Zijin Golden Ridge, operator of the Akyem Gold Mine in Ghana, has recently launched the Atewa Biodiversity Offset Project in partnership with the Forestry Commission of Ghana, marking the country’s first large-scale, science-based mining biodiversity offset initiative.

Inaugurated at a ceremony held at the Forestry Commission in Accra, the 10-year conservation initiative is designed to achieve “No Net Loss” of biodiversity resulting from mining activities at the Akyem Gold Mine. It targets the Atewa Range Forest Reserve, a globally significant biodiversity area, through a combination of forest protection, habitat restoration, enrichment planting, and community livelihood support.

The program has set a quantified target of delivering 371 Quality Hectares, a metric that combines spatial area with its ecological quality and biodiversity value. In 2026, it plans to undertake enrichment planting and reforestation on about 1,500 hectares, while carrying out active restoration across 500 hectares.

At the launch ceremony, Zijin Golden Ridge also handed over vehicles, communication tools, and field monitoring equipment to the Forestry Commission, to strengthen its capacity to protect and manage the Atewa Range Forest Reserve.