Abstract:

In Ghana’s Guinea savanna ecological zone, fuelwood is the primary source of energy for cooking and heating, but not much is known about the cultural importance of woody species as fuelwood. This study aimed to identify the plant species used as fuelwood and determine their cultural importance in Navrongo Forest District. Totally 246 households that rely on fuelwood as their primary energy source for heating and cooking were selected and interviewed using the free listing technique. The cultural importance index and relative importance index were used to determine the most culturally important species for fuelwood and preferences based on fuel attributes. A total of 32 plant species were identified to be used for fuelwood purposes; Anogeissus leiocarpa was identified to have the highest cultural importance index. The relative importance index revealed that Khaya senegalensis and Vitellaria paradoxa were the most important species based on their fuel attributes. Four species of conservation and economic importance (Khaya senegalensis, Parkia biglobosa, Pterocarpus erinaceus, and Vitellaria paradoxa) were identified as having high cultural importance and relative importance index for fuelwood purposes. It is recommended that species of conservation and economic importance should be evaluated due to the potential impact of their use as fuelwood on biodiversity and local economic development.  

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