The 2019 international Day of forests was celebrated with the theme “forests and education, the need to educate ourselves on the importance of the forests. HELEN OJI report The United Nations General Assembly adopted and declared March 21 of every year as International Day of Forests to raise awareness on the importance of protecting all types of forests for sustainable development. Nigeria which is blessed by abundant forest and natural resources that has contributed significantly in sustaining our national economy until the discovery of oil, this year’s celebration provides an opportunity to remind us of the need to retrace our steps where we have been unkind to the quiet and pristine forests and its resources that have been our major natural means of life sustenance.
Manage and protect natural resources
The desire to ensure that we manage and protect our natural resources for the greater benefit of the greater majority of Nigerians, education as a means of learning, unlearning, re-learning and reminding, provides opportunities for us to do the right things at the right time and for the right purpose.
3.5% annual rate of deforestation
According to the Minister of Environment, surv, Hassan Suleiman Zarma, said the importance and value of forests to our daily lives become more important at this point of our development when the forests is being indiscriminately cleared and exploited both for immediate economic gains and development planning.
“The present 3.5% annual rate of deforestation and its accompanying loss of between 350,000 and 400,00 hectares of land every year is causing serious flooding, erosion, desertification, biodiversity loss and declining food security,” he stressed.
“The high rate of unregulated exploitation is causing the country huge loss in taxable income and foreign exchange because such unregulated exploitation are usually done below the radar and is not captured in our economic development indices.
Prevent soil erosion and lower atmospheric temperatures
He said, It is important to state that they prevent soil erosion and lower atmospheric temperatures serve as God’s own pharmaceutical store and provide natural foods especially condiments.
“In spite of these services compounded by the perceived limitless nature of our forest, their ability to sustain mankind and contribute to sustainable development has been severely impacted by a number of human made factors especially unregulated or poorly managed human activities.
He added that it is very imperative that we do everything we can to preserve and protect our forest and it is for this reason that federal ministry of environment remains focused on ensuring environmental protection and conservation of natural resources for sustainable development.
Generate business and economic opportunities
“We are guided by the 2016-2020, environment sector strategic plan, which seeks to support the government and people of Nigeria in delivering economic, social and environmental change by realigning the environment sector with key priorities of government and desires of the people and forest programmes in the environment sector master plan is to build long term resilience that generates business and economic opportunities while providing societal benefits as well as ensuring environmental sustainability.
“The ministry has established a national forestry trust fund that is aimed at providing resources, complementary to government’s statutory allocation, for carrying out reforestation and sustainable management of the country’s forest, reserves and production landscapes to achieve significant increase in forest cover, sustainable production, services for socio-economic Development.
He further stated that they are public private partnership with the Association of Charcoal Exporters of Nigeria (ACEN), Processed Wood Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria (PROWPMAN) and the Tropical Wood Exporters Association of Nigeria (TWEAN) for establishing plantation across the country.”The Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN) is engaged in developing plantations across the various ecological zones in the country, producing improved tree seeding and at production costs only to encourage tree planting and strengthening the existing and new school of forestry.
He noted that the administrative procedures is to reduce the rate of exploitation and exportation of wood and it’s products, the suspension of charcoal export, abiding by the suspension of trade in Rosewood placed by the convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora (CITES) as well as developing new guidelines for export of wood and allied products from Nigeria.”The ministry is combating illegal wildlife trade to help not only to conserve our biodiverse resources but also dissociate Nigeria classified as a transit hub for sure such criminal activities.
Education key to forest
According to the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Environment, Mrs Ibukun Odusote says future looks very gloomy for Nigerian forests due to the over-exploitation of economic trees and other vital forests resources.
She noted that this year’s celebration – “Forests and Education” as well as its slogan “Learn to Love our Forests” clearly reinforces the need to educate ourselves on the importance of the forests and learn how to appreciate and use them for our benefits as well the benefits of the unborn generation.
“In line with the theme, the choice of this venue Cyprian Ekwensi Centre For Arts and Culture, Abuja) named after one of Nigeria’s renowned lovers of arts and culture further creates an opportunity for us to re-learn about our National Flower, the Yellow Trumpet Costus spectabilis.
Unrecognised and mis-represented
“All our national treasures, I dare say that this is the most unrecognised and most mis-represented. This yellow flower has been consistently wrongfully represented as red in some of our Coat of Arms.
“Worst still, the plant that used to be ubiquitous and can be found virtually in every part of the country – which is the reason it was chosen as our national flower besides its multiple use – is now endangered and can only be found as relics in very few areas,” she added.
Mrs. Odusote further stated that her Ministry has structured this year’s presentation to focus on reminding us of the likelihood of losing our indigenous and iconic plant species if we continue to treat our forests resources as what we would have in perpetuity, if no conscious effort is made to use them sustainably.
Stakeholders who gave their goodwill remarks at the event, recalled that there was a time in most tropical countries, especially in Nigeria, when forest and its abundant resources contributed significantly in sustaining our national economy until the discovery of oil.
“Though, that era has since gone, they pledged to advocate for endangered Nigerian forests and its beneficial resources for economic growth.
