A lecturer at the University of Uyo, Prof. Edem Eniang on Tuesday expressed worry at indiscriminate tree felling for timber and charcoal production, describing it as destruction of the environment.
Eniang who spoke in Lagos noted that illegