FACED with the task of beautifying and regenerating Lagos environment from the effect of climate change, the State’s Parks And Gardens Agency (LASPARK) has called on residents and organisations to embrace environmental conservation through planting of trees, especially during the current rainy season.
The agency made the plea at a one-day sensitisation seminar, attended by representatives of traders’ and driver associations, tipper and quarry association, and council centres in Lagos. They met to deliberate on the best way to take care of dedicated parks areas effectively.
The groups, who bared their minds on the impact of tree planting through the Lagos parks project, lauded the efforts of the government and called for more enlightenment programmes to be organized by the agency.
Statistics show that since 1990, Nigeria has lost some 35.7 per cent of its forest cover. Between 1990 and 2005, the country lost over 79 per cent of her forests. Furthermore, 11 per cent of the remaining primary forest is being lost annually.
Coordinating Consultant of the agency, Dr. Titi Anibaba, while speaking at the event appealed to members of the public to participate in the tree-plantation exercise by planting a tree each at individual level, which he said would go a long way in mitigating the impact of climate change.
She underscored the significance of tree planting, adding that it was the responsibility of every citizen to play a role in environmental conservation.
Also Lagos State Tree planting Consultant, Prof Ade Onilude called for closer relationship between the residents and park managers, which he said, were necessary for the success of the tree-planting programmes.
Giving a historical perspective of LASPARK, Onilude stated that LASPARK was established to consolidate and advance the effort of the State government in the area of green infrastructure such as beautification and landscaping projects across the state.
The agency he added is also expected to increase the percentage of green areas through the development of additional sites and continuous tree planting at strategic locations across the state.
Both Dr. L A Adebisi, and Mr. Saka Jimoh of the University of Ibadan, stressed that planting a tree within the periphery of a compound would ensure healthy gaseous exchange between the plant and human beings.
In their presentation they highlighted social, communal, environmental, medicinal and economic benefits of tree planting.
“By planting trees and shrubs, we return to a more natural, less artificial environment. The indirect economic benefits of trees are even greater. These benefits are available to the community or region.”
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