at the Kakum National Park.
Being a work in progress, the facility gives a truly fulfilling and enjoyable exhibition experience of in-depth information on the site.
It includes a rainforest structure, ecosystem services and products, special conservation efforts and alternative livelihoods, visitor attractions and advocacy issues.
It also depicts the cultural values of the indigenous communities, rivers, moist vegetation, swamps and bones and skins of various species of animals and birds.
The over GHC300,000 project was funded by the GHCT with support from the French Embassy in Ghana through the Sankofa Small Grant Project of the Sankofa Project for Higher Education and Research in Heritage and Tourism in Ghana to boost tourism.
Mr Akunu Dake, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of GHCT told the Ghana News Agency, the Center was an excellent ecotourism site to behold.
Conscious to visitors are the eco-endowments in the Antwikwaa region of the reserve with unique flora and fauna, where the bird inventory confirmed 266 species in the park, including eight species of global conservation concern.
Suffice to mention white-throated, rosy and black bee-eaters, blue-throated roller, piping hornbill, red-rumped tinkerbird, white-spotted flufftail, Cassin’s spinetail, Sabine’s spinetail, Ayre’s hawk-eagle and Ahanta francolin are just a few to be named.
Mr. Dake said the intervention was hinged on offering a one stop visitors’ experience as part of efforts to constantly upgrade Ghana’s most visited tourist site to provide diverse avenues for tourists to explore the natural beauty of the Area to their satisfaction.
Aside the famous canopy walkway with its strong twine strip consisting of a 40 m (131 feet)-high wood and rope walkway suspended between seven trees, he said, the Centre was also home to hundreds of species of herbaceous and woody plants.
Currently, the park has hiking spree, tree housing, camp site and an animal viewing zone which offers visitors the opportunity to see different wildlife species in their natural habitat.
The Park, located in the coastal environs of the Central Region, covers an area of 375 square kilometres (145 sq mi) and was established in 1931 as a reserve, but gazetted as a national park only in 1992 after an initial survey of avifauna was conducted.
Going forward, the Chairman of the Trustees said the Centre envisions will tap into audio visual tourism with an immersive guided tour of the facility and the surrounding to acquaint visitors with its many fascinating attractions.
“We are looking at developing an audio-visual section as well, which will place visitors in the forest. In doing so, we will need your support — both financial and technical.
That forms of plans to change the outlook of the Kakum National Park Visitor Centre and introduce more attractions to enhance the developing tourism landscape of the country.
He expressed gratitude to the Embassy of France in Ghana through the Sankofa, Ghana Tourism Authority, the Wildlife Division of Forestry Commission and consultants from the Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies of the University of Ghana.
GNA