KAWA MULTIMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
Forestry in Nigeria
Nigeria is one of the leading producers of logs, timber and other wood products in Africa. The country has different forms of forest cover ranging from tropical rain forests to savanna woodlands. But most valuable logs and timber are extracted from the southern tropical rain forests. Since the late 19th Century Nigeria has been exporting tropical hardwoods especially to the United Kingdom and Western Europe.
Like those of Ivory Coast, Nigeria's forests have suffered massive exploitation since the mid 1960s. This has resulted from the increasing demand for logs, timber, pulp and other wood products. Extraction of wood fuel is another consuming vice in Nigeria's forest industry. Even the gazetted forest reserves are being cleared at an alarming rate of 25,000 hectares a year.
The establishment of new and modern pulp and paper mills at Itu and Iwopin has increased demand for wood several fold. Today there are many wood processing factories in the country; they include 1300 saw mills, 7 plywood factories and two board mills. These process both local and imported logs. By the early 1990s about 4 million cubic metres of logs were being processed in Nigeria every year.
With me skyrocketing demand for pulp, paper, veneers, timber and other wood products, it has been projected that the country's forest cover will not be able to support her domestic demands up to the middle of the 21st century. To avert that impending crisis the Nigerian government has set up a special body, known as the Forestry Commission, to monitor the exploitation and conservation of forests. The work of the Commission involves the following aspects;
Protective forestry:' This is concerned with conserving soil in the forested areas. Conservation of water and watershed are also important.
Amenity forestry:- This is concerned with the planting of avenue trees, and protection as well as control of felling trees on government lands.
Research and investigation:- The Commission carries out research' in various aspects of forestry, for example, research into indigenous fruit trees is given much attention.
Stabilization of rural population:- This involves checking rural-urban drift so that the forestry industry can get all the required labour force from the rural settings.
Afforestation and re-aftbrestation :- The Commission carries out the task of creating new forests especially oft idle government lands. It also patrols forest reserves and re-plants me exploited areas with new trees.
Establishment of forest reserves where trees and forests can be fully protected.
Like those of Ivory Coast, Nigeria's forests have suffered massive exploitation since the mid 1960s. This has resulted from the increasing demand for logs, timber, pulp and other wood products. Extraction of wood fuel is another consuming vice in Nigeria's forest industry. Even the gazetted forest reserves are being cleared at an alarming rate of 25,000 hectares a year.
The establishment of new and modern pulp and paper mills at Itu and Iwopin has increased demand for wood several fold. Today there are many wood processing factories in the country; they include 1300 saw mills, 7 plywood factories and two board mills. These process both local and imported logs. By the early 1990s about 4 million cubic metres of logs were being processed in Nigeria every year.
With me skyrocketing demand for pulp, paper, veneers, timber and other wood products, it has been projected that the country's forest cover will not be able to support her domestic demands up to the middle of the 21st century. To avert that impending crisis the Nigerian government has set up a special body, known as the Forestry Commission, to monitor the exploitation and conservation of forests. The work of the Commission involves the following aspects;
Protective forestry:' This is concerned with conserving soil in the forested areas. Conservation of water and watershed are also important.
Amenity forestry:- This is concerned with the planting of avenue trees, and protection as well as control of felling trees on government lands.
Research and investigation:- The Commission carries out research' in various aspects of forestry, for example, research into indigenous fruit trees is given much attention.
Stabilization of rural population:- This involves checking rural-urban drift so that the forestry industry can get all the required labour force from the rural settings.
Afforestation and re-aftbrestation :- The Commission carries out the task of creating new forests especially oft idle government lands. It also patrols forest reserves and re-plants me exploited areas with new trees.
Establishment of forest reserves where trees and forests can be fully protected.