Expert says forests contribute to livelihood of 1.6b people
Dr Morenike Ojo, Provost, Federal College of Forestry, Ibadan, says forests provide home to no fewer than 300 million people and contribute to the livelihood of 1.6 billion people worldwide, noting that the products and services the forests provide are essential to every aspect of life.
“In many developing communities, more than 80 per cent of total energy such as fuel, wood and charcoal consumed by people and industry are derived from the forests.
“Trade in timber and other forest products are estimated at almost 330 billion US dollars a year,” she said.
She emphasised that forests also sustain the quality and availability of fresh water supplies, as it regulates water for many of the world’s rivers and help secure water quality.
Ojo added that they also help to decrease the impacts of landslides, storms and floods, and also help to check erosion.
Ojo expressed dissatisfaction that human activities were fast depleting the forests, stressing that deforestation and forest degradation account for nearly 20 per cent of global green house gas emissions.
She stressed the need for people to tailor their lifestyle to protect the forest as much as they can.
Ojo said that the college was living up to its mandate by embarking on research on how to boost agricultural production, as well as check environmental degradation.
“The college under Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN) did research on different species of seedlings and their suitability in different ecological zones of the country.
“We raise seedlings that are capable of mitigating desertification in the North, erosion in the South-East and deforestation in the South-West.
“We established plantations of both indigenous and exotic tree species and carry out tree planting exercise yearly; we also practice agro- forestry for sustainable land use to maintain soil fertility,” she said.