Forests
Forest can be defined as a large area of land covered with trees and brushes, either growing wild or planted for some purposes.
Forestry
Forestry is the art of planting, tending and managing forests, including the utilisation of their products, silviculture is the the study of forest trees and other related trees.
Managing forests sustainably means increasing their benefits, including timber and food, to meet society’s needs in a way that conserves and maintains forest ecosystems for the benefit of present and future generations.
Common forest trees
Common trees usually found in the forest are iroko, obeche, mahogamy, sapele, Nigerian walnut, ebony, camwood, opepe, afara, teat, abura etc.
There are many different approaches to the management of forests. Management systems are directed toward enhancing production of a mix of desired products or services from a forest ecosystem. Most commonly, management is directed towards the production of timber or pulp, but other management objectives include wildlife habitat, watershed protection and erosion control, fuel wood, non timber forest products such as resins or mushrooms, and forest grazing for livestock.
At its most basic, forest management involves no more than a decision to keep an area of forest free of any human activity. More active forest management systems generally follow a plan of harvesting, planting, protection and maintenance activities which is drawn up for the area of forest in question.
Some forest reserve in Nigeria
- Mamu river forest reserve in Anambra state
- Omo forest reserve in Ogun state
- Afi river forest reserve cross river
- Anara forest reserve in Kaduna state
- Sakpoba forest reserve in Edo state
- Zamfara forest reserve in Zamfara state
- Awba hills forest reserve in Oyo state
- Sanga river forest reserve in plateau
Importance or uses of forest
- Provision of food
- Provision of fuel
- Provision of medicinal herbs
- Provision of employment
- Forest serves as wind-break
- Formation of rain
- Prevention of soil erosion
- Addition of nutrients to soil
- Home of wild animals
- Forest serve as tourist centre
- Provision of foreign exchange
- Provision of timber
- Provision of pulp
- It beautifies the environment
- Reduces atmospheric pollution
- Sources of raw materials
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