Factors Affecting Timber Production in Akwa Ibom State (Nigeria) and the Way Forward

Abstract

In Akwa Ibom State, timber is used for building, construction, furniture making, transmission pole, pulp and paper, and chemicals. Timber harvesting, processing and utilization had remained a big business to quite a number of people with its attendant forest destruction and deforestation. The State was richly endowed with forest resources, which are of great benefit to man but the high demand and continuous harvesting of timber products in the State ecosystems without any deliberate sustainable management programmes has resulted in the over-harvesting and complete devastation of the standing stock of indigenous wood species. In addition, indiscriminate exploitation of these resources has caused depletion of forest leading to serious timber deficit. This work has discussed factors affecting timber production in Akwa Ibom State and the way forward. The paper has identified deforestation and ‘dereservation’, overexploitation of forest resources, revenues target by government, population growth and infrastructure expansion, non-participation of the private sector in forest development, amongst others, as factors responsible for the decline of timber resources in the state. The paper recommends that reforestation and afforestation programmes, conservation of natural forests, private sector participation in forest management, adoption of agroforestry system and sustainable management of natural resources can improve timber production in the State.