Transcript Second Edition of the State Climate Change Dialogue (SCCD)

Forest Policies & Governance in Cross
River State (CRS), Nigeria
Presented at
Oslo Governance Forum, Norway
By
Odigha odigha
Chairman CRS Forestry Commission
3-5 October. 2011
Nigeria: our forest , our biodiversity
• Nigeria has unique forests with
endemic species found nowhere
else on earth
• One of the 25 biodiversity
hotspots in the world
Cross River State
 The “Gulf of Guinea” forests which start east of CR
are a global biodiversity hotspot
 50% of Nigeria’s remaining forest
 over 1100 butterfly species in CR
National Park
 75% of Nigeria’s endangered
tree species
Community forestry in CRS
• 34,000 hectare of community
forest conserved in Ekuri
• ODA/DFID - the formation of
Forest Management Committees
How we have responded
Our political Will: CRS:- Bold Reforms & climate
change policy
•Stakeholders Summit for the
Environment in June 2008
•Two year logging moratorium in
place
•Established and supported
the anti-logging task force
2009- Engagement in REDD+
community engagement and
enhancement of local livelihoods key
REDD drivers.
PolicyPolcy
reform
to manage
for carbon concession
reform to manage
for carbon concession
FOREST NURSERY – OBAN
Forest nursery, Ranch Resort sub-charge,
Obanliku
COLLABORATION WITH THE COMMUNITIES
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FORESTRY COMMISSION
POLITICAL WILL
COLLABORATION WITH INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
2008-katoomba:
Follow-up
• Made contact with UN-REDD,
WB-FCPF and Governor’s
Climate and Forest Task Force
(GCF)
2009 Governor of CRS Formal
admission into GCF
Challenges
• Low REDD/PES awareness at federal, state and site
levels
• Low institutional capacity at all levels
• No federal or state level REDD carbon
framework/legislation
• Uncertainty around land tenure and carbon rights
• Low budgets to environment at federal and state
levels
• Significant gaps in sustainable NTFP harvesting
and marketing plans
• Combating major drivers of deforestation
Our strengths
Aspirations
• high degree of political
support and leadership
remain clean and green as a
biodiversity hotspot
• Significant high carbon habitat
and rich biodiversity
increased level of forest conservation
and protection
• Valuable community forestry
examples
address rural poverty and
unemployment by promoting microenterprise
• Significant NTFP potential
and tree crop farming
extend the state forest cover- 5 m
seedling annually
• Ecotourism potential
convert timber dealers and other
forest exploiters into forest growers
• Large potential client base for
purchase of future credits
promote rural electrification based on
renewable energy
CROSS
RIVERprogram:
STATE’S VISION
LAC
forest
FCPF
• Within 10 years, Cross River State will have 1 million
hectares of forest lands managed for climate change
friendly activities
• These will include carbon credits, non-timber forest
products, sustainable tree crops and ecotourism
• This could potentially generate new economic value
into the state.
Thank you!!!
• We would like to ask for
partnership with you on this
journey that we are
committed to travelling.
• You will have all the political
support you require to help
us achieve our vision for a
carbon friendly future.
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