Among the developing nations that are endowed naturally with forest reserves in Nigeria, apart from been blessed with petroleum and petroleum products, not excluding palm oil, cocoa, rubber, and others which are all-natural resources, Forest Reserve is also one of the natural resources that serve as a source of income in Nigeria.
The locations of these Forest Reserves in Nigeria are mostly in the South West region with few situated in the other parts.
That region of the forest that has been set aside and well preserved against any public harvesting of any non -wood products and the wood products is referred to as Forest Reserve.
The government which includes the federal and state government conserve or preserve these areas in order to protect wildlife activities.
Forest Reserves in Nigeria and their Locations
- Afi River F.R. Cross River State
- Akure F.R. Akure, Ondo State
- Edumanom F.R. Nembe/Brass Bayelsa State
- Idanre F.R. Idanre, Ondo State
- Ise F.R. Ise, Ekiti State
- Ngel Nyaki F.R. (Majang) Mambilla Plateau, Taraba State
- Oba Hills F.R. Osun State
- Okulese F.R. Ondo State
- Okomu F.R. Ovia South West, Edo State
- Oluwa F.R. Ondo State
- Omo F.R. Ogun State
- Shasha F.R. Ondo State
- Yankari Game Reserve Bauchi State
Details of Forest Reserves And Their Locations In Nigeria
This list explained below are the lists of the Forest Reserves and their locations in Nigeria;
1. Okulese Forest Reserve
Situated within the part of South West in Nigeria. It serves as a habitat for the various endangered species of birds. 144 square kilometres is the summary area of land covered by this reserve.
2. Ise Forest Reserve
The Southwestern region of Nigeria is where the Ise Forest Reserve is situated. The total quantity of land area covered by this forest reserve is 142 square Kilometers.
3. Oluwa Forest Reserve
Among the best forest reserves are located in Ondo State, Nigeria. That is, it is located in the South Western Region of the country.
The poaching and the hunting activities in this reserve is its special arena for the endangered species of birds. The land area covers by this forest reserve are 829 square kilometres which is a very big land area. This reserve is a home for elephants and chimpanzees.
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4. Okomu Forest Reserve
This forest reserve serves as a perfect place where birds can be watched because it is a habitat for more than 200 species of birds. The Okumu F.R. is situated in Benin state and it occupies more than 1081 square kilometres hectares of the land area.
For the Eco-tourism purpose, The Okumu F.R. is just the best place to be, located also closer to the Okumu National Park.
5. Oba Hills Forest Reserve
Osun State, Nigeria is where this Oba Hills F.R. is situated. Due to its nearness to the human farms and plantations, there has been a record of chimpanzees’ extinctions.
6. Ngel Nyaki Forest Reserve
Founded in the year 1969. There are about 158 species of birds which the main endangered ones are Bannerman’s Weaver and the Crossley’s Ground Thrush which made this forest reserve to be addressed an “An Important Birdlife Area”.
Green Bulbul, Mona Monkey, Double -Toothed Barbed, Putty Nosed Monkey, Tantalus Monkey, and the Cameroon Olive Pigeons are other animals apart from chimpanzees that reside there. It is located in Mambilla, Plateau.
7. Idame Forest Reserve
Known as a habitat for the species of an endangered bird which covers a total land area of 561 square kilometres. It is situated in the local government of Idanre in Ondo State, Nigeria. The UICN that is (The International Union for Conservation of Nature) has this forest reserve on its list.
8. Edumanam Forest Reserve
Haven lost some of its contents or make-ups due to the existence of an Oil Production Firm. It is located within the part of the Niger Delta.
This forest reserve serves as a home for the different species of endangered birds like Olive Colobus, Niger Delta Red Colobus, and so many other birds and also a home for a chimpanzee.
9. Akure Forest Reserve
Amongst the reserves that have been protected internationally. This forest reserve’s total area it occupies is more than 66 square kilometres and it is situated in the part of South West, Ondo State precisely, Nigeria.
10. The Afi River Forest Reserve
This forest reserve is also among the forest reserves that serve as a habitat for the species of endangered birds in Nigeria. It stands out to be among the biggest forest reserve that is still functioning in Nigeria that lies in between the Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary and Mbe Mountains Community Forest. This forest reserve is located in the Cross-River State of Nigeria.
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Importance of Forest Reserves in Nigeria
Below are the importance of forest reserves
1. Prevention of Flooding
Forest aids in preventing flooding during the period of massive rainfall. It assists to prevent any damage to property, soil, and buildings.
2. Regulation of Climate Region
Energy usage utilized during the heat period for an air condition reduction, reduction of the effect of “heat island” and buildings & homes cooling shade are all attained through trees that are planted in towns. Micro-climates, rainfall, and weather patterns are achieved through the massive role large forests plays.
3. Shelter to People
Forests serve as a source of medicine, food, and livelihoods to millions of people that live around the globe today.
Wood for Lumber, other products, Furniture, and Firewood: Generally, non-wood products like resins, food, medicines, and other ones And also wood products are all gotten from the forest.
4. Storage and Absorption of Carbon
Forest stands as a crucial region of the system of earth’s climate due to the fact that the carbon the trees absorb can perfectly stay up to over thousands of years.
5. Source of Livelihood and Jobs
Forest plays the role of creating jobs for the indigenous dwellers or occupants who solely depend on the forest reserve for survival.
The jobs the forest reserve created for the people made it so easy to gainfully hire above ten million people who work in Conservation and Forest Management And also who use woods products and even non-wood products to earn a living around the globe which in turn serves as a source of livelihood to them.
6. Home for Birds, Mammals, and Insects
Some of the globe’s species if not half of them such as endangered and rare species like Gorillas, Orangutans, and also Pandas rely solely on the biodiversity of an isolated forest.
7. Conservation of Water and Soil
One of the crucial regions of the water cycle is Trees. Trees in the Forest aids in the prevention of the supply of groundwater which is crucial to both any aquatic living organisms in the streams nearby and a source of good drinking water to people.
Deforestation assists in decreasing erosion that is caused by both the wind and the water.
8. Natural or Original Beauty
Nowadays, trees planted in the forest serve as a sign of life which are the sources of people’s enjoyment and inspiration. Trees also serve as tranquillity and peace of mind to humans especially in some countries like America.
9. Source of Medicine
Without mincing between words, the forest has a rich source of natural medicines and over time it has inspired and at the same time improve the spin-offs of the synthetic.
The medicine that has discovered for the curing of MRSA which is an infective ailment that no antibiotic drugs have ever cured before can be treated with “An Eastern Red {{{{Cedar Needles” (a compound also; cacao trees that produce theophylline has also been discovered as a drug that remedies asthma.}}
10. Source of Food
Millions of people around the globe today depends solely on forest products for their feeding because the trees inside the forest made it so possible for a cornucopia to be close to the floor of the forest; it also provides nuts, saps, fruits and seeds to the man.
Apart from this, some of the endangered species of birds like turkeys, fish, deer, rabbits, beetles, and others are all as food to humans not forgetting berries and mushrooms which also perform the same function.
11. Reduction of Noise Pollution
Because noise cannot easily travel or transverse through the forest, the forest aids in fading of noises emanating from the environment thereby the trees in the forest becoming the famous barrier of noise.
The noise has been faded off with the help of trees in the forest is due to white noise woodland, for instance, the bird noise AND also the leaves rustling.
Brief History of Forest Reserves in Nigeria
The end of the 19th century was the exact century in Nigeria when the Colonial Government kick-started the initiation or the formation of the territories of the Forest Reserve.
Not more than 970 hectares of the land area square kilometre in the period 1930s was given out for the purpose of the reserve. The quantity of land area that was covered by the forest reserve had increased to 93,420 Kilometers in the era of the 1970s.
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Conclusion: Forest Reserves and their Location in Nigeria
In conclusion: the Nigerian Government should ensure forests are being reserved taking into consideration its massive benefits. I hope this article has provided insightful knowledge as regards the forest reserves in Nigeria and their respective locations
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Thanks alot