Groundbreaking Collaboration Aims to Boost Tree Canopy Research in Africa
By Africazine | Sunyani, Bono | April 9, 2025
In an exciting development for environmental science, the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) in Sunyani has received a generous donation of scientific equipment valued at ,000 from a team of tree climbing experts hailing from Germany and Australia. This remarkable gift, which includes cutting-edge drone cameras, is poised to significantly enhance the university’s research capabilities in tree canopy studies and ecological monitoring.
Mr. Sam Hardingham, an esteemed arborist and tree climbing instructor as well as the Director of Everydayarbor in Australia, expressed the importance of this collaboration. “The equipment will greatly aid in advancing research into tree canopies, an area that is critical for understanding our forests and their ecosystems,” he said. The donation comes as part of a broader initiative to bridge the existing research gap in canopy sciences, not just in Ghana but across Africa.
Joining Hardingham on this mission are Vicki Tough, a tree climbing instructor from the Sylvana Alta Tree Climbing Training School in Germany, and Steven Pearce, Director of Thretreeprojects.com in Australia. Together, they are committed to imparting essential tree climbing skills to students and researchers from UENR’s Department of Biological Sciences.
The UENR community is enthusiastic about the collaboration. Professor Elvis Asare-Bediako, the university’s Vice Chancellor, shared his gratitude, noting how this partnership is set to position UENR as a leading hub for canopy research in Africa. “From our interactions, we foresee UENR becoming the epicenter of canopy research on the continent,” he stated.
Dr. Bismarck Ofosu-Bamfo, an Ecologist at UENR, emphasized the necessity of the training, which will not only enhance local expertise but also foster regional collaboration. International participants, including students and researchers from Gabon, Rwanda, and Guinea, are set to join the training sessions from April 9 to April 18, 2025. This effort underscores the university’s commitment to nurturing a new generation of ecologists well-versed in tree climbing and canopy research.
As Africa increasingly faces ecological challenges, strengthening research capabilities in forest ecosystems is more vital than ever. This collaboration not only represents a significant advancement for UENR but also paves the way for impactful research that can benefit the entire continent.
Stay tuned for more updates on this promising initiative as it unfolds!
Tags: #Ghana #TreeCanopyResearch #UENR #Ecology #WorldNews
