No less than ten million tree seedlings were planted by state governments in the North – East region, to enhance afforestation and check desert encroachment in the last two years.
A survey by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) shows that the trees were planted in Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe and Yobe states between 2019 and 2021.
NAN reports that the states are among the 11 desert prone areas alongside Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states in the North-West.
Tree planting is a critical component of the National Afforestation Programme and the National Agency for Great Green Wall (NAGGW), designed to control desertification, erosion; and build a sustainable green environment.
To further boost the afforestation programme, the state governments also adopted proactive measures to check indiscriminate felling of trees and bush burning.
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These measures were taken to also encourage development of alternative sources of energy to reduce dependence on wood for fuel.
According to documents from the Borno State Ministry of Environment, deforestation was more prevalent in the state due to the ravaging desert encroachment occasioned by decade-long insurgency and human activities.
To address the problem, the state government planted over one milion tree seedlings and outlawed logging in the 27 local government areas of the state.
Mr Kaka Shehu, the Commissioner, Ministry of Environment, said that 500,000 tree seedlings were planted in June 2021 at the Borno State University, Maiduguri.
Shehu said the state government also reintroduced special team comprising forest guards, agro rangers and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, to protect forests against bush burning and tree felling. (NAN)
