The International Day of Forests is observed annually on March 21st to increase understanding about the significance of forests and the important work they do in nurturing life on earth. The UN General Assembly officially announced 21st March as the International Day of Forests in 2012. The Day celebrates and raises awareness of the importance of all types of forests. In Nigeria, the day is marked with several events and activities to increase awareness about the need to preserve and defend forests.
Nigeria is home to assortment of forests, including rainforests, savannahs, and mangroves. These forests supply a variety of advantages, incorporating the supply of timber, non-timber forest products, food, water, and protection for wildlife. They are also essential for weather policies and carbon reserves, helping to alleviate the effects of weather change.
To handle these issues, the government and other stakeholders have undertaken several ideas directed at preserving and restoring forests. For example, the Nigerian REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forrest Degradation) project is a joint action between the government and several partners, including the UN Development Program (UNDP) and the World Bank. The project seeks to lessen emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and enable sustainable forest surveillance methods.
The International Day of Forests in 2023 marks the 11th time the event is being celebrated in a row since 2012 when the United Nations mapped out the March 21 of every year to celebrate International Day of Foretsts and for converving and preserving forests.
In Nigeria, deforestation is a serious issue that has adverse effects on the society. People clear wide range of trees and forest area for the purpose of logging, agricultural purposes, collection of wood for fuel, and firewood to cook. From 2000 to 2005, Nigeria had the highest rate of deforestation in the world at 55.7%, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
In the 1950s, large areas of land were set out as protected areas, but they no longer exist, due in part to increasing demand for resources essential for the country’s growing population. Nigeria’s biodiversity has been greatly influenced by environmental degradation and deforestation, as well as the intrusion on land and its conversion for other uses.
The Global Forest Watch reported that 567,371 out of 10,048,732 hectares of forest had been lost to deforestation as of 2006. Between 2000 and 2005, the rate of forest change increased from 31.2% to 3.12% annually. Nigeria lost 14% of its primary forest between 2002 and 2020. Forests are cleared mostly for sale as wood, timber export, and subsistence farming, which remains problematic in Western Africa. The rate of deforestation has increased due to a high demand for fuel wood, which is a source of energy for cooking as well as a main source of income in rural areas.
Deforestation has numerous adverse effects on the environment such as desertification, loss of ecosystem, loss of biodiversity, and degradation and soil erosion. Deforestation threatens the sustainability of the environment and puts the economy and the citizens at risk.
From a research carried out between 2001 and 2020 by the Nigeria Deforestation rates & statistics, it was gathered that the five most affected states are Edo, Ondo, Cross River, Taraba, and Ogun states respectively. Edo state has sustained the highest forest loss of 268kha as to an average of 28.2kha. Other affected states in Nigeria include Delta, Kogi, Osun, Ekiti, and Oyo states respectively.
The demand for cocoa and palm oils in Cross River and Ondo State has led to environmental degradation. A possible response to deforestation is to educate the society on the sustainable use of natural resources, forest management, improved technology, and available power sources.
In addition to these ideas, the International Day of Forests allows raising public attention about the essence of forests and the need to safeguard them.
This year’s theme for the International Day of Forests is ‘Forests and Health’. The theme accentuates the significance of conserving forest matter to improve health and well-being.
The International Day of Forests is an important event to raise awareness about the important work of forests in nourishing life on earth. In Nigeria, the day brings an opportunity to encourage forest conservation and restoration efforts and encourage individuals and the government to take action to conserve our forests for future years.
