2022 International Forest Day: Afforestation key to reducing extinction, climate change — Hajiya Sami
By Gloria Akudoro, Abuja
The importance attached to the commemoration of International Day of Forest (IDF) on 21st March yearly cannot be overemphasized, considering the fact that it buttresses natural existence of the ecosystem. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) recognizes this annual event to recreate awareness of the values of Forestry to human beings among other organisms.
To galvanize political will through pulling resources to address global problems such as deforestation which Nigeria have experienced for decades.The proclamation that’s dated back in 2012 and all tiers of governments have been working around the clock to stop trees falling.
Therefore, every year on the IDF, countries are urged to arrange activities involving forest and trees on a local, national and international level such as tree planting campaign.
Forest as part of nature, does a lot of wonders to human beings and the entire ecosystem. A walk in the woods calms and invogerate a troubled mind. It is due to it cruciality to the planet that the UN deems it okay to proclaims March 21st to be IDF. So it’s pertinent not just to organizations, agencies and government but for all to preserve and protect the greatest natural treasure God bestowed on earth.
It is amazing to know that forest covers a very large proportion of land. The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (UN FAO) described Forest as a land spinning more than 0.5 hectares with trees higher than 5 metres and a canopy cover of more than 10 percent. Also from the Global Forest Resource Assessment 2020 (FRA2020) record, Forest covered 4.06 billion hectares representing 31 percent of the world’s land area (That is 1/3 of the land globally).
The record also stated, “More than half (54 percent) of the world’s forest are only in five countries; the Russian Federation – 20 percent, Brazil – 12 percent, Canada – 9 percent, United States of America – 8 percent, and China – 5 percent, with the rest of the world covering 1870 million hectares representing 46 percent.
A recent forest resources study carried out by the Federal Department of Forestry, revealed that the forest estate of Nigeria has been very highly depleted. It was estimated that only about 974,674 hectares of the forest reserves is productive while another 2,342,147 hectares of free areas is partially productive.
Interestingly, forest sustainable management and their use of resources are key to combating climate change, and to contributing to the prosperity and well-being of current and future generations. Forests also play a crucial role in poverty alleviation and in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Yet despite all these priceless ecological, economic, social and health benefits, global deforestation continues at an alarming rate.
In her words, the Acting Director, Federal Department of Forestry, Hajiya Hajara Sami, has said tree planting is the key to mitigate biodiversity, climate change, flooding and erosion and the reason we all most celebrate the International Day of Forest (IDF).
She stated that the IDF is very crucial that the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution that 21st March every year should be celebrated as the day of forest. The central theme for each year is proposed by a group called Collaborative Partnership of Forestry (CPF) for every year’s celebration and in line with whatever’s trending regarding forest.
The theme for this year celebration was, “Forest and Sustainable Production and Consumption” which focused on forest resources and sustainable management of this resources.
The Acting Director further elaborated the objective of IDF noting that through forest, human beings and animals sustain themselves and make their home.
“Forest serves a lot of importance, it takes care of of flooding, soil erosion, reduces atmospheric temperature, nourishes the soil by fixing nitrogen into the soil which is known as ‘Nitrofixation,’ serves as food source for both human beings and animals, woods, timber and fibre is also gotten from it and as habitant for our wildlife.
“Forest acts as carbon sink which absorbs carbon dioxide and releases oxygen into the atmosphere (Carbonsincrusation as its forest terminology). Carbondioxide is part of the green house classes that needs removed so as to mitigate climate change.
“It also supports biodiversity and when you cut trees or remove forest our wildlife go into extinction because they are been driven out of their homes and some migrated because could not find their habitation. Forest importance is too enormous, it benefits can never be overemphasized,” she added.
Hajiya Sami also spoke on deforestation, said it causes a lot of harm not only to human beings but also to animals and to biodiversity in general.
According to her, “Biodiversity is not just animals but to all species in the whole world and forest habitats a lot of them living and enjoying themselves.
“Deforestation is causing us climate change, temperature rise, loss of biodiversity, animals dying and going into extinction, soil erosion and flooding as forest is removed, soil is then exposed to rainfalls that flushes it away.”
Hajiya Sami, however, disclosed that tree planting is the solution if working towards curtailing the effect of deforestation, mitigate biodiversity, climate change, flooding and erosion.
“If you want to stop deforestation, you must plant trees. The solution to all is tree planting and that’s why trees are so important and so is forest. Therefore, we must celebrate this day and globally we celebrate it,” she stated.
Elaborating the activities put in place to curb activities of deforestation, the A.D said the ministry is working accidiously through the department of afforestation campaign in all the states of the federation yearly to scale up.
She expressed that to achieve it fail, the ministry collaborates with some corporate bodies like Rural Watch Africa Initiative (RUWAI) Guinness PLC in afforestation, added that its also renders support to organizations, NGOs, private sectors who wishes to plant with seedlings as well as technical support in planting of trees.
“The department is into a project called ‘Awareness and Sensitisation’ for both adult and children on forestry, importance of trees, wildlife and biodiversity. We travel to states to enlighten the people the cruciality and benefits gotten from afforestation.”
Hajiya Sami further emphasised that aside the ban of exportation of woods and charcoal by the federal government, Nigeria has signed various protocols with other nations of the world in areas of biodiversity, wildlife at different platforms trying to stop trafficking of wild animals.
She stressed that Government is making policy that aid in combating deforestation and will soon launch the National Forest Policy which contains legal instruments to fight against cutting down of trees in all the states and to help understand that deforestation is harmful .
“We have also ‘National Forestry Act’ that is on passage for approval at the Ministery of Justice. Another legal instrument we need to use and once approved will back up our National Forest Policy.”
