DAILY TRUST, 21 APRIL, 2011

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Battle to preserve biodiversity By Tina A. Hassan

50-YEAR-OLD Alhaji Kire is a cattle herder who is willing to fight off anyone

who attempts to cut down the few trees surrounding his mud house because he believes the lack of trees and vegetation cover is largely responsible for his many woes and constant migration.

He migrated from Yobe and Saulawa in Katsina State because of desert encroachment to set­tle in Danbasa Maiyare in Ikara Local Government of Kaduna State where he now fights any­body who tries to cut down the trees surrounding his house.

Now that he has found a home surrounded by a few trees, he is not ready to allow his neighbours to cut them for firewood because only his house is now surrounded by trees after the others were felled .

Speaking to a group of journal­ists on a climate change tour in his small village, Kire said he thinks the trees are necessary to the pre­vention of desert encroachment and the fresh air which was absent in his former dwelling before he was forced to migrate in order to find pasture and food for his cattle and fanlily

It is no longer a su rprise to notice the complete absence or lil­tie presence of trees and shrubs in most communities across Nigeria. especially in states located in far northern parts of the country.

This situation is largely caused " by various human activities in form of bush burning, tree felling for domestic and industrial pur­poses, bush clearing for farming or building among others, which lead to the gradual loss ofbiodi­versity with the resultant con­

tion of forest reserVes are injuri­ous to the ecosystem because they lead to and aggravate cUmate chal­lenges, this in turn leads to dis­ease outbreaks like cancer. It also increases the water level caus­ing floods, loss of farmlands and eventually food shortages.

sequence of increased impact of G Oal seven of" the Mil-climate change and treat to life in lennium Development general. Goals (MDGs) talks

Nigeria's forest reserve is about environmental sustain-quickly disappearing. The conse- ability with a focus quences are dire on the environ- on the reversal of ment and the entire ecosystem, the loss of environ­prompt action is needed to stop mental resources the trend and revert to the status (forest, plant and quo if the nation's biodiversity animal species, and (animal, plant balanced chemi- increases in carbon cals in the air) is to be restored to content) and reduc­normal or to levels that can sup- tion in biodiversity port life. loss with a timeline

The Food Agriculture Organ- that targeted last ization (FAa) estimates that year for significant Nigeria has a total forest reserve of reduction rate. 10 miUion hectares representing The United close to 10 percent of the total land Nations body,

", area of the country butthe size has (MDGs), is also urg-continued to shrink ever since. ing governments to

Conserving forest reserves integrate the prin­would go a long way in protect- . ciples.ofsustainable ing the ecosystem and the envi- <leyelol'ment , into ronment,_ensuring a balance in their policies and the atmospheric Content such "as programmes. " . reduced carbon emissions, oxy- -. ·The indica- ' gen availabilitY and a balance in tors for progress the quantity of other gases that achieved by coun­could otherwise pose a ~.reat to tries include the living things if the balancei .. tUted. proportion of land

Environmental degradation in area that is form of bush burning, indiscrimi- by forests, an indi­nate waste disposal and destruc- cator that biodiver-

sity is being protected. Another . indicator is reduction in carbon dioxide (C02) emissions, pro­tection of terrestrial and marine areas and reduced consumption of ozone depleting substances,

The RedUCing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Deg-

cadation (REDO) in developing countries is a programme that is aimed at encouraging developing countries to work towards reduc:'

ing carbon emissions in local communities, especially the way they use their forests by granting carbon credit to countries that are able to meet the indicators towards achieving goal seven of theMDGs.

The Federal Government of

Nigeria has decided to take steps in this direction to enable the country benefit from the carbon credit availed by the UN set-

ting up its first REDO project in one of the forest reserves in Cross River State.

The UN teanl that inspected the projed:t in the state has already assured the Minister of Environ­ment, John Odey and the Gov­ernor of Cross River State, Liyel

!moke that Nigeria would soon be considered among the REDO compliant countries and those benefiting from the carbon credit.