The

Butterfly Conservation Society, Ghana

The idea of BCGHANA has emerged in young enthusiastic lepidopterists

who are engaged with nature conservation, and have recognized the terrible amount of habitat loss of butterflies caused mainly by deforestation, mining activities, non-sustainable agriculture and bush fires in Ghana. The recognition of the facts, that the present network of the conservation areas are far not sufficient to protect lots of Ghanaian, Volta or West-African endemic species (e.g. Mylothris atewa, Capys vorgasi, Papilio nobicea), as well as some of the most important butterfly habitats lie outside the National Parks, such as Atewa Range, Bobiri Forest, Avatime Range in Volta Region, led us to form a society, which can help the situation of butterfly research and conservation in Ghana. Our aims are to create an up to date butterfly inventory and identify Important Butterfly Areas to help them prevent from habitat destruction and degradation, to lobby to integrate some areas into the Nature Reserve Network or raise some areas to National Park level.

BCGHANA is also aimed to invite internationally recognized researchers for collaboration in different scientific disciplines as well as raise international awarness on Ghana's exceptionally rich biodiversity.

Ecotourism is also an important part of conservation, of which's promotion and development is our important duty, as ecotourism could be the future source of income for local people around areas, which are recognized as popular tourist attractions. Mole National Park, Kakum and Wli Waterfalls already have a reputation which brings many visitors to Ghana, but future will create more interest in natural attractions for wider populations, because the growing destruction of nature will raise a demand for the lost, in people who've never felt concerned before. Why wouldn't we make Ghana as one of their main destination, instead of desert of abandoned mining pits and million hectares of clearfelled areas.

These objectives cannot be achieved without education of local people, conservationists,

agricultural and forestry experts, whose understanding could develope an environmental conscious nation in Ghana.