The Oyo State Government has launched a 10-year reforestation plan aimed at restoring degraded forest reserves, increasing tree cover and strengthening environmental protection across the state.
The initiative, known as the Oyo State Reforestation Plan (OYRP), is expected to address the loss of forest resources caused by illegal encroachment, poor management and other unauthorised activities.
Speaking at the launch and stakeholders’ engagement meeting on Friday, November 6, the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Ademola Aderinto, said the state had identified a deficit of 240 million trees and was working towards addressing the shortfall through the long-term programme.
Aderinto explained that the plan was designed not only to restore lost forests but also to tackle the effects of climate change and promote a healthier environment.
He said the state would make the reforestation summit an annual event, providing an opportunity for stakeholders to review progress, identify challenges and agree on further steps towards achieving the target.
The commissioner also called for partnerships with individuals and organisations, stressing that government alone could not achieve the scale of environmental restoration required.
As part of efforts to encourage wider participation, Aderinto said the government would engage schools and train students in tree planting, with plans to reward schools that establish and maintain more trees within their premises.
He also disclosed that the state was working towards ensuring that every corps member posted to Oyo plants at least one tree before completing their service year. Outstanding corps members would receive cash prizes and awards based on the number of trees planted and maintained.
Aderinto appreciated Governor Seyi Makinde for supporting the initiative, as well as the management and staff of the ministry and other stakeholders involved in its development.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Dr Sunday Akinwale Moradeyo, said the relocation of the Forestry Department from the former Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources in 2019 had improved its access to government attention, support and resources.
Moradeyo also disclosed that the Director of Forestry would, for the first time, attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP) as a representative of the state.
He credited the development to the efforts of the commissioner, particularly his interest in tree planting and commitment to environmental protection.
The permanent secretary said the reforestation plan was initiated by Aderinto and noted that the department had also benefited from intervention projects through the Federal Ministry of Environment and related agencies.
He further advocated a public-private partnership approach to forest restoration, saying government ownership and management alone were no longer sufficient to address deforestation and the degradation of forest reserves.
During the stakeholders’ engagement, participants called for regular evaluation and monitoring of existing forest management measures. They also stressed the need to revive the compartmentalisation system previously used to monitor forest reserves.
The stakeholders linked proper forest management to improved security, arguing that closer monitoring of forest areas could help tackle criminal activities, including kidnapping.
They also proposed the establishment of a committee comprising representatives of different forest users to ensure that the reforestation plan remains sustainable. Participants pledged their willingness to work with the state government to improve forestry management.
The meeting, themed “Shared Responsibility for a Greener Oyo State: Financing Restoration through Public-Private Partnership,” brought together government officials, environmental organisations, researchers and representatives of forest-dependent businesses.
Those in attendance included the Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development, Williams Akinfunmilayo; representatives of the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), CENRAD, OYSIPA, the Nigerian Conservation Foundation and the Forestry Association of Nigeria, as well as officials from the University of Ibadan and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA).
Sawmillers, timber contractors, charcoal dealers and other stakeholders in the forestry sector also participated in the engagement.
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