FOREST RESOURCES IN AKWA IBOM STATE

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FOREST RESOURCES IN AKWA IBOM STATE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CONTENT                                                                                                               PAGES

Cover page    –           –           –           –           –           –           –           –           –            –           i

Title page      –           –           –           –           –           –           –           –           –            –           ii

Declaration   –           –           –           –           –           –           –           –           –            –           iii

Certification –           –           –           –           –           –           –           –           –            –           iv

Dedication    –           –           –           –           –           –           –           –           –            –           v

Acknowledgments –           –           –           –           –           –           –           –            –           vi

Abstract         –           –           –           –           –           –           –           –           –            –           vii

Table of content       –           –           –           –           –           –           –           –            –           viii

1.1 Introduction       –           –           –           –           –           –           –           –            –           1

1.1.1 Area of study  –           –           –           –           –           –           –           –            –           1

2.1 Forest Reserve    –           –           –           –           –           –           –           –            –           3

2.1.1 Forestry activities in Akwa Ibom state        –           –           –           –            –           5

2.1.2 Various activities aimed at ensuring a safe and sustained     environment and production /sustained forest resources       –           –            –           –           –           –           13

2.1.3 Some problem facing forestry in Akwa Ibom state           –           –            –           13

2.1.4 Suggested solutions   –           –           –           –           –           –           –            –           19

3.1 Conclusion –        –           –           –           –           –           –           –           –            –           22

3.1.2 Recommendations      –           –           –           –           –           –           –            –           22

Reference

Appendixes

1.1. INTRODUCTION

Forest is a large area of land covered with trees or other woody vegetation while forestry is the scientific management of forest resources for the continuous supply of forest goods and services. To some people, it is a profession. It is an economic activity which provides them with means of livelihood. Forestry also provides environmental protection and aesthetic services. As a result of these benefits, governments are interested in the management of forest resources in their domains to provide the citizens with forest goods and services.

Forest resources are natural resources found on or in association with forest lands. Since creation, forests have remained the major sources of livelihood for man in several ways including food, medicine, protein, household tools, timber for building , raw-materials for wood-based and pharmaceutical industries. Generally, over 80% of rural people in Akwa Ibom State use forest resources for their daily income and other family needs (NCF 2000)

  • AREA OF STUDY:

Akwa Ibom State attained its population status as a state in September 23, 1987 when it was carved out of the erstwhile Cross River State. It is situated between latitudes 4o33 and 5o33W and longitudes 7o53 and 8o5E. It lies wholly within the Cross River basin in the south eastern corner of Nigeria. The state has a total land area of 8,412KM2 and a coast line of 129KM long. The lower part of Cross River basin, the Qua Iboe River basin and the western half of the Imo River Estuary are all enclosed within the state. Generally, the relief is flat and Low lying with sandy coastal beaches. The highest elevation (about 150m) is found at Obotme in Ini local government area. The state, made up of thirty one (31) local government area (Abak, eastern Obolo, Eket, Esit Eket, Essien udim, Etim Ekpo, Etinan, Ibeno, Ibesikpo Asutin Ibiono Ibom Ika, Ikono, Ikot Abasi, Ikot Ekpene, Ini, Itu, Mbo, Mkpat Enin, Nsit Atai, Nsit Ibom, Nsit Ubium, Obot Akara, Okobo, Onna, Oron, Oruk Anam, Usung Uko, Ukanafun, Uruan, Urue-Offong/ Oruko and Uyo)  has highly productive but equally sensitive and fragile ecosystem. Moving hinterlands from the coastline, four easily discern-able ecological zones are recognized .These are the mangrove swamp ,the fresh water swamp, the low land rain forest and the derived savanna which forms mosaic with oil palm tree and farmlands. The state, both offshore and onshore is largely oil bearing. This placed it second in the nation in terms of oil production.

The population is approximately 2.4million people (1991 census). Occupation of the people include fishing, Palm wine tapping, farming weaving and craft-work. In the urban sub and urban area ,the people generally depend on subsistence agriculture with very little or on financial returns. Hence, there is a very high level of poverty in the state. This is pervasive and suffocating. From purely forest management point of view, the 841km2 and area in the state has been classified into forest reserves and protected forest in the forest reserves, the government holds and manages the land together with the resources there in trust for the people, whereas in the protected forest, the government has very loose control over both the land and the resources except perhaps petroleum resources.

In this write up, factors that clearly point to some problem facing forestry in Akwa Ibom state are highlighted. Suggestions are made as remedies for some of the problem facing Akwa Ibom forestry sub-sector to ensure sustenance of forest resource in the state.

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FOREST RESOURCES IN AKWA IBOM STATE

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