It took the local engineers one year to build the magnificent walkway using materials such as wood, safety net, aluminum ladder, nails, bolts and knots among others. The walkway is three Hundred and twenty (320) meters long, forty feet (40ft) high and has five (5) bridges. Other features of the edifice are the six platforms and fence where tourist can rest whiles on tour of the walkway. The forty (40) acres arboretum is home to in-situ and ex-situ plant species with over 600 timber trees, 110 species of birds and 300 species of butterflies. The arboretum is located in the Eastern Region of Ghana in the East - Akyem municipality and lies on latitude 06° 15’ North and longitude 00. At Bunso junction on the main Accra-Kumasi highway near Linda D’or Rest Stop one needs to turn right towards Koforidua. With just about 3km drive, the arboretum can be located on the right hand side of the road.There are lots of experienced tour guides at the facility to conduct visitors around and give one the fascinating history of the place. One of such guides is Simon Akanyagle, a very calm gentleman who knows his job quite well and has the history of the reserve at his fingertips. The 40-acre forest reserve that hosts the aboretum belongs to the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council who leased it to a mining firm in the early twentieth century for surface mining before it was given to another company known as African Products Department for rubber and cocoa plantations in 1917. After some years of operations, the company left and two British namely David Gillet and Frank Thompson bought and built a guest house in 1935. The guesthouse which is still there, is now serving as the official residence for the Vice Chancellor of the University College of Agriculture and Environmental Studies which was established by the Okyehene, Amoatia Ofori Opanin II. In 1946, the facility was acquired by the Plant Genetic Resource and Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) which has been managing it ever since. The forest reserve has some of the rare tree species including Garcinia Kola, known locally as Twepea, reputed for its health benefits. Researches conducted by scientists on the internet are replete with the wonders of this tree.
, “Garcinia kola is used in many tropical countries to fight infectious diseases and also known to possess anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antiviral properties.”
Other tropical tree species found at the centre include Okure, mostly used for dugout canoes and Alpha and Omega trees used for the local sponge (sapowie). Mr Akuffo Asare said as part of the future development plans for the place, and to make it more attractive, he would be building two tree houses with the capacity of housing 20 people per room to make it possible for camping or longer stays at the facility. Although relatively new, Mr Akuffo Asare said so far, patronage of the Aboretum has been very encouraging. He said on July 1, 2014, the facility recorded close to 5000 visitors and on 7 march 2015 11,000 visitors and onfrom within and outside the region. He said patrons from Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Greater Accra and the Volta Regions including foreigners visit the place regularly particularly on weekends and public holidays.
