Under the veil of science: a history of state management of Ghana’s High Forest zone

TY - ABST

T1 - Under the veil of science

T2 - XXIV IUFRO World Congress

AU - Hansen, Christian Pilegaard

AU - Lund, Jens Friis

PY - 2014

Y1 - 2014

N2 - This paper examines the way forest science and knowledge has been used in Ghana to legitimate the power of the central state over forests, and timber resources in particular. It analyses how science has been invoked to authorize management decisions aimed at sustainable forest management, notably the felling cycle, the framework of large and small grained protection measuresand the yield formula and scientifically based forest inventories. The paper focuses on the period from 1989 to the present and is based on analysis of narratives as presented in reports, letters, speeches and newspaper articles. The paper finds that narratives of sustainable timber management based on scientific silvicultural principles have been maintained throughout the period despitemounting evidence of the opposite. The paper thus argues that various forms of official ignorance have been carefully maintained to avoid systematic reassessment and policy learning and ultimately allowing state officials to maintain control over the resource.

AB - This paper examines the way forest science and knowledge has been used in Ghana to legitimate the power of the central state over forests, and timber resources in particular. It analyses how science has been invoked to authorize management decisions aimed at sustainable forest management, notably the felling cycle, the framework of large and small grained protection measuresand the yield formula and scientifically based forest inventories. The paper focuses on the period from 1989 to the present and is based on analysis of narratives as presented in reports, letters, speeches and newspaper articles. The paper finds that narratives of sustainable timber management based on scientific silvicultural principles have been maintained throughout the period despitemounting evidence of the opposite. The paper thus argues that various forms of official ignorance have been carefully maintained to avoid systematic reassessment and policy learning and ultimately allowing state officials to maintain control over the resource.

M3 - Conference abstract in journal

SN - 1465-5489

VL - 16

SP - 92

JO - International Forestry Review

JF - International Forestry Review

IS - 5

Y2 - 5 October 2014 through 11 October 2014

ER -