Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — As Nigeria joins the world in making International Day of Forests, experts, stakeholders and environmentalists have advocated for the planting and replanting of more trees, as a way of sequestering carbons and tackling climate crisis.
The environmentalists who prescribed smart forests, innovation and awareness creation as solutions to the menace of deforestation, planted trees at the Rivers State University, to symbolize the need for afforestation as a result of climate change.
The stakeholders spoke during an event organized by the Centre for Climate Change and Forest Resources of the Rivers State University, to celebrate the 2024 International Day of Forest
with the theme, “Forest and innovation, new solutions for a better world.”
The keynote speaker and Professor of Forest Soil Microbiology, Prof. Mildred Alakiri, advocated for the concept of “smart forests”, in tackling the issues putting the forest under threat.
According to her, “Smart forests, just like smart cities, is the entirety of looking after the forest and integrating Innovative technology into the forest industry.
“Utilizing products of the natural forest is not bad, as long as those using these products are also being educated on how to take care of the forest, by replanting new trees for sustainability. The trees give us the basic things we require in life, but that will only be possible if we tend them.”
Also speaking, the Director, Centre for Climate Change and Forest Resources, Prof. Sodienye Abere, advocated for the concept of green cities, and the need to create awareness for the sustainability of the forests.
“There are many fallow areas where we fell trees and didn’t replant, trees do a lot of good in sequestering carbon. Most pollutants are carbon dependent and trees pack up the carbons, I believe in green cities; after building your house, please plant trees so they can give you oxygen and take away carbon.”
Abere also disclosed that the Centre established in 2023, has been positioned to become the think-tank for climate solutions.
“Apart from awarding degrees and certificates in selected courses, the Centre will become a vibrant unit of the University that will render advisory and consultancy services to not only the university but to the government, industries in the area of climate change, adaptation, mitigation and disaster risks reduction.
“We hope that the centre will be a major catalyst to drive knowledge and the Unìted Nation’s sustainable development goals.”
For her part, the Director of Environment and Millennium Targets Ltd, Lady Catherine Patrick, urged the government to create more awareness of the need to protect the forest and also enact laws that will abolish illegal deforestation.
“We at EMT urged everyone to key into these activities because it is worth celebrating what nature has given to us. We have to protect what God has given to us, most especially the forest because the forest plays a vital role in our environment. The forest serves as a natural carbon sink, which helps in the mitigation of climate change.”
For his part, the lawmaker representing Bonny Constituency at the Rivers State House of Assembly, Mr Victor Oko Jumbo, said persistent tree falling without a corresponding replanting has only exposed us to the issue of climate change.
Jumbo listed the benefits of trees to include, protection against air pollution and purifying of the air, combating of climate change, provision of foods and herbs, etc.
