Think globally, act locally (2): Tree-planting in Nigeria-whose responsibilities

摘要

The earth’s climate has warmed and cooled for millions of years, long before man appeared on the scene. Currently, the climate is growing warmer, indications that changes are all around the environment. The focus of the 2005 United Nation’s Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) on improving ecosystem management and human well being, points to the value of regulating ecosystems locally to function over a long range of environmental conditions. The vulnerability of many communities depends on local ecosystem structure and local biodiversity. The success of the tree-planting strategy adopted in Nigeria could best be achieved with the active and collective participation of every Nigerian stakeholder, thereby correcting the ecological imbalances both at the local and global level. The act of planting non indigenous tree species in a disturbed area with its attendant’s effects is directly related to invasion biology and introduced species – the introduction of the non indigenous species which later displace the other indigenous species. This paper specifically highlights how deep-rooted trees use the hydraulic lift principle in a dynamic way that has climatic implications. This paper wishes to question the policies behind tree-planting in Nigeria, and the repercussions of improper implementation and to also highlight the ecological benefits of tree-planting in Nigeria, planting the indigenous ones.