Assessment of Natural Regeneration under Different Silvicultural Treatments in Bobiri Forest Reserve in Ghana

This study was conducted in Bobiri Forest Reserve in Ghana to assess natural regeneration under three (3) silvicultural treatments: The Tropical Shelterwood System (TSS), Post Exploitation System (PES) and Girth Limit Selection System (GLS). Data were collected on seedlings with height ≤ 30 cm in one-hectare plots under each silvicultural treatment. The k-tree sampling method was used to establish five (5) sub-sampling plots. 25 seedlings were enumerated in each sub-sampling plot making a total of 125 seedlings. 375 seedlings were enumerated per silvicultural treatment making a total of 1,125 seedlings in three (3) silvicultural treatments. Microsoft Excel was used for cleaning data and computing seedling relative density, and R software was used to compute seedling species abundance, diversity and richness indices. Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 25 was used to test for differences in seedling species abundance, diversity and richness between the three (3) silvicultural treatments using Games–Howell test. There was no significant difference in mean relative density of seedlings between TSS and PES (P = 0.794), TSS and GLS (P = 0.603), and PES and GLS (P = 0.965). The seedling species dominance in three (3) silvicultural treatments showed that Nesogordonia papaverifera had high relative density in TSS (17.6%) and PES (24.0%), and Celtis mildbraedii in GLS (19.2%). Seedling species abundance was statistically distinct between three (3) silvicultural treatments (P = 0.023), and between GLS and TSS (P = 0.015) but was not different between GLS and PES (P = 0.553). Seedling species richness differed significantly between three (3) silvicultural treatments (P = 0.032), and between TSS and GLS (P = 0.04) but not different between PES and GLS (P = 0.778). TSS needs to be emphasized to enhance biodiversity and natural regeneration in Bobiri Forest Reserve and similar tropical forest ecosystems. TSS proved effective in promoting natural regeneration. However, given the implications of treatment cost, this study recommends to adopt a more practical and cost-effective approaches such as pre and post-harvest tending operations to enhance regeneration and biodiversity.