Dr. Ernest Foli is an emeritus Principal Research Scientist with over 38 years’ experience in forestry research drawn from his vast expertise in tropical forest silviculture and management, forest ecology, forest mensuration and inventory, and forest growth and yield modelling, and recently focussing more on forest landscape restoration for climate change mitigation and adaption.

His practical research experience has enhanced his capacity for information dissemination through teaching and capacity building nationally and internationally. As Academic Coordinator he played an instrumental role in running the University of Eastern Finland's off-shore dual postgraduate (MSc/eMBA) degree programme in Bio-Economy & Natural Resources Management at CSIR-FORIG, Kumasi. He also served as Head of the Department of Natural Resources Management of the Climate Change Programme of CSIR College of Science & Technology from 2016 to 2024. Together with teaching Forest Management for over 21 years in the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, he has contributed to the training and mentoring of more than 1,500 foresters over the years, many currently in highly-placed positions locally and internationally.

Dr. Foli has held several management positions in CSIR-FORIG including the position of Deputy Director (2010 - 2012); Head, Ecosystem Services & Climate Change Division (2016 - 2019; 2012 - 2014 and 2008 -2010); and Head, Plantation Production Division (2001 - 2007). He has demonstrably high organisational and leadership skills, which he has brought to bear through leading and guiding research in the research Divisions that he has headed during his career, as well as several international and local research projects and consultancy services that he has led as principal investigator/lead consultant. Over the years he has demonstrated significant capacity to generate and attract funds internally and externally to support research activities.

His research contribution to the forestry sector to date is evidenced by 252 scientific outputs including 40 peer-reviewed journal/magazine articles, 16 authored/co-authored books, 11 Manuals/Policy Briefs, 71 technical/scientific research/consultancy reports, and 114 scientific conference papers/posters, having participated in more than 130 international and local conferences, seminars and workshops.

Locally, he has represented CSIR in several national Climate Change Committees and Working Groups, and internationally serves as General Coordinator of the Forestry Research Network of Sub-Saharan Africa 2 (FORNESSA), and is the focal point for the United Nations Forum on Forests’ (UNFF) Major Group of the Scientific and Technological Community. He has also served in various roles in the International Union of Forest Research Organisations (IUFRO) since 1996 and was recently appointed as Chair of the Congress Scientific Committee (2024 - 2029) in preparation towards the XXVII IUFRO World Congress in Nairobi, Kenya in 2029.

As a distinguished international scientist, he was appointed by the UN General Assembly in 2016 as one of 15 Eminent Scientists from fifteen countries to draft the premier Quadrennial Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR, 2019).

Dr. Foli’s outstanding contributions to national climate change mitigation and adaptation through REDD+ in Ghana are manifested in the performance-based payments for REDD+ that Ghana has so far received under Ghana’s flagship REDD+ programme (Ghana Cocoa Forest REDD+ Programme). Furthermore, as CSIR representative, his contributions to the publication of the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report (2016), Second Biennial Update Report (2018) and Ghana’s 4th Communication to UNFCCC (2020) are noteworthy.

Baker, T.R., Adu-Bredu, S., Affum-Baffoe, K., Aiba, S., Akite, P., Alexiades, M., Almeida, E., ……..Foli, E.G., et al. 2025. Large range sizes link fast life histories with high species richness across wet tropical tree floras. Scientific Reports (2025) 15: 4695. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-84367-3.

2. Akoto, D,A., Kidido, J.K., Opoku, P., Bugri, J.T., Foli, E.G. 2024. A systematic review on land access and power dynamics in illegal small-scale mining in Ghana. African Journal on Land Policy and Geospatial Sciences, 7 (6): 1724 – 1741. December 2024.

3. Cooper, D.L.M., Lewis, S.L., Sullivan, M.J.P., Prado, P.I., ter Steege, H., ……Foli, E.G., et al. 2024. Consistent Patterns of Common Species across Tropical Tree Communities. Nature (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06820-z.

4. Himes, A., Bauhus, J.,·Adhikari, S. Barik, S.K., Brown, H., Brunner, A., Burton, P.J., Coll, L., D’Amato, A.W., Diaci, J., Dorji, Y., Foli, E.G., et al. 2023. Forestry in the Face of Global Change: Results of a Global Survey of Professionals. Current Forestry Reports, Nov. 2023; DOI 10.1007/s40725-023-00205-1.

