Indiscriminate tree felling-forest depletion-unsustainable development

Without necessarily going into a detailed history of the eventual establishment, in 1983, of the Brundtland Commission, formerly the World Commission on Environment and Development (chaired by Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, former prime minister of Norway), we will define “sustainable development” using some words from the 1987 report of the commission (also known as Brundtland Report) entitled “Our Common Future”. In that report, sustainable development is defined as “…..development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” We will simplify this definition in line with the maxim “live and let live” thus: “The present should live and make solid arrangements available for the future to also be able to live”. However, like it was before the establishment of the commission, (replaced in 1988 by the Centre for Our Common Future), there still exists a conflict between globalised economic development and accelerating environmental degradation.

This is an issue requiring intensified efforts towards resolving because, as contained in the Brundtland Report, “…..the “environment” is where we live; and “development” is what we do in attempting to improve our lot within that abode. The two are inseparable…..” Environmental realities, worldwide, buttress this fact. Today, the world is battling with series of challenges associated with, and/or resulting from, what is referred to as climate change, at varied and varying levels, in different parts of the globe. This phenomenon is largely attributed to multiple chains of anthropogenic activities that result in the production and emission of certain gaseous substances, collectively known as greenhouse gases, mostly into the atmosphere. Luckily, solutions exist; that is, if human beings decide to be disciplined and stay so! Key choices among these solutions are the planting, replanting and maintenance of an increasing number of vigorous trees and land area of healthy (young) forests (including agroforests, urban trees/forests, etc.).

Owing to the wonderful capacity of trees and forests in sequestering carbon through their inherent process of massive biomass accumulation, it cannot be overemphasised that they are central to the efforts at combating negative impacts of climate change. Therefore, well-planned and well-managed forests are more of carbon sinks than emission. This centrality of trees and forests in carbon sequestration has scientific backing. This is not in dispute among knowledgeable environmentalists – worldwide. Consequently, we passionately state that without forests, humans’ life on earth will be jeopardised! We strongly believe that if the disappearance of forests from the earth’s surface is allowed, it will signal humanity’s march towards extinction! This is neither a threat nor a joke! There are empirical observations supporting this postulation but we will not dwell on technicalities in this piece. Hence, it is bewildering that indiscriminate tree felling and forest removal are still being experienced, in Nigeria, for unplanned and unsustainable development including deliberately emplaced systemic ignorance in this age when environmental functions of trees/forests are valorised through concepts like carbon offsets and credits.

Many state governors, in Nigeria, are very good at this travesty! These are people accompanying those at the central level to sign all types of multilateral environmental agreements and treaties up and down! Whereas, to any of these governors whose state possesses forest or “something like forest”, the only thing that matters is revenue to be obtained from its exploitation as against environmental sustainability! They neither engage in forest inventory nor possess anything that may be perceived as forest management plan! Trees that were planted to prevent erosion and flood are brashly removed without replanting. In some places, they are replaced with “housing estates”. They do not have regard for something as necessary as Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Perhaps, they do not know what EIA means and what is/are its usefulness! When the environment fights back tomorrow, some people will attribute it to spiritual problem! Nigeria should learn from countries that have made similar mistakes but are now retracing their steps! It appears that humans have not really come to terms with the fact that they need the environment more than them being needed by the environment; maybe, they are not even needed by the environment!

This issue of indiscriminate tree felling should be particularly worrisome to be happening in higher educational institutions, most especially those having academic departments where students are trained in the management of forest and environmental resources! In most of these cases, experts in those departments are not consulted before trees are hacked down! For instance, someone’s handbag was snatched! Response: Go fell those trees! Someone was raped! Response: Go fell those trees! We even read somewhere that an uninformed clown suggested that Sambisa Forest in Borno state should be destroyed in order to curb security challenges there. Imagine that kind of shallow thinking! Do not get us wrong; we are not supportive of criminalities but there are better ways to deal with them. You do not cure someone’s headache by beheading him/her! Nigeria should stop proceeding in error! Trees are important to humans. We are aware of some trees that are older than the first generation universities on those campuses. If they are unimportant, would those universities’ founding fathers have left the trees unfelled?

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Phases of advancements in human development have been standing on the shoulders of previous ones; no knowledge is actually useless! Stop thinking that our ancestors were stupid! They may not possess some of the current knowledge but they were not stupid! In fact, those expected to know better are many times part of this problem by not practicing what they preach. We will give University of Ibadan (UI) Heritage Parks and Gardens, which is no more, as a vivid example. We knew when it was established in 2008 to commemorate UI’s 60th anniversary. We will partly quote a report that states thus: “…..like thieves in the night, workers deployed by the university authorities stole into the luxuriant, green, tree-rich park before dawn and took a chainsaw to it. By the time the residents in the university campus were waking up to a new day on Wednesday, November 21, 2024, the entire park had been destroyed. Over 100 trees were reportedly cut down…..for a new Senate Building that had been provided for in a totally different location in the University of Ibadan Masterplan…..” This event occurred at Nigeria’s oldest university! We are forced to agree with a commentator in the above-quoted report that “enlightenment is not about titles, or credentials; it’s about wisdom, foresight, and deep understanding of the consequences of one’s actions.”

Unfortunately, according to this commentator, “the destruction of the Heritage Parks and Gardens is a stark reminder that true enlightenment is sorely lacking in the university’s leadership…..” Coincidentally and ludicrously so, this is where training at the university level in forestry (later expanded to become forest resources management) began in Nigeria! Such a sad and painful report is not unique to UI. There were such cases in other institutions like University of Benin in the recent past; although, the need for tree planting is getting more attention, lately, in that university. At this juncture, we need to clearly state that we are not averse to sustainable harvesting of these resources as they are useful for economic and other developmental ventures. People with the knowledge of sustainable management of forest resources are never afraid of sustainable harvesting. Trees get matured! They may outgrow their usefulness! They may even constitute threat to life/properties in some instances! We are aware of these possibilities but clear-felling should not always be the option. What we are saying, here, is that the necessary harvesting should be systematic and sustainable in line with the above-quoted definition from the Brundtland Commission.

In other words, harvesting of trees should be accompanied by adequate replacement with appropriate tree seedlings that will be deliberately nurtured for survival and maturity. There are well-trained and capable hands for this purpose within the country; expert advice should always be sought from them. Need does not exist for expatriates! Quacks and the untrained should leave the job for those specifically trained for it! Certainly, it is not only about handling of chainsaw machine! Trees should not only be seen through the prism created and controlled by those deploying saws to forests! It should be borne in mind that there are livelihood needs and life-forms that are dependent on trees and forests; relevant scientific studies – whose illuminating outcomes are gathering dust on bookshelves – have been conducted in Nigerian higher educational institutions! Nigerian politicians do not appear to bother about what we are discussing here! They are only interested in accumulating illicitly extracted wealth! Civil servants should stop colluding with politicians to destroy Nigeria’s forests. You are known; history will have a date with you – sooner or later! Well, you may trivialise this commentary but nature has ways of taking its pound of flesh.

*Prof. Erakhrumen currently teaches at the Department of Forest Resources and Wildlife Management, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria.