FOREST MANAGEMENT

A forest can be defined as a piece of land with thick or very thick vegetation. It can also be referred to as a large expanse of land covered with wild trees and bushes either growing wild or planted for some purposes.                         

 Forestry can also be defined as the management of forest land and their resources to provide economically useful goods and services. It involves the production, distribution and utilization of forest products and services.    

               Forest management can therefore be defined as conditions under which forest and its resources could be managed to avoid wastage and degeneration. 

Some of the terms associated with forestry include;-  

1.   Selective Exploration:  This can be defined as selective felling of trees based on maturity i.e trees must be inspected and be said to be matured before being cut down.    

2.   Taungya System: This is a system of farming whereby crops are planted along side with forest trees.

3.   Forest Regulation:  This is the law that guides felling of trees and the use of other forest resources.

4.   Regeneration: Regeneration is a situation whereby trees that are cut in the forest regenerates or grow again.

5.   Deforestation;- This is the act of felling trees indiscriminately.

6.   Afforestation: This is the planting of new trees to replace the ones that have been cut.

7.   Re-forestation:  Re-establishing a forest after the initial trees have been cut down.

ADVANTAGES OF FOREST

1.   It serves as game reserve.

2.   It serves as windbreak.

3.   It conserves soil moisture by preventing evaporation.

4.   It controls erosion.

5.   It prevents leaching.

6.    It serves as centre of tourist attraction.

7.   It helps in recycling of materials.

8.   It provides employment.

9.    It is a source of foreign exchange.

10.    It preserves wild life.

11.    It fertilizes the soil.

DISADVANTAGES OF DEFORESTATION

1.    Deforestation encourages soil erosion.

2.   It leads to loss of organic matter which eventually leads to loss of soil fertility.

3.   It leads to decrease in soil moisture retention.

4.   It increases leaching.

5.   Deforestation reduces the population of wildlife in the area that is concerned.

6.    It can lead to desertification.

7.   It reduces supply of forest products to the industry.

                   

USES OF FOREST AND FOREST PRODUCTS

   

1.   Provision of food for the people.

2.   Timbers from the forest are used by furniture and other industries.

3.   Fruits, vegetables animals are sourced /gotten from the forest.

4.   Raw materials from some of the forest plants are used in industries for the production of oil palm, rubber and fibre.

5.   Plant root, barks and leaves are rich sources of herbs and medicine.

6.   Plank generates revenue for government.

Write down 10 forest trees, Yoruba name, English and Botanical

	Forest trees	Yoruba name	English name	Botanical name
1	African Oak	Ekki	Oak	Lophina alata
2	Ebony	Igedu	Ebony	Diospyros tropurepure
3	Mahogany	Oganwo	Mahogany	Khaya seregac ensis
4	Teak		Teak	Clorophora exceisa
5	African peach	Egbesi	Peach	Sarexphalus esculeitus
6	Can wood	Irosun	Camwood	Baphla nidita
7	Sass wood	Erun	Sass wood	Erythrophieum guireense
8	Brimstone wood	Opepe	Brimstone	Terminaloa specie
9	Mangrove	Egba	Wood	Rhizopora racemasu
10	Shea butter tree	Emi-emi	mangroove	Burry ospermum parki