5. Ashiagbor, G., Asante, W.A., Forkuo, E.K., Acheampong, E., Foli, E.G. 2022. Monitoring cocoa-driven deforestation: The Contexts of Encroachment and Land use Policy Implications for Deforestation- free Cocoa Supply Chains. Applied Geography, 147 (2022) 102788: 1 – 12.

6. Guuroh, R.T., Foli, E.G., Addo-Danso, S.D., Stanturf, J., Kleine, M., Burns, J. 2021. Restoration of Degraded Forest Reserves in Ghana. Reforesta, 12: 35 - 55. DOI: https:/dx.doi.org/10.21750/REFOR.12.05.97.

7. Bennet, A.C., Dargie, G.C., Cuni-Sanchez, A., Mukendi, J.T., Mukinzi, J.M., Phillips, O.L., Mahli, Y., Hubau, W., ……….Foli, E.G., et al. 2021. Resistance of African Tropical Forests to an Extreme Climate Anomaly. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 3 (PNAS), Vol. 118 (21): 1 -12.June 2021.

8. Oduro, K.A., Damnyag, L., Abukari, H., Abbe, A., Obeng, E.A., Twumasi-Ankra, A. and Foli, E.G. 2020. Livelihood Assets and Predicted Effects of REDD+ Implementation in Farming Communities in the Transition and High Forest Zones of Ghana. Ghana Journal of Forestry, 36 (1): 34 – 57.

9. Oduro, K.A., Damnyag, L., Foli, E.G. 2020. Cocoa Warms to REDD+ in Ghana. Tropical Forest Update, 29 (4)2020:6 – 8. ISSN 1022-5439.

10. Ashiagbor, G., Forkuo, E., Asante, W.A., Acheampong, E., Quaye- Ballard, J., Boama, P., Mohammed, Y., Foli, E.G. 2020. Pixel-based and Object-oriented Approaches in Segregating Cocoa from Forest in the Juabeso-Bia Landscape of Ghana. Remote Sensing Applications: Society and Environment,19 (2020): 100349.

11. Sullivan, M.J.P., Lewis, S.L., Affum-Baffoe, K., Castilho, C., Costa, F., Sanchez, A.C., Ewango, C.E.N., Hubau, W., Marimon, B.S.,......., Foli, E.G., et al. 2020. Long term Thermal Sensitivity of Earth’s Tropical Forests. Science, 368: 869 - 874(2020).

12. Obeng, E.A., Obiri, B.D., Oduro, K.A., Pentsil, S., Anglaaere, L.C., Foli, E.G., Ofori, D.A. 2020. Economic Values of Non-market Forest Ecosystem Services Derived from Integrated Trees in Cocoa Farms. Current Research in Environmental Sustainability, 2 (100019): 1 – 15.

13. Addo-Danso, S.D., Defrenne, C.E., Prescott, C.E., McCormack, L.M., Ostonen, I., Addo-Danso, A., Foli, E.G., Borden, K.A., Marney, E.I. 2020. Fine-root morphological trait variation in tropical forest ecosystems: an evidence analysis.Plant Ecology, (2020): 1 - 13.https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-019-00986-1. ISSN 1385-0237.

14. Hubau, W., Lewis, S.L., Phillips, O.L., Affum-Baffoe, K., Beeckman, H., Cuní-Sanchez, A., Daniels, A.K., Ewango, C.E.N., Fauset, S., Mukinzi, J.M., Sheil, D., ......Foli, E.G., et al. 2020. Asynchronous Carbon Sink Saturation in African and Amazonian Tropical Forests.Nature, 579: 80–87 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586- 020-2035-0.

15. Messerli, P., Kim, E.M., Lutz, W., Moatti, J-P., Richardson, K., Saidam, M., Smith, D., Eloundou-Enyegue, P., Foli, E.G., Glassman, A., Licona, G.H., Murniningtyas, E., Staniskis, J.K., Ypersele, J-P. 2019. Expansion of Sustainability Science Needed for the SDGs. Nature Sustainability, 2: 892 – 894.

