Assessing community members' knowledge, attitudes, and practices in a community-driven ecological restoration: Insights from Ghana

The Bonn Challenge represents one of the world's most ambitious commitments to ecological restoration. Many restoration programmes are led by formal institutions that often overlook local populations' needs. This study examined local communities' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding ecological restoration efforts. Additionally, it sought to identify barriers to effective restoration and the restoration methods adopted at the community level. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and interviews from 417 respondents from 12 communities in Ghana near the Kakum Conservation Area. These data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques, including mean scores , Spearman's rank-order correlation, and ordinal regression coefficients. Agroforestry was the most preferred method of restoration among respondents . The findings demonstrated a high level of knowledge, favourable attitudes, and supportive practices regarding ecological restoration. Knowledge was moderately and significantly correlated with both attitudes and practices. Attitudes showed a strong correlation with restoration practices. Demographic factors, including age, education, residential status, and length of residence, significantly influenced knowledge, attitudes, and practices . The study also identified land tenure systems, farm size , and the unavailability of seedlings as barriers to effective restoration initiatives. The strong interdependence among local peoples' knowledge, attitudes, and practices suggests that restoration efforts could be community-led. Restoration success requires an enabling environment with secure land tenure and sufficient seedlings .