Nigeria Conservation Foundation Plants 184,000 Trees to Restore Forest Cover
A total of 184,000 trees were planted in 2024 across different ecosystems in Nigeria to advance the goal of restoring Nigeria’s forest cover to 25 per cent by 2047 according to the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, NCF.
The President of the Board of Trustees of the NCF, Izoma Asiodu, who announced this feat at an event, noted that the year started out well with the implementation of the Foundation’s programmes and projects.
Revealing this at the 36th Annual General Meeting of the Foundation where members and other stakeholders convened to discuss the preservation of Nigeria’s natural heritage, Asiodu said all efforts are geared towards driving “national reforestation efforts, restoring degraded landscapes and giving life a new hope”.
“In 2024 alone”, she said, “we planted 184,000 trees across various ecosystems, reaffirming our goal of restoring Nigeria’s forest cover to 25 per cent by 2047.
She concluded,” beyond planting trees, we also paid attention to the needs of the host communities on a per-need basis. As we carried out restoration projects, we provided support to the local communities. In some places, it was the provision of water; in others, livelihood support to help improve the living conditions of these communities.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the National Executive Council, Justice R.I.B. Adebiyi, said in the face of the uncertainties and global pressures of the past year, NCF remained steadfast, resilient, and forward-looking.
Justice Adebiyi said, “The year 2024 was a pivotal one, marked by several accomplishments that reinforced our leadership in the conservation space in Nigeria. Through our flagship Green Recovery Nigeria programme, we achieved a remarkable milestone by planting 184,000 trees across different parts of the country. Our conservation efforts included protecting endangered species under our Saving Species in Peril programme. Through concerted efforts, we supported the development of the National Elephant Action Plan, continued our work safeguarding Cross River gorillas, lions, leopards, sea turtles, and other critical species, and implemented community-led initiatives that are helping stem biodiversity loss in key habitats across Nigeria.
“Our actions in tackling climate change gained even greater momentum in 2024. NCF’s active participation at the COP29 Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, and the various local advocacy initiatives, such as the Ibadan Climate Caravan Walk and Osun Climate Awareness Walk, demonstrated our strong presence at both the national and international stages”.