Perfil del demandante

Table 2.1 provides a summary of some basic information about the state of Nigerian vegetation. From this table, it is apparent that Nigerian forest cover has consistently declined since the 1990s, at an average of -410,000 hectares (ha) per annum. FAO (2009a) reported that about 60 percent of the world's total wood removals (3,900 million cubic meters) from forests and trees outside forests are used for energy purposes (refer to table 2.1 for Nigerian situation).

At the global level, the total net change in forest area (see box 2.1 below) in the period 2000–2010 is estimated at -5.2 million ha per year, which is equivalent to a loss of more than 140 square kilometres of forest per day (FAO, 2010a, p. 17). FAO maintain that this figure is lower than the total forest net change obtained from 1990 to 2000 (-8.3 million ha per year).

Similarly, the area of other wooded land decreased by about 3.1 million ha per year during the decade 1990 to 2000 and by about 1.9 million ha per year in the last decade (2000–2010) (FAO, 2010a, pp. 21-22). It is argued that the slower recent rate of decline is as a result of setting up of more plantations rather than a reduction in deforestation (Mather, 2003 & FAO, 2010a, p.17). Another possible reason for the apparently slower decline could be due to more studies using Remote Sensing (RS) techniques (Mather, 2003), that have been used to construct a more accurate global forest cover map. Earlier reports by researchers in the field of deforestation had a tendency to exaggerate the forest change situation (Forsyth, 2003). However, s ome environmental groups have expressed concerns about reaching such conclusions about reductions in the rate

28

Extent of fores t and other wooded land 2010

Country a rea (1 000 ha) Fores t Other wooded land Area

Value of wood removals (Fi ve yea r a vera ge for 2003–2007) Value of removals

(million US$)

Indus trial round wood ^f Wood fuel ^f

124 456

a Total area of the country excluding inland water bodies . The figures are from FAOSTAT (FAO, 2008). ^b General Source: FAOSTAT-PopSTAT

(http://faostat.fao.org/site/550/default.aspx#ancor). ^c Per capita gross domestic product (GDP) is expressed at purchasing power parity (PPP). Source: World Bank (2010), IMF (2010); UNSD (2010) and CIA (2010). ^d Rate of gain or loss in percent of the remaining forest area each year within the given period. ^e Five year averages for 1988–1992, 1998-2002 and 2003–2007 respectively. ^f Five year average for 2003–2007. Source: Adapted from FAO (2010a).

N.B. The figures for 2000 and 2005 of industrial round wood under Trends in removals of wood products 1990–2005 appear the same because of the effect of rounding the total figures to the nearest 1000. However, it is an indication that the variation in the industrial wood removal is quite small since 1990 compared to wood fuel.

29 of deforestation because of the fear that they can lead to a slowing down of active programmes against deforestation (Mather, 2003). In terms of regional net loss of vegetation, South America accounted for the largest proportion of the net loss, followed by Africa and Asia (FAO, 2010a). Table 2.2 below shows that Nigeria is among the top five countries in the world with the largest net loss of forest areas since 1990. This is not surprising, given that the majority of the country’s wood removal is for fuelwood (see table 2.1). The country is moving back to the use of traditional cooking energy, which is why the volume of fuelwood collection rose from about 59,095,000 m³ in 1990 to about 70, 427, 000 m³ in 2005 (see table 2.1).

Table 2.2: Ten Countries with Largest Annual Net Loss of Forest Area, 1990-2010

Country

Despite the huge interest in the study of deforestation among researchers, there are still controversies in the literature related to the definition of the term mainly because of the lack of standard definitions of what is a forest (Middleton, 2008, p. 57). Wunder and Verbist (2003) and Middleton (2008) noted that according to FAO there are over 650 different definitions of a forest. The variation in the definitions is a consequence of the differences in the perception of the concept by the various countries whose data FAO relied upon for the forest assessments (refer to Middleton, 2008, p. 58). Interestingly, despite these huge differences, FAO was able to provide a comprehensive definition of

30 Figure 2.2: Forest Change Dynamics

Source: FAO (2010a, p.17).

the term “forest” as an area of a minimum 0.5 ha, covered by a tree canopy of at least 10 percent, with trees that can reach 5 meter height, and subject to the constraint that the area should not be under an alternative (e.g. agricultural or urban) use (FAO, 2000).

From the definition, it can be observed that FAO considered both natural forests and forestry plantations as "forests" as long as they satisfy the quantitative criteria. Based on this definition, deforestation is considered to be the removal of tree cover from the forest- or the long-term reduction of the tree canopy cover below the minimum 10 percent threshold (FAO, 2010a). On the other hand, authors like Forsyth (2003) and Middleton (2008) regarded the term “deforestation” as the conversion of a forest area to another land use, mainly by clearing the existing vegetation cover. This latter definition of deforestation seems more accommodating, because of the inclusion of the “phrase”

clearing of the existing vegetation cover’ in the definition. Forsyth (2003, p. 36) argues

Box 2.1: Deforestation and Net Change in Forest Area

Figure 2.2 is a simplified model illustrating forest change dynamics. It has only two classes: forests and all other land. A reduction in forest area can happen through either of two processes: defo restation and natural disasters. Defo restation, which is by fa r the most important, implies that forests are cleared by people and the land converted to another use, such as agricultu re or infrastructure. Natu ral disasters may also destroy forests, and when the area is in capable of regenera ting natu rally and no efforts are made to replant, it too converts to o ther land.

An increase in forest area can also happen in two ways: either th rough afforestation (i.e. planting or seeding of trees on land that was not previously forested), or th rough natural expansion of forests (e.g.

on abandoned agricultural land, a process which is quite co mmon in so me European countries).

Where pa rt of a forest is cu t down but replanted (refo restation) or gro ws back on its o wn within a relatively short period (natural regeneration) th ere is no change in forest area.

N.B. Net forest change is the su m of all negative changes due to defo restation and natu ral disasters and all positive changes due to afforesta tion and natural expansion of forests.

Source: FAO (2010a, p.17).

31 that this enables other forest ecosystems, such as the savanna to be considered also.

Given this fact, Forsyth’s definition is adopted in this study, since it allows the inclusion of other vegetation types that are being cleared for various reasons. Since the FAO definition of deforestation is more rigid and confined to a specific definition of forest (tree canopy of at least 10%, with trees up to 5 meter height), it is not utilised in this study.

Neither definitions ignored the fact that deforestation has been attributed to the action of human beings (refer to box 2.1). It is also important to distinguish between the clearance of different types of vegetation cover (forest, woodland, savanna, shrubland and grassland) instead of treating all kinds of vegetation the same. This is because the extent of wood extraction differs from one ecosystem to another based on a variety of factors.

For example, Amacher et al. (2009) examined the implications of migration and insecure property rights for land use and deforestation in the tropical frontier forests. The authors concluded that illegal logging risks lead to deforestation. Even though they reported a decrease in forest cover in their study as a result of illegal logging, they also highlighted the complex nature of the concept of deforestation because, in their study area, government enforcement of forestry legislation reduced illegal logging , while greater private enforcement did not necessarily reduce deforestation. This shows the importance and the need for government intervention in the management of forests (see more discussion in chapters 9 & 10). They also reported, as would be expected, that forest with higher economic value are more subject to active deforestation. This applies, in the case of Nigeria, where the accelerating rate of vegetation clearance since 1990 has been attributed to the demand for fuelwood (refer to table 2.1).