16. Schepaschenko, D., Zo-Bi., I., Chave, J., Phillips, O., Lewis, S., Davies, S., Réjou-Méchain,M., Sist, P., Scipal, K., Perger, C., Hérault, B., Labrière, N., Hofhansl, F.,....... Foli, E.G., et al. 2019. The Forest Observation System, Building a Global Reference Dataset for Remote Sensing of Forest Biomass.Scientific Data, 6:198 (2019) https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-019-0196-1.

2005 PhD (Forestry). University of Aberdeen, UK. Tropical Forest Silviculture & Management.

1993 M.Phil (Forestry). University of Aberdeen. UK. Forest Mensuration & Inventory.

1986 B.Sc. (Hons) Natural Resources Management. University of Science & Technology, Kumasi. Ghana. Silviculture & Forest Management.

Tropical Forest Silviculture and Management; Forest Mensuration and Inventory; Forest Growth and Yield Modelling.

Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation; Carbon Inventory; Forest Ecology and Management; Natural Forest and Plantation Silviculture; Forest Landscape Restoration for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation.

2019 – Date: Principal Scientist (Emeritus) and Senior Lecturer, Department of Natural Resources Management, CSIR College of Science & Technology, Kumasi Campus.

2016 – 2024: Head, Department of Natural Resources Management, CSIR College of Science & Technology, Kumasi Campus..

2016 – 2019: Principal Scientist and Head, Forests & Climate Change Division, CSIR-FORIG.

2015 – 2016: Forest Management for REDD+ Mainstreaming Expert. Sabbatical year with Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry & Food Security, Sierra Leone on the EU-funded REDD+ & Capacity Building Project in Sierra Leone.

2013 – 2015: Head, Ecosystem Services and Climate Change Division.

2013 – 2015: Head, Environment, Biodiversity & Land Use Unit.

2012 – 2015: Academic Coordinator & Part-time Senior Lecturer, University of Eastern Finland/CSIR-FORIG M.Sc/eMBA Programme.

2010 –2012: Deputy Director.

2011 - 2011: Ag. Director (3 months).

2010 – 2015: Head, Training & Consultancy Unit.

2009 – 2011: Head, Environment, Biodiversity & Land Use Unit.

2008 – 2010: Head, Ecosystem Services & Climate Change Division.

2001 – 2022: Part time Senior Lecturer at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources.

2001 – 2007: Senior Research Scientist / Head of Plantation Production Division.

1993 – 2001: Research Scientist / Head, Mensuration & Inventory Section of Plantation Production Division.

1988 – 1993: Assistant Research Scientist. Acted as Head of Timber Economics & Statistics Section (1988 – 1991).

1986 – 1988: Research Assistant (National Service) at CSIR-FORIG.

2019 – Date: Principal Scientist (Emeritus) and Senior Lecturer, Department of Natural Resources Management, CSIR College of Science & Technology, Kumasi Campus.

2016 – 2024: Head, Department of Natural Resources Management, CSIR College of Science & Technology, Kumasi Campus..

2016 – 2019: Principal Scientist and Head, Forests & Climate Change Division, CSIR-FORIG.

2015 – 2016: Forest Management for REDD+ Mainstreaming Expert. Sabbatical year with Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry & Food Security, Sierra Leone on the EU-funded REDD+ & Capacity Building Project in Sierra Leone.

2013 – 2015: Head, Ecosystem Services and Climate Change Division.

2013 – 2015: Head, Environment, Biodiversity & Land Use Unit.

2012 – 2015: Academic Coordinator & Part-time Senior Lecturer, University of Eastern Finland/CSIR-FORIG M.Sc/eMBA Programme.

2010 –2012: Deputy Director.

2011 - 2011: Ag. Director (3 months).

2010 – 2015: Head, Training & Consultancy Unit.

2009 – 2011: Head, Environment, Biodiversity & Land Use Unit.

2008 – 2010: Head, Ecosystem Services & Climate Change Division.

2001 – 2022: Part time Senior Lecturer at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources.

2001 – 2007: Senior Research Scientist / Head of Plantation Production Division.

1993 – 2001: Research Scientist / Head, Mensuration & Inventory Section of Plantation Production Division.

1988 – 1993: Assistant Research Scientist. Acted as Head of Timber Economics & Statistics Section (1988 – 1991).

1986 – 1988: Research Assistant (National Service) at CSIR-FORIG.

Senior Lecturer and Head of the Department of Natural Resources Management, CSIR College of Science & Technology, Kumasi Campus.

2. Part time Senior Lecturer at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources.

3. Academic Coordinator and Senior Lecturer, University of Eastern Finland/CSIR-FORIG M.Sc/eMBA Programme.

4. External Examiner at:

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, Kumasi.

Lilongwe University of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Malawi.

University of Environment & Natural Resources, Sunyani.

University for Development Studies, Tamale.

Principal's Grant Award, University of Aberdeen (2003).

Charles Sutherland's Bequest Award, University of Aberdeen (2002).

ITTO Freezaillah Fellowship Awards (1999 and 2002).

Tropenbos International Fellowship Award (2002).

Recognition by the United Nations General Assembly as one of 15 eminent international scientists to draft the First Quadrennial Sustainable Development Goals Report (2016 - 2019).

Certificate of Recognition of Service towards Plantation Development in Ghana by CSIR-Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (2010).

2015 – 2024: World Bank / Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Ghana. Enhancing Natural Forest and Agroforest Landscapes Project (ENFALP).

2022 – 2023: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Preparatory Outputs for the Implementation of a Large- scale Carbon Offset Programme in Ghana.

2021 -2023: UK-PACT/Ecometrica. Assuring Forest-Positive Commodity Exports from Nigeria: A Regional Demonstration.

2015 – 2020: African Development Bank / Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Ghana. Engaging Local Communities in REDD+ and Enhancing Carbon Stocks (ELCIR+).

2020: International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO)/BMU. Governance of Forest Landscape Restoration – Analyses of Governance Issues in Cases from Ghana and India.

2019: International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO)/BMU. Forest Landscape Restoration Snapshot Analysis.

2017 -2019: Coalition for Rainforest Nations. Cooperation to scale up private sector involvement in support of mitigation and adaptation to climate change, addressing the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation, and enhancement of low carbon sustainable development.

2017 – 2020: Ecometrica / UK Space Agency. Forests 2020 Project: Improving Earth Observation applications to tropical forests in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Ghana, Kenya and Indonesia.

Recognition as an Eminent Scientist by the UN and contribution to the drafting of the premier Quadrennial Global Sustainable Development Report (2016 - 2019).

Contribution to the forestry sector in Ghana through training and mentorship of more than 1,500 Ghanaian professional foresters.

Contribution to performance-based payments received for REDD+ under the flagship Ghana Cocoa Forest REDD+ Programme.

Contribution to the National Plantation Development Strategy (2016 - 2040) by developing techniques for plantation development and forest landscape restoration.

Contribution to the publication of the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report (2016), Second Biennial Update Report (2018) and Ghana’s 4th Communication to UNFCCC (2020).

Chair, Congress Scientific Committee for XXVII IUFRO World Congress (2024 - 2029).

Fellow, Ghana Institute of Foresters.

Member of the Governing Council, Commonwealth Forestry Association, UK (2009 - present).

Member of the General Council, University of Aberdeen (2006 - present).

Member, Association for Tropical Biology & Conservation, UK. (2003 - present).

Focal Point for the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) Major Group on Scientific and Technological Community.

Executive Secretary / General Coordinator, Forestry Research Network of Sub-Saharan Africa (FORNESSA).

Member, IUFRO Regional Science-Policy Information Networks (SPIN).

International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) Taskforce for Transforming Forest Landscapes for Future Climates and Human Well-being.

Deputy Coordinator of IUFRO Division 1.06 (Silviculture) since 2019.

CSIR Focal Point on the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the Global South Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability.

Member, IUFRO International Council (2015 - 2019).

Member, IUFRO Forest Futures Task Force (2015-2019).

Member of Modelling Task Team of Ghana’s Low Emission Development Strategy, LEDs (2018).

CSIR Representative, National Climate Change Committee (2010 - 2014).

CSIR Representative on the National Network for Climate Change Education, Training and Public Awareness (CCETPa).

Chair, National Multi-Stakeholder REDD+ Technical Working Group on Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) System (since 2010).

Chair, National Multi-Stakeholder REDD+ Technical Working Group on REDD+ Demonstrational Projects (2010 - 2015).

Chair, National Multi-Stakeholder REDD+ Technical Working Group on Reference Scenario / Reference Emission Level (since 2010).