Leaf Gatherers of Kwapanin, Ghana, The

Describes how the Ghana Forestry Department has acknowledged and overcome the distrust of villagers in the management of non-timber forest products. The collection of wrapping leaves is an important activity for people, particularly women, living near forests in Ghana - yet travelling to distant offices to obtain the required permit was an unacceptable burden for some women. The Forestry Department introduced free permits as an experiment. The paper describes how the women organised themselves efficiently and protected gathering sites.