The Forest we want: a Roadmap for sustainable management of Ekiti Forests 2021-2035

Page | 1 THE FOREST WE WANT: A ROADMAP FOR SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF EKITI FORESTS 2021 - 2035. EKITI - STATE FORESTRY COMMISSION In Collaboration with NEW INITIATIVES FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT (NISD) And financial support from ENVIROMENTAL INVESTIGATION AGENCY (EIA), USA. July, 2021. Page | 2 Contents Message from the Hon. Commissioner for Environment Executive Summary 1.0 Mission, Vision, Strategy, Guiding Principles 2.0 Introduction 3.0. The forest base; its importance to Ekiti people and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3.1 Trends in management of Ekiti forests 3.2 Challenges in the Ekiti forests 3.3 Opportunities for enhanced value-added actions on Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) 4.0 Ekiti Forest Goals and Targets Forest Goal 1. Reclaim the loss of forest reserve estates, Mapping and Assessment of forest stock and reverse the loss of forest cover/stock Forest Goal 2. Promote sustainable forest governance and trade Forest Goal 3. Conduct research to increase the understanding of and tools for sustainable forest management application Forest Goal 4. Enhance forest based economic and social benefits including small and medium wood and non-wood value chain enterprises Forest Goal 5. Increase significantly, the areas of protected forests across the State Forest Goal 6. Mobilise significantly, new and additional resources for implementation of sustainable forest management Page | 3 Forest Goal 7. Monitor, Assess and Report progress Forest Goal 8. Communicate Results 5.0 Implementation Framework 5.1 Roles and Responsibilities 5.2 Means of Implementation of the Roadmap 6.0 Review of the Roadmap 7.0 Communication Strategy 8.0 Appendices Page | 4 MESSAGE FROM THE COMMISSIONER FOR ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES I became the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources in September 2020. Under the Ministry, I also manage four Agencies i.e., State Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), Ekiti State Waste Management Authority, Mineral Resources Agency and the Forestry Commission but out of these Departments and Agencies, Forestry seems to be peculiar in the small time I have spent as a commissioner. I met ten forest reserves e.g., Ogbese, Ise Eporo, Little Ose, Ikere, Ogotun, Egbe, Aramoko, Eda I&II, and Ishan/Ayede which have been depleted as a result of long years of exploitation without sustainable replenishment or replanting plan. From my interaction with staff of the commission, nearly all mother trees have been felled thereby leading to the situation of buying seeds from Cross- River State. This is pathetic as other factors leading to the depletion of forest resources include; high number of unemployed Youth venturing into timber business for survival. The forest reserves have no work plan, boundaries of each reserve are not cleaned, coppices of felled exotic species are not pruned, and sometimes when Plantations are raised, they are not maintained. Most importantly, the revenue expected from the sector is dwindling yearly due to sharp practices on the part of the timber traders and staff as well. I express my unreserved appreciation to the Governor of Ekiti State, His Excellency Dr John Kayode Fayemi for his visionary leadership and passion for forestry development and Ekiti environment in general. The new forestry law (2016), has established and empowered the Forestry Commission to “formulate policies and evolve strategies for the promotion and effective implementation of sustainable forestry development and conservation of Ekiti forests”. The above provided the platform for the development of this roadmap; to create awareness of the critical importance of forests to sustaining life forms and mobilize stakeholders for the means of implementation of sustainable management of Ekiti Forests. To further demonstrate the administration’s commitment to the restoration of Ekiti forest, government has recently facilitated the gazette and signing of memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Niger- Delta Conservation Project for the conservation of the Nigeria- Cameroon Chimpanzee in Ise Forest Reserve. The Governor also ensured that part of the fund from the Ekiti State Erosion and Page | 5 Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) was used to reforest about 190 hectares of mixed indigenous and exotic species of forest reserves in nine Local Government Areas of the State and the encouragement of private participation in forest regeneration among others. As Government and a Major Stakeholder, we cannot do this roadmap alone. I do solicit for the support of all Stakeholders at all levels for the means of implementation of this Road map to sustainable management of our common heritage- our forest; when supported, Ekiti will demonstrate best practices to other States in Nigeria on how our forests can be beneficial to humanity. My sincere appreciation goes the Senior Special Assistant on Civil Society for the role he has played in ensuring New Initiative for Social Development (NISD) assisted the Ministry in seeking funds from Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) USA, for the roadmap so that we can see the “Forests We Want” in Ekiti State in the next 15 years. I also appreciate the Permanent Secretary, SSA (Environment), Executive Secretary and his team, Saw-millers and Timber Trades Associations, Women groups, Youth organizations, our Traditional and Religious bodies for their efforts and contributions to this document. Thanks, and God bless. HON. IYABODE FAKUNLE OKHIEMEN Commissioner for Environment & Natural Resources Page | 6 FOREWORD This Roadmap report ‘The Ekiti Forest We Want’ represents the outcome of a focussed, detailed and highly analytical research with all key Stakeholders in Ekiti State. We at Ekiti State Forestry Commission were pleased to collaborate closely with NISD in the public consultations which led up to its preparation, and to work together to give them a high public profile. The Roadmap has identified the central pillars which can inform a long- term strategy to bring our forest resources back to their rightful central place as a vector of environmental, economic and human development. It embraces an approach which sees climate change mitigation, environmental services, sustainable exploitation and livelihoods as mutually compatible goals. It is really important and pleasing that the Roadmap also embeds our shared thinking that government can only succeed in doing this through partnership working with the private sectors, communities, non- governmental organisations and the wider public including our women and youth. Equally, it will play a part in sustaining policy against which we can measure our own performance over the long term, which is essential for success. We gratefully thank NISD and EIA (USA) for their support in recognising that under this administration, Ekiti has the progressive credentials to make us a worthy partner in changing the way forest management is done, and to help us create what others can emulate. HON. ‘KAYODEOLAOSEBIKAN Chairman, Ekiti State Forestry Commission Page | 7 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Road map for the “Ekiti forest we want-2035” provides a framework for deliberate actions at the ownership (public/private), community associations, community leadership, non-governmental associations, the consumers and donor levels; to sustainably manage all types of forests and trees outside forests by halting deforestation and forest degradation, ensuring more transparent forest governance and injecting a huge investment funds for forest restoration. The roadmap provides the Forestry Commission the needed direction, a reference for advocacy and resource mobilisation for the implementation of sustainable forest management. It provides an ambitious vision for the development of the forest resources of Ekiti - State by 2035. 1.0 Special features: a) The roadmap features a set of eight (8) forest goals and thirty- eight (38) associated (quantitative/ qualitative) targets to be reached by 2035; b) It includes among others, a target to reverse the loss of production forest stock targeting 4,000-5,000 hectares forest restoration per year through enrichment planting/artificial regeneration with greater inclusion of indigenous (native) tree species, development of management plans for at least five (5) of the forest reserves and the development of seed banks for indigenous tree species in all the forest estates; c) A decisive action to reduce by 50%, the pressure on the already degraded forests for unsustainable revenue including –show your forest farm before hammering licence. d) An urgent need to implement internal control mechanisms to drastically reduce systemic corruption, enhance transparency and good forest governance; e) Builds on the Ekiti development agenda with a vision “to reclaim, to restore” and that real change requires decisive, collective actions of all Stakeholders and f) Recognise; i) The larger responsibility and the required political will of the Ekiti-State government (major owner of productive forests) to implement the roadmap, ii) The needed manpower and support facilities for the Forestry Commission and Page | 8 iii) The much-needed collaboration of all relevant Stakeholders and Donor Partners for mobilising resources towards effective implementation of the roadmap. 1.1. Vision, Mission, Strategy, Guiding Principles. 1.1.1 Vision: An Ekiti, where forest estates and trees outside forests are sustainably managed to contribute to the economy, providing economic, social and environmental benefits to the present and future generations. 1.1.2 Mission: To reclaim, restore and sustainably use our forests by promoting Sustainable Forest Management including strengthening commitments and actions by major forest owners, partners and consumers. 1.1. 3 Strategy: The programs, policies and activities of the Ekiti State Forestry Commission must effectively incorporate Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) practices as the strategy for this roadmap. 1.4. Guiding Principles. Achieving the vision will require: a) Leadership: Ekiti State Government (major forest owner) through the Forestry Commission must provide the leadership, financial investment, knowledge and assistance for the uptake of sustainable forest management practices among all practitioners for the benefit of the State. b) Partnership: Government must bring together other public agencies (Agriculture, Land and Housing etc.) related to forest activities, forest related associations, the forest dependent communities, farmers and private tree growers, to capitalize on the strength of all for SFM to evolve in practice. c) Engagement: Continually seeking the involvement, inputs, actions and feedbacks of forest owners (public and private), Farmers, forest dependent communities, Saw millers, Tree growers, wood vendors (contractors) and donor Partners and d) Enrichment: The roadmap if effectively implemented, should also contribute to or complement the resilience of other land users within the context of the Ekiti Development Agenda. Page | 9 To attain the goals and targets in the roadmap; Ekiti State Government through the Forestry Commission must effectively incorporate SFM into its programs, policies and activities and: a) Issue policy statement to ban Timber exploitation from all the Production Forest Reserves through the restoration period; b) Create more awareness of the importance of forest to supporting human and other life forms; c) Mobilise investment funds (new and additional to the Trust fund) for massive natural/artificial regeneration of forest stock, restoration of forest health, forest inventory, development of management plans in accordance with science-based principle of Sustained Yield and felling cycle and d) Put in place Steering Committee to guide the implementation of the roadmap, including non- governmental organisations to track progress made. 2.0 INTRODUCTION: The forests in Ekiti State like its counterparts in other parts of Nigeria have no defined management principles. There exist no clear management plans based on known scientific evidence. In practice, the forest corridor is rarely patrolled and when it happens, the operation is performed by ill-equipped guards; the “productive forest units” are allocated for timber exploitation based on shadow/ocular survey or inventory while regeneration and sivilcultural activities are mostly unplanned to succeed. The impact has manifested in over-exploitation, deforestation, forest degradation and in most cases creaming of the natural renewable resource. Global responses to ensuring and safeguarding the survival of such renewable natural resources and recognising the rights of unborn generations to its benefits involve three key pillars- environmental, social and economic benefits. These responses are identified, developed and enveloped in a concept term “Sustainable Forest Management” (SFM) by some global forest bodies and processes over the last three decades. These bodies and processes include: i. The International Timber Trade Organisation (ITTO) 1978 ii. The 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro organised by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development; Page | 10 iii. The Convention on Biological Diversity (2004) which recognised sustainable forest management as an ecosystem approach to forest conservation; iv. The International Arrangement on Forests and the Forest Instrument 2007; v. The United Nations Forest Instrument and the United Nations Strategic Plan on forests (2017-2030) with the set of criteria and indicators to track progress of the practices of sustainable forest management and vi. The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)15 reflecting the strong global initiatives and commitment to promote the implementation of sustainable forest management, as a better management strategy for forests world- wide. Two of these views are presented: a) According to the International Timber Trade Organisation, ‘’SFM is the process of managing forests to achieve one or more clearly defined objectives of management with regard to the production of a continuous flow of desired forest products and services, without undue reduction of its inherent values and future productivity and without undue undesirable effects on the physical and social environment’’ (ITTO, 1978). b) The United Nations Forum on Forests (2007) and as adopted by the UN Strategic Plan on Forests (2017-2030) defines Sustainable Forest management (SFM) as “a dynamic and evolving concept which aims to maintain and enhance the economic, social and environmental value of all types of forests for the benefit of present and future generations”. Ekiti State Forestry law, 2016 already key into this concept and interpreted Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) explicitly “as the management of the forest resources in such a way that the forest cover is not degraded and reduced by human use and that it is increased where ecological reason so requires.” This strategy if appropriately implemented, addresses all aspects of the forest complex. It is adaptable to varied ecological systems, deploying the elements (criteria) for tracking progress in sustainable forest management as contained in the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) Forest Instrument (FI). These elements are: Page | 11 a) Extent of forest resources, expressing the desire to have adequate forest cover and stocking, ambition to reduce deforestation, restore and rehabilitate degraded landscapes; b) Biological diversity, concerning the protection of forest areas that are fragile and enhance productivity c) Forest health and vitality, aiming at reducing the risks and impact of unwanted disturbances (wildfires, pests, invasive species, illegal occupation and use such as herding in protected forests, hemp planting etc) that could affect the functions of the forests d) Productive functions of forests, ensuring sustainable harvesting of wood and non-wood forest products; e) Protective functions of forests, moderating the impacts of flood, erosion, wildfire, drought and supporting hydrological cycle; f) Socio-economic functions, covering the contributions of forest resources to employment, livelihoods, income, and other value chain gains through processing and marketing of forest products; g) Legal, policy and institutional framework, concerning arrangements necessary to support the above six themes, including participatory decision making, governance, law enforcement, monitoring and assessment of progress, fair and equitable sharing of forest resources, capacity building and communications. 3.0. THE FOREST BASE; ITS IMPORTANCE TO EKITI PEOPLE AND THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL Forests with their complex ecology including its renewability are essential to sustainable development, economy and maintenance of all forms of life; providing wood, food, and medicine and rich biodiversity. Forests and Trees outside forests covers 30% of the planet earth, accounting for the subsistence, livelihoods, employment and income of 25% of global population. The Forestry sector contributes about 0.23 per cent to the total Gross Domestic Product at 2010 basic price at National level in Nigeria (Fameso, 2017). At the Ekiti- State level, revenue from forest has declined from 40% of internally generated revenue in 2002 to 0.37% in 2010 due in part to dwindling stocks, illegal exploitation by Flitchers (wood cutters using hand held power saw machine), permit scam, deforestation and forest degradation (Owens,2012). Ekiti has a landmass covering 580,600 hectares of high forest southwards and derived savannah to the north. About 29,625 hectares of this Page | 12 landmass representing 5.1% constitute the forest reserves including some protected forests owned by government (appendix b2). The landmass refers to as “Free areas” (FA) consist of agroforestry land systems, private forest plantations and trees outside forests own by communities and individuals. The forest exploitation which is controlled by government through permit/ licence system has been largely an unsustainable harvesting, resulting in massive creaming of forest reserve and trees outside forests. This quest for revenue has led to a pattern, Owen (2012) described as “stealing from its own future”. In terms of employment and livelihood support, the sector provided about 10-12,000 direct and indirect jobs and over 100,000 livelihoods to forest dependent communities mostly in the first decade (1996-2006) of the creation of the State and in particular the contributions of the 268 Sawmills value chain operations, (Owens 2012). Presently these socio- economic benefits have dwindled with over 42.9% of the Saw-mills closed /non-operational (Appendix b6). Much emphasis had been on exploitation for revenue generation to the neglect of other possible payments for environmental services derivable from conservation of unique forests. A study report put the value of some forest ecosystem services in Nigeria (excluding timber extraction) to be approximately N566,000/ha while the sustainable harvesting of timber is valued at N87,000/ha, meaning that the cumulative benefits of other services far outweigh the value received by sustainable timber extraction alone (Fameso, 2017). This should be of interest to the Forestry Commission to raise the level of her protective forests. The status of the productive forest reserves also calls for massive regeneration over a period not less than 10years, as no sustainable harvesting is possible in almost all the production estates. 3.1. Trends in Ekiti Forests. Despite the critical contributions of forests to the Ekiti economy in the past 20 years, the following trends have manifested of her forests: a) Dwindling forest stock, arising from massive deforestation and forest degradation with drivers within and outside the State in response to demand for wood, food, fuel, fibre and government policies. b) Forests exploited mainly for revenue generation and without proper forest management plans Page | 13 c) Little investment or reinvestment in forest regeneration and maintenance. Coppices of exploited and regenerated forest stands are left unmanaged with most second generation (rotation) forest having no economic value. d) Illegal and unsustainable logging practices including charcoal production, flitching (day and night) of wood in the forests that are both easily accessible and inaccessible thus negating the policy on flitching e) Poor forest governance and coordination. Forest surveillance monitoring and law enforcement are restricted to sawmills sites for lack of forest patrol vehicles, frightening insecurity of forest estates in Nigeria among others. f) Inadequate professional and technical manpower in quality and numbers (appendix 1) g) Major forest allocations based on political patronage as against procurement procedures h) No reliable data (if any) on extent of and stock of forest estates including the changes in the dynamics of the forests. i) Forestry sector working with little or no synergy with other relevant land users and agencies like agriculture, lands and housing, works, Justice etc. 3.2 Challenges. Drawing from the above trend, the effective implementation of SFM is critically challenged by: a) The Political will and leadership of major forest owner- Ekiti State Government b) Inadequate financial resources from owners, donors and partners, c) Ineffective partnership with stakeholders at all levels d) Poor forest governance including transparency and stewardship e) Low-capacity development including special skills in sustainable forest management practices, f) Insecurity of the entire forest estates arising from illegal use and occupation by armed cattle herders and terror groups and g) Lack of reliable data on forest stock including its dynamics. Page | 14 3.3. Opportunities: The development of the roadmap for sustainable management of Ekiti State forests capitalises on the following opportunities: a) The report of a government driven research on Ekiti State Forest sector review and strategic analysis by Owen 2012. Part of the recommendations of the 2012 report already implemented was the review of the old forestry law which led to enactment of the Ekiti State Forestry Law 2016 and the launch of the Ekiti State Forestry Commission (2019). Section 6 sub-sections 2(a) of the new Forestry Law have empowered the Commission to “formulate policies and evolve strategies for the promotion and effective implementation of sustainable forestry development and conservation of Ekiti forests”. The above provides a legal basis for the roadmap and advocacy for the implementation of sustainable forest management in Ekiti Forests. Other legal support for the road map includes: i) The land–use Act, (1978) which vested the control and management of all lands in each State of the Federation on the State Government ii) The Nigerian Constitution (1979) as amended, relating to the power of the Constituent State to make laws and regulate matters relating to their environment; The other opportunities include: i. Increasing awareness of the Forestry Commission and Partners of the benefits of sustainable forest management to addressing the dwindling and unacceptable state of Ekiti forest estates and trees outside forests. ii. The need to improve the management of Ekiti forest resources and enhance its contributions to the implementation of the Ekiti development agenda 2018- 2022 and the 2030 Sustainable development goals 13,15 and associated targets. iii. The need for improved means of implementation and resource mobilisation for policies, programmes and activities of the Forestry Commission including advocacy on the importance of the forests and trees outside forests to our well-being and sustainable development. Page | 15 These opportunities among others are to be effectively harnessed to address the myriads of challenges facing the Ekiti forests and the new Commission through a carefully laid out pathway and making Ekiti forests responsive to deliver needed goods and services to the people without compromising the needs of future generation. These challenges are addressed through deliberate actions with specific goal and targets in order to achieve the Ekiti forest vision by 2035. 4.0. THE EKITI FOREST GOALS AND TARGETS: These are social, economic and technological solutions and actions (pathways) to achieving the “Ekiti forests we want” by 2035. Each of these goals has desired outcome and targets that describe how the Forestry Commission will carry out the roadmap. Each target has strategies (SFM practices) that further specify how the goals and desired outcome will be attained. Forest Goal 1. Reclaim the loss of Forest Reserve Estates; Map and Assess Forest stock and reverse the loss of forest stocks to a level that restores ecosystem services for more than half of the deforested reserves by 2035. 1.1 Delineate and re-establish boundaries of the Ten (10) forest reserves/estates, noting changes in land use over time within and outside the estates; 1.2 Undertake the mapping and inventory of the Ten (10) forest estates to identify the production and protective forests management units, their stocking and other ecosystem parameters for the forest estates. 1.3 Determine the annual allowable cut/sustainable harvesting regime for productive forest reserve or management unit based on yield. 1.4 Develop management plans for at least five (50%) of the inventoried forest reserves. 1.5 Encourage the adoption (uptake) of the targeted practices in 1.3 &1.4 by 30% of owners of private forests and agroforestry landscapes. 1.6 Increase productive forest stock/cover by about 4,000-5,000 hectares per year through a combination of afforestation (involving a higher mix of native with exotic species on highly degraded sites), reforestation (by enrichment planting of desired indigenous tree species) and natural regeneration processes Page | 16 including effective coppices management for regenerating forest stands. 1.7 Encourage through partnership and incentive drive sustainable community-based forest management practices (at least one in each forest reserve) to enhance participation in forest protection, conservation and agroforestry practices outside forest reserves. 1.8 Promote forest fire prevention, control and management on all forest types through improved forest surveillance, community involvement and critical project boundary cleaning operations. 1.9 Develop seed banks for indigenous tree species in each forest reserve; raise the status of such area to special nature reserves and collaborate with professional private forest tree seed collectors/processors to achieve at least a yearly 5million seedling target over the plan period. Forest Goal 2. Promote sustainable forest governance and trade. 2.1 Reduce by 50%, the pressure on the degraded production forests for unsustainable revenue target, a 10year ban on timber harvesting from government forests to allow for investment and restoration period. 2.2 Enhance transparency and stewardship in forest governance: overhaul processes and procedure that allow institutional/systemic corruption; address staff welfare, specialised training of staff, entrench better departmental operational responsibilities and reporting, block leakages of resources, provide working tools and equipment, and value orientation among government officials and forest dependent communities. 2.3 Review the existing practices for forest exploitation by deployment of Tender procedure that ensures value for money and technical procedure that support ecosystem replenishment such as “show your forest farm to justify request for hammering permits”. 2.4 Enhance the Ekiti State Forestry Commission’s capacity and skills needed for sustainable forest management practices. 2.5 Improve Stakeholders engagement and participation in decision making at all levels. 2.6 Enhance the enforcement of regulations and extant laws; through inter-agency collaboration (especially with the Ekiti State security Page | 17 outfits, Community associations, vigilante groups) and promote new regulations for effective implementation of the roadmap. 2.7 Enhance collaboration with neighbouring States on transboundary forest matters. 2.8 Government and Donors to inject funds for forest mapping, forest restoration, capacity building and equipment for sustainable forest management application/ practices. Forest Goal 3. Enhance Forest based economic and social benefits including small and medium wood and non-wood value chain enterprises. 3.1. Improve access of forest dependent communities to forest based benefits especially non-wood forest products in clearly defined areas. 3.2. Enhance the contribution of forests to food security in local communities through planting of native fruit trees on agroforestry landscapes. 3.3. Reduce illegal forest exploitation through improved timber tracking and product traceability. 3.4. Promote efficiency in tree utilisation across the forest value chain and industries through training and acquisition of modern conversion equipment by wood operators/ associations 3.5. Reduce timber flitching and wood waste in processing by 50% through advocacy and enforcement of extant laws and regulations 3.6. Tree planting should be made compulsory for all Timber Traders’ Associations and a criterion among others to access future forest allocation and transactions on wood business with government. 3.7. Promote knowledge-based value addition in forestry enterprise including indigenous tree species seed collection/banking, seedling production and tree growing enterprises. Forest Goal 4. Increase significantly, areas of protected forests across the State. 4.1. Identify special protective areas such as watershed, special wildlife and biodiversity sites, seed banks for indigenous tree species in Page | 18 each forest reserve and raise the status of such area to special nature reserves with working /management plans with legislative backing. 4.2. Improve forest patrols and protection by 50% for all forest reserves in lieu of expected injection of investment funds and partnership with forest dependent communities. 4.3. Strengthen the operational capacities of Local Community Associations (LCAs), Opinion leaders, non-governmental organisations and Traditional rulers for participatory management; up-scaling and replication of protected areas such as Ise Chimpanzee conservation forest area and Otun Herbal Heritage Project. Forest Goal 5. Conduct research to increase the understanding of and tools for Sustainable Forest Management application. 5.1. Collaborate with relevant Universities and forest Institutions to conduct operational work study and develop standard for nursery and regeneration operations to aid performance measurement for in- house operational activities. 5.2. Develop and validate (domesticated) indicators for monitoring and assessing progress of Sustainable Forest Management practices. 5.3. Enhance research on the roles of forest dependent communities in Sustainable Forest Management practices and collaborate with Forestry Institutions on their products relevance to Industry need/ requirements. 5.4. Enhance public-private partnership for research and innovations in forest management and benefit sharing. Forest Goal 6. Mobilise significantly new and additional resources (outside annual budget provisions) for implementation of the roadmap. 6.1. Mobilise significant resources from all sources and at all levels to finance the roadmap, including the approved and statutory 25% of forest revenue retention for forest management, Donor funds, Ecological funds, National Forest Trust Fund, Green Bonds (Ng), Global Climate Change Fund, etc Page | 19 6.2. Improve public-private partnership for financing the roadmap. Forest Goal 7. Monitor Assess and Report progress. 7.1. Develop baseline State standard indicators to measure/ assess the progress targets achieved. 7.2. Establish a reporting system that tracks the application of Sustainable Forest Management practices and changes in benefits that accrue to forest owners. Forest Goal 8. Communicate benefits and achievements. 8.1. Develop communication for best practices on Sustainable Forest Management. 8.2. Develop communication strategy for advocacy and awareness of Sustainable Forest Management and its impact on forest health, production, protection and environmental functions including contributions to SDG 15, life on land and SDG 13 Climate change mitigation and adaptation. 8.3 Celebrate International Day of Forest- 21 March of each year to advocate for forest sector contributions to human wellbeing and sustainable development. 5. IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK 5.1. Roles and Responsibilities. 5.1.1 Major Forest Owners: Ekiti State Government a) Leadership and Political Will: Ekiti State Government (major forest owner) must lead by example in taking deliberate actions, substantial streams of huge financial investment over the plan period for the reclamation and restoration of the highly deforested and degraded but renewable forest wealth. b) A deliberate policy involving total or phased ban on exploitation from forest reserves or step-down unsustainable revenue quest from her already creamed forest (estates) to allow for programmed implementation of Page | 20 the Roadmap in at least 50% of the estates over time c) Provide assistance /incentives/advocacy for the uptake of Sustainable Forest Management practices among all practitioners in free areas, agroforestry systems and plantations for the benefit of the State. d) Bringing together other public agencies related to forest activities and partner with forest related local associations, the forest dependent communities, farmers and private tree growers, to capitalize on the strength of all for SFM to evolve in practice. e) Continually seeking the involvement, inputs, actions and feedbacks of forest owners (public and private), Farmers, wood-users, forest dependent communities and donor Partners and f) Put in place Steering Committee to guide the implementation of the roadmap, including wood users’ representatives and non-governmental organisations to track progress made. 5.1.2 Ekiti State Forestry Commission. a) Implement Sustainable Forest Management practices to effectively upgrade the productive, protective and environmental benefits from the forests and contribute to or complement the resilience of other land users within the context of the Ekiti Development Agenda. b) Mobilising investment funds for massive natural/artificial regeneration of forests by developing bankable proposals that can access funds from national and international donor agencies stock, restoration of forest health, c) Develop capability for mapping, inventory and the production of working/ management plans (in accordance with science-based principle of Sustained Yield and felling cycle) for at least 50% of the forest estates and mobilise private forest owners for uptake. Page | 21 d) Develop tools for effective sustainable forest management practices e) Develop agreeable (State standard) indicators for tracking progress of SFM and implementation of the roadmap. f) Collaborate with and provide technical support for private forest owners for the uptake of Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) practices in accordance with the forestry law. g) Collaborate with Ekiti State Security Agencies, traditional institutions to secure the forest estates, providing safe access to all legal stakeholders. 5.1.3 Private Forest Owners. a) Engaging State actors in the provision of needed technical assistance for the uptake of SFM practices. b) Provide support to forest dependent communities. c) Compliance with forest regulations and laws. d) Participate in research and management of public forests under rules of engagement (e.g. through MOU). e) Enhance the practice of agroforestry on farm and non-farm landscapes. 5.1.4 Ekiti State Saw- millers Association, Timber Traders’ Association, Tree Vendors and Power Saw Operators etc a) Showing understanding with government on policies that impact on assessing the resource base of designated forest estates. b) Taking deliberate action at improving the stocking of the resource base through partnership with major forest owners on forest restoration programmes including a mandatory enrichment of allocated forests with native tree species. c) Develop cooperatives to undertake seed banking as a business enterprise. Page | 22 d) Retraining of personnel in efficient wood conversion and by products utilisation. e) Strong commitment towards ensuring compliance with laws and regulations in particular; under girth cutting, flitching, illegal exploitation, threats to forest officials etc. 5.1.5 Forest Based Research Institutions. a) Collaborate with Forestry Commission on need focused research; i) Development of SFM practices. ii) Development of standard indicators for assessing Sustainable Forest Management practices and tracking progress of the roadmap. Development Partners i) Contributing to ways and means of implementing section(s) or whole part of the roadmap. Stakeholders at National and International levels. i). Domestication of international protocols and processes relating to the strategy for achieving the “Ekiti forest we want”. ii). Transfer of relevant information/knowledge to the Forest Commission/ (State actors) including access to International Funding Agencies. 5.1.8. Traditional Rulers and Local Community Associations i) Initiating and support for creation of new protected forests. ii) Mobilising and sensitizing forest dependent community members on forest protection, socioeconomic access and benefit sharing. Page | 23 5.2. Means of Implementation. Building on the Ekiti Development agenda 2018-2022 for sustainable development and the Ekiti State Forestry Law, 2016, this roadmap provides reference for Local, National, International cooperation and Donor participation as part of the means of implementation of programmes and activities of the Forestry Commission including capacity building on forests. Budgetary allocations from government should be timely and adequate to address specific item(s). It is clear that no single solution or source could finance Sustainable Forest Management, therefore, a combination of sources and means is recommended. The mobilisation of and effective use of resources (domestic and foreign), partnership, leadership and Political Will of major forest owners are key to achievement of Sustainable Forest Management and the roadmap. 6. REVIEW OF THE ROADMAP Provisions for mid-term assessment by 2026/7 of: a) The arrangement and the provisions of the roadmap with regard to legality of its binding force (derived by implications of Section 6 sub-sections 2(a) of the new Forestry Law), the strengthening of the current provisions and the effectiveness of the financial options for Sustainable Forest Management (SFM). b) Progress in the implementation of the roadmap based on agreed State standard indicators relevant to the Ekiti forest and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 7. COMMUNICATION STRATEGY The Roadmap, in itself is a tool for communicating the Stakeholders’ desire for improved forest conditions and services and the means to achieve such desires; nevertheless, a communication strategy is still needed to create and raise awareness within and outside the forest sector of the vital contribution of forests and trees outside forests to life and people of Ekiti State. Page | 24 The strategy should identify among others, target audience, key messages, methods, activities with success in implementation of the roadmap. The International Day of Forest, 21 March should be celebrated to create awareness on forest and its contributions to humankind. 8. APPENDICES. a. LIST OF RESOURCES AND INPUTS ▪ The International Timber Trade Organisation (ITTO) 1978: “Sustainable Forest Management.” ▪ United State Department of Agriculture (2011) Agroforestry Strategic Framework, Fiscal Year 2011-2016 ▪ Oliver Owen (2012): Ekiti – State Forestry Sector Review and Strategic Analysis. ▪ Sustainable Development Goals: 2015- 2030. ▪ Ekiti - State Forestry Law, 2016. ▪ Fameso, T. F. (2017). Background Forestry Sector Situation Analysis on Sustainable Forest Management and Climate change effects in Nigeria. - Document prepared for DESA/ UNFFS, New York, USA. ▪ United Nations Strategic Plan on Forests (UNSPF): 2017- 2030 Page | 25 b). LIST OF TABLES 1. MANPOWER STRUCTURE OF EKITI STATE FORESTRY COMMISSION Nomenclature/ cadre No in position Remarks* 1 Executive Secretary 1 Professional. Appropriate 2. Admin and Supplies 7 3. Finance & Account 13 4. Support staff 2 For revenue collection 3. Forestry Professional: GL 16 ------- –2 GL 14- 15 --------2 GL 08 -13--------16 20 Inadequate for administrative & repositioning for varied skill in GIS (mapping & inventory), Forest management planning 4. Forest Technicians 6 Very inadequate for sivilcultural and forest restoration envisaged in the roadmap 5. Forest Sub-Technicians (Uniformed field Staff) 86 Ill- equipped for protection & enforcement of forest laws / regulations. Require also attitudinal change 6. Senior Boundary Men 2 Inadequate and ill- equipped for boundary surveillance Source: Ekiti State Forestry Commission Records *Remarks are consultant’s view point Page | 26 2. Ekiti State Forest reserves and status LGA Forest Reserve Area(ha) of High Forest Area (ha) of Savana h Total Size (ha) Remarks/ Status 1 Ado Ogbese 6,732 520 7,252 Exploited & degraded-no managemen t plan 2 Gbonyi n Egbe 647 275 922 Exploited & converted to Gmelina / Teak plantation - largely unmanaged 3 Ekiti East Eda i & ii 518 388 906 Eda 11 exploited & recouping. Eda1 exploited & converted to Gmelina/ Teak plantation. - largely unmanaged 4 Ekiti South west Ogotun group 1,036 533 1,569 Exploited and degraded despite difficult terrain. 5 Ekiti West Aramoko 1,966 nil 1,966 Exploited & converted to Gmelina /Teak plantation- largely unmanaged 6 Ikere Ikere 958 461 1,419 Exploited & Page | 27 converted to Gmelina & Teak plantation- largely unmanaged 7 Emure Little Ose 1,367 1295 2,662 Exploited, degraded &.>40% converted to Gmelina/ Teak plantations- largely unmanaged 8 Emure Eporo 1,036 3,626 4,662 Exploited derived Savannah > 30% converted to Gmelina / Teak plantations – largely unmanaged 9 Ise- Orun Ise 5,556 126 5,677 Exploited & degraded. 10 . Oye Ishan/Ayed e nil 2,585 2,585 Over exploited and degraded. Total 19,816h a 9809 ha 29,62 5 ha Source: Ekiti State Forestry Commission Records. 3. Indicative Exploitation and Revenue Generation from 1997- 2019 Year No of (Indigenous) Tree Stump Felled by Location Log Volume (m3) Revenue Generated (#) 1997 19,193(FA) 954(FR) 76,628.39 3,821.62-FR 25,356,931 Page | 28 1998 17,493 988-FR 78,451.76 3,052.00 18,146,677 1999 18,765-FA NIL 80,488.66 24,300,486 2000 17,267 1,425-FR 94,319.73 5,561.94 –FR 29,436,386 2001 18057 1,331-FR 71,620.02 7,128.22 25,557,026 2002 15,939 NIL 60,972.2 - 34,497,775 2003 17,295 Nil 69,603.6 - 39,834,075 2004 17,449 534 81,955 1453.05 44,629,430 2005 17,991 1,742 80,571.51 5073.38-FR 42,787,075 2006 18,231 388 75,687.15 1335.93-FR 43,968,495 2007 16,747 75,307.75 48,400,380 2008 24,761 88,642.4 60,339,845 2009 10,555 37,162.25 49,422,533 2010 16,668 45,913.08 72,109,800 2011 19,611 53,020.29 61,577,800 2012 19,102 - 53,707,045 2013 24,274 - 70,997,425 2014 18294 70,044.58 99,655,945 2015 13,207 49,764.09 69,695945 2016 12,010 56,212 97,592,292 2017 13,180 41,067.23 65740,110 2018 9536 23,045.59 37,887,100 2019 9083 28,196.84 52,343050 TOTAL 392,770 1,366,100.26 1,167,983,586 Note: FA ----- FREE AREA FR ----- FOREST RESERVES Source: Ekiti State Forestry Commission Records 2. Investments in Regeneration of Public Forests (1997- 2010). Year Project Title/ Funding Amount # Forest Reserve Location Achievement 1997 Forestry Trust Fund (FTF) Unstated Ogbese 100 hectares (ha) Page | 29 1998 Forestry Trust Fund (FTF) Unstated Ogbese, Ikere, &Aramoko 130 ha 1999 Forestry Trust Fund (FTF)/ FGN Rural Forest Project. Unstated Ogbese, Egbe 50ha 2000 Forestry Trust Fund (FTF) Unstated Aramoko, Ikere 70ha 2001 Forestry Trust Fund (FTF) Timber Development Levy Agroforestry practices Unstated Ogbese, Ikere, Egbe,Aramoko 185ha 2002 Forestry Trust Fund (FTF) Unstated Ogbese 70ha 2003 Forestry Trust Fund (FTF) Unstated Ikere 50ha 2004 Woodlot establishment State/Local Government Fund Unstated Ogbese 70ha 2005 Woodlot establishment Forestry Trust Fund (FTF) Unstated Nil nil 2006 Federal Government Assisted Project Unstated Ogbese 88.6ha 2007 State Government Funded Unstated Ogbese, Egbe, Aramoko& Ikere 100ha 2008 NIL Unstated Nil 2009 Federal Govt. Assisted Project Unstated Egbe 545ha 2010 State Govt. Fund Unstated Ogbese 192ha (not successful due Page | 30 to lack of maintenance.) 2011- 2015 No record of any operation nil Nil Nil 2016 Forest Regeneration 11.6m Ogbese, Ikere, Ishan-Ayede, Aramoko 100,000 seedlings. 2017- 2021 NIL No budgetary release NIL NIL • Between 2006-2020: #25,490,000 was paid for 192.5 hectares of plantation at Ogbese Forest Reserve. Source: Forestry Commission records. 5) Private Participation in Tree Planting in Ekiti- State S/n Location (LG) No of Tree Growers Area Planted* (hectare) Tree Species Planted Year of Establishment 1 Ekiti East 20 171 Gmelina/ Teak - 2 Ise 22 85,000 Tree stands (approx. 40ha) Gmelina, Teak & Afara - 3 Oye 10 37 Gmelina/ Teak 1997-2008 4 Moba 3 2.7 Gmelina/ Teak 10-18 years 5 Gboyin 12 132 Afara, Teak,Gmelina, Idigbo, Ure, Oriro, Mansonia, Obeche 9-24 years 6 Ekiti West 16 98 Teak/ Gmelina 8-25 7 Efon 3 56 Teak/ Gmelina 8-17 8 Emure 27 103 Teak/ Gmelina, 5-15 Page | 31 Afara 9 Ilejemeje 12 54 Teak/ Gmelina, Afara 7-20 10 Ido 5 51 Mansonia, Teak, Afara 10-17 11 Ijero 8 32 Mansonia, Teak, Afara, Gmelina. 4-15 12 Irepodun /Ifelodun 12 88 Teak 3-22 13 Ado 15 83 Teak/ Gmelina, Afara 5-18 14 Ikere 6 47 Teak/ Gmelina 10-20 Total 994.7 ha • 994.7 ha of planted Trees on Agroforestry landscape, approximately 3.35% of the State Forest Reserves. Source: Forestry commission Records, 2021 Page | 32 6. Sawmill Distribution and Status in Ekiti State S/n Location by LGA No of Sawmills Status 1 Ado 27 13 mills not functioning 2 Irepodun/ Ifelodun 12 1 mill not functioning 3 Ekiti West 01 1mill not functioning 4 Efon Nil Nil 5 Ikere 23 6 mills not functioning 6 Ise 35 16 mills not functioning 7 Emure 13 6 mills not functioning 8 Ekiti South West 17 10 mills not functioning 9 Ikole 27 13 mills not functioning 10 Gbonyin 38 12 mills not functioning 11 Ekiti East 31 16 mills not functioning 12 Oye 22 8 mills not functioning 13 Ido/Osi 11 4 mills not functioning 14 Ijero 4 4 mills not functioning/ operational 15 Ilejemeje 6 5 mills not functioning Total 268 115 Mills not operational* *42.9% of the Saw mills are not operational for reasons of scarcity of timber resources, cost of electricity, obsolete equipment, Source: Forestry Commission Records, 2021 C) Summary of Stakeholders workshops/Town Hall meetings. 1) Wood cutters, Timber Contractors & Saw millers Associations. Town hall meeting held at Ilera-loro Hall, Sec. Ado-Ekiti. 1st March, 2021 The three (3) Associations identified the following as reasons for the unsatisfactory status of the forest base in Ekiti –State. i). Weak enforcement of Forest Laws and Regulations. ii). Failures to arrest and prosecute wood Flitchers (on the site/farm processing of wood with power saw machine) operating day and night in the forest; iii) The impact of charcoal production activities within forest estates as it affects biodiversity and natural regeneration of wild flora; Page | 33 iv). Illegal use of forest lands by Indian Hemp (Marijuana) planters whose activities are not only inimical to the health of Nigerians but also affect the development of forest tree seedlings on forest floor, the saplings and natural regeneration process; v). Encroachment and illegal use of forest lands for food and cash crops such as cocoa by forest boundary farmers. Recommendations ▪ A complete ban on wood exploitation in government owned forests over the period of the Road map to allow for massive reforestation effort by all stakeholders. ▪ Micro-credit support for replacement of their obsolete equipment in other to improve efficiency in wood conversion and by implication forest conservation ▪ Wanted representation of the Timber associations on the board of the Forestry Commission for better inclusiveness in decision making and policy implementation. ▪ Tree planting to be made compulsory for all Timber Trade associations and a criterion among others for access to future forest allocation/ Forest Based Enterprise. ▪ Regular orientation on mode of operations to support (SFM) Sustainable Forest Management ▪ Volunteers within Association members should be co-opted for forest surveillances. ▪ Activities of Forest Guards should be closely monitored as they permit a lot of illegal use of forest lands. 2. Forest Guards and Forest Officers Town hall meeting held at Ilera-loro Hall, Sec. Ado-Ekiti. 25th March, 2021. The groups identified the following as challenges and threats to forest management in Ekiti State: i) Very porous and generally unmanned forest boundaries. ii) Inappropriate timing of release of funds some policy implementation with regards to forest regeneration practices and procedure from seed collection to planting and subsequent maintenance if any. iii) Undue interference and influence of politicians in enforcement and prosecution of forest offenders. Page | 34 iv) Threat to life of officers and guards by forest offenders who carry very dangerous weapons and general insecurity of the forest estates due to influx of armed herdsmen, kidnappers into most forest reserves. v) Lack of reliable office accommodation at zonal / forest charge unit as most outstations are at the mercy of Saw millers, Timber contractors for office accommodation. vi) Practical absence of vehicular mobility to facilitate forest patrol and boundary surveillance. vii) Lack of adequate welfare and incentives such as hazard allowance for forest managers and guards just like their counterparts in the Agriculture and Health sectors of the civil service. Recommendations: 1. Improved capacity building in new and adaptable forest management technologies and re-orientation beyond revenue generation from forests across all stakeholders. 2. Aggressive reforestation and restoration programme with attention to both production forest and conservation of biodiversity. 3. Rehabilitation of forest camps to provide shelter to forest guards and transit workforce. 4. Re-training and equipping of forest guards for effective forest monitoring. 5. The general public and all stakeholders must be sensitized and mobilised in the implementation of the road map. 6. Government to improve on the procurement process for forest regeneration to ensuring the selection of technically qualified to grow our forests. Page | 35 2. Recommendations of the Traditional, Religious and Youth Stakeholders at the Town Hall Meeting on Roadmap for sustainable forest management held on 4th May 2021@ Ilera Loro Hall, Ado-Ekiti TRADITIONAL CHIEFS i) Government should ensure that forest guards are adequate to monitor the forests. ii) The operators in the bush should be adequately monitored to stop the illegal depletion of our forests. iii) Government should sensitize people everywhere in the state on the need to preserve our forests. iv) Government should be ready to provide seed fund to private people, groups and organizations intending to partake in tree planting in the state. v) Government should ensure adequate security of both citizens and forest investors in order to preserve our forests vegetations. vi) Government should build synergy with traditional rulers in securing land for reforestation in collaboration with other stakeholders. CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (CAN) i) There is need for more sensitization from the Government from time to time on proper forest management ii) Young people should be encouraged to study forestry in the tertiary institutions and at the end be employed in the relevant MDAs iii) There should be tough legal actions on illegal cutting of the trees in the forests iv) Government should endeavour to employ more forest guard in order to monitor the forests v) More enlightenment for people that own personal forest on how to maintain and police their forests vi) There should be financial empowerment to encourage those who are interested in tree planting. COUNCIL OF IMAM i) Availability of right seedlings would go a long way in citizens contribution to reforestation in the state ii) The forest users should be encouraged on the dangers of cutting pre-matured trees Page | 36 iii) Government should encourage individuals or families to plant not less than 5000 seedlings to serve as family monument iv) There should be constant capacity building for citizens on the right approaches to use in tree planting. WOMEN GROUP i) There is need for soft loan to be made available for women who are commercial charcoal producers and/ firewood fetchers. ii) The Saw millers, Power Saw Operators and other major Stakeholders in forestry, should be more receptive of women because women too have a lot to contribute in other for us to have “the forest we want”. YOUTH GROUP i) The state government should be very thorough with forest monitoring. ii) There should be special agricultural zone for farmers planting rice and other crops. iii) Fines should be melted on individuals found violating forest regulations. iv) Young people should be encouraged to build career in forestry and forest management. 4. Key Issues Raised at the Stakeholders Engagement on the Policy Documents for Forest Resources Management in Ekiti State: a) Capacity building and incentives for private tree growers particularly on collection of native seeds and seedlings production for planting. A typical case was that of the Chairman of Saw Millers Association who got 40 seedlings of Obeche out of 1,500 seeds broadcast, due to poor understanding of the skill needed. b) A review of the stumpage/tariffs to reflect appropriate price of Trees based on existing timber sizes and stand diameter; this they believed will address sharp practices among timber contractors and forest guards. c) Government should address the critical issue of security in and out of the forest estates and involve more surveillance at community level. Page | 37 5. TECHNICAL ADVISOR TO THE GOVERNOR (FORESTRY MANAGEMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE): RESPONSE TO ‘THE EKITI FOREST WE WANT’ This Roadmap document is an important document and a significant contribution to our redevelopment of the once-central forest sector in Ekiti State, as part of holistic human and Environmental development agenda. It has been prepared with an admirable level of insight and attention, and with detailed public consultation. I know that all actors in the forest, timber and conservation sectors – and within Ekiti State Forestry Commission, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, and Government more generally - have given it full support and open access, from the Hon. Commissioner Environment to the individual forest officers. The findings of this report are absolutely key to taking our intention of re-orienting towards sustainable forest management to the next level. Already, our revised 2016 Forest Law has set us up for a more stakeholder-involved process of forest management which would be more independent of short- term political imperatives. Now this Roadmap gives us a solid and detailed vision of how we can realistically prioritise within that. That is all the more important because in the realities of elected democratic government, with changes each four years, there is even more need for some form of sustained long-term planning and vision to maintain consistency of purpose over the very different timetable on which successful forest management unfolds. What is especially important about this Roadmap is that it clearly shows us that in today’s Nigeria, Government cannot do everything on its own, and that partnership – with communities, donors, NGOs, civil society, investors, the private sector – is the only way we are going to be able make this work. The findings in this report chime with many of our own experiences in our everyday work, and therefore the recommendations are timely and realistic. In fact, we hope the report’s authors and funders would be pleased to know that we have already begun serious work on several of the areas identified here. For instance, while the roadmap recommends, we should complete management plans for at least five of our nine reserves, we have already begun with two Reserves (Eporo and Ogotun Page | 38 group) and have completed Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) and social surveys for them. We hope that we can do even better than recommended and complete such plans for all nine Reserves, assuming we are able to get sufficient support in the current financially constrained climate. Additionally, through the NEWMAP programme, we will complete afforestation of 250 hectares this year, being a combination of Reserves and farmer-led planting in Free Forest, with a combination of rare indigenous species, timber exotics and orchard fruits. In addition, the Forestry Commission is giving seedlings of rare indigenous species to key communities and schools. As the report recommends, we have begun collaboration with a research institution, with Oxford University’s Environmental Change Institute pairing three UK researchers with Nigerian graduate students to study the agriculture-deforestation- biodiversity nexus this summer in Ekiti. We have also upgraded our communication strategy as recommended here, creating social media presence and now developing a permanent website, while streaming key events (including some of the roadmap consultations) to Nigerian and Diaspora audiences on Face book live. And also, in line with the roadmap recommendations, we have begun more cross-departmental working within Government with an agroforestry group meeting with Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security. We have also established a Biodiversity Group and have a new citizen-science-led initiative to help identify biodiversity hotspots within Free Forest in Ekiti State which can then be community-managed as provided for in our law. We are developing information outputs to attract investors interested in getting involved with our long-term development. And we are looking to establish a training leading to globally recognised certification (FSC) for timber producers who want to re-orient towards sustainability. We also understand the very significant issues that this report identifies with staffing capacity and management tools, and while the economic climate will not permit recruitment of extra staff, we are sourcing additional training for existing staff and approaching donors who may support some of that. Page | 39 We know however that these are first steps in a very long journey and very much remains to be done, while the pressures on our forests and environment remain intense. We hope that the next stage would be to enable the incoming stakeholder structure of the Forestry Commission to engage with this report extensively and adopt its recommendations as aims to guide long-term planning. We very strongly appreciate the efforts of the lead author Mr Osakuade, the very capable leadership and staff of NISD, and the goodwill of EIA in enabling this work to take place and make its contribution to our progress; and we very much hope this partnership can continue. Dr Oliver Owen, Technical Advisor (Forestry Management and Climate Change) to the Governor of Ekiti – State. 13th July 2021 D) Roadmap Technical Team: i) Consultant & Lead Author: Mr Michael Tolu Osakuade. BSc. Forestry: MSc. Forest Resources Economics & Management. University of Ibadan. Ibadan, Nigeria. (1982 & 1990). Professional Country Expert and participant at the UNFF (2015-2017) Development of the United Nations Strategic Plan on Forests, 2017- 2030. New York, USA. Professional Country Expert and Participant at the UNFF (2016 – 2017) 2020 Forest Resources Assessment Reporting Format (FRA) Rome. Overseeing, Director: Federal Department of Forestry, Abuja. (2016- 2018). ii) Forestry Commission: Dr. Adewumi A. B.Sc., Forestry (Benin), M.Sc. Terrestrial/ Plant Ecology Ph d. Plant Resources Management (Phytomedcine) Director of Afforestation, Forestry Commission. Ekiti State.