Deforestation and Land-Cover Changes in the Forest Reserves of Southwest Nigeria
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Date
2018
Authors
Fasona, M.J
Akintuyi, A.O
Udofia, S.K
Akoso, T.M
Ariori, N.A
Adeonipekun, P.A
Agboola, O.O
Ogundipe, O.T
Soneye, A.S
Omojola, A.S
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Department of Geography, Univesrity of Lagos
Abstract
As part of the sustainable wood resource supply and ecosystems management strategies, colonial Nigeria government designated/gazetted some areas as forest reserves. These reserves have over the years suffered from poor inventory, depletion and poor management. This study was carried out to inventorize of the status and evaluate the land-cover changes in forest reserves located Southwest Nigeria. Triangulated approach consisting of social surveys, remote sensing and GIS analyses and field investigation was adopted. Archived maps and interview with senior forestry officers provide data on the extent, management and challenges of the reserves. Information on the land-cover conditions was sourced from time-series Landsat image data provide. Both digital pixel-based and semi-automated feature-based image classification and interpretation techniques were adopted. Validation of interpreted maps was accomplished using collateral information from base maps and land-cover-tied GPS coordinates accumulated on the field. Forest reserves covered between 11,825.18 km2 and 12,443.77 km2 (i.e. 15 to 16 % of SW Nigeria) and many of them created before 1960. Primary (undisturbed) natural forests within the reserves decreased from about 26% in 1986 to 8.3% and 0.1% in 2006 and 2016 respectively. Minimally disturbed forests constitute about 7.6%, 2.8% and 11.9% in 1986, 2006 and 2016 respectively. Area covered by mixture of tree crop and secondary forest within the reserves increased from 1% in 1986 to 3.8% and 12.4% in 2006 and 2016 respectively. Teak/Gmelina is fast dominating the reserves and has consistently increased from about 3.7% in 1986 to 18.4% in 2016. Lack of fund and ineffective policy implementation are major challenges facing the management of the reserves. Concrete efforts must be made to reseed, regenerate and revitalize the reserves with indigenous species so as to prevent total loss of natural forest in the reserves in the near future.
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Mayowa Fasona, Akinlabi Akintuyi, Samuel Udofia, Tamarabrakemi Akoso, Ajibade Ariori, Peter Adeonipekun, Oludare Agboola, Gbenga Ogunsanwo, Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, Alabi Soneye and Ademola Omojola (2018): Deforestation and Land-Cover Changes in the Forest Reserves of Southwest Nigeria. Lagos Journal of Geoinformation Sciences. Vol 5, December 2018. pp67-87. Geography Department, University of Lagos. NIGERIA