. The Conservation Atlas of Tropical Forests: Africa. Nigeria domestic consumption was thought to be of a similar level. During the oil-boom decade of the 1970s, vastly increased government and commercial activity, combined with rising standards of living, caused a tremendous growth in demand for timber to make furni- ture and provide building materials. In consequence, the domes- tic market for timber began to predominate over the export mar- ket, and in 1976 the federal government was obliged to forbid all export of logs or semi-processed timber. It should be noted, how- ever, that FAO (1988
. The Conservation Atlas of Tropical Forests: Africa. Nigeria domestic consumption was thought to be of a similar level. During the oil-boom decade of the 1970s, vastly increased government and commercial activity, combined with rising standards of living, caused a tremendous growth in demand for timber to make furni- ture and provide building materials. In consequence, the domes- tic market for timber began to predominate over the export mar- ket, and in 1976 the federal government was obliged to forbid all export of logs or semi-processed timber. It should be noted, how- ever, that FAO (1988) still reports appreciable exports of indus- trial roundwood from the country. A result of the burgeoning demand has been increased pressure on, and progressive over- exploitation of, the remaining forests. The Forests Three major vegetation types may be recognised in Nigeria: the swamp forests (including mangroves) of the Niger Delta and coastal belt, the lowland forests of the humid south, which reach about 250 km inland, and the savannas of the subhumid central area and the drier north (Charter, 1978). Forest outliers may be found, particu- larly in the savanna zone along watercourses and also in areas of higher rainfall such as on the south-western slopes of the Jos Plateau. The main closed forest blocks in the country are in the states of Ondo (south-west), Bendel (south-centre) and Cross River (south- east) and in the Niger Delta (River State). The forest in Cross River State has affinities with those of Cameroon and Gabon and has apparently been continuously linked with them (Hall, 1977). Indeed, it is estimated that during the Pleistocene, the Oban Forest in Cross River State remained the only major forest refuge in Nigeria. In contrast, in more westerly forests, because of intermittent dry phases, savanna has periodically reached the coast (Hall, 1977). White (1983) classifies Nigerian lowland forest as Guineo- Congolian, only distinguishing a drier subtype in the sou
Size: 1834px × 1363px
Photo credit: © The Book Worm / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bhlconsortium, bookc, bookcentury1900, bookcollectionbiodiversity
