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The Interrelationship between Urban Forest, Forest Policy and Degraded Lands in Nigeria

Abstract

The World's tropical forests are disappearing at an alarming rate of more than 200,000 ha per year as a result of deforestation due mainly to population pressures, economic growth, poor management and inappropriate policy. A forest policy determines the role of the sector in a nation's economy and it is formulated in accordance with the objectives of the national economic development. Urban forestry as a concept is relatively new in Nigeria when compared to European and American countries. It consists of growing of trees, shrubs and grass along streets, in parks, around public or private buildings whose management rests in the hands of the public and private owners. Major urban centres in Nigeria are devoid of efficiently planned tree-planting programme. Hence, various factors militating against environmental improvement, such as climate and other agents of degradation, are highlighted for necessary attention. The paper discusses the need for forestry policy formulation and the objectives of forest policy. Elements of forest policy are also discussed and in particular those peculiar to urbanization and degraded lands are enumerated. Forest policy and land-use and policy implementation together with some problem issues in forest policy are discussed while recommendation are given on formulation of a forest policy. Pius Akindele Adeniyi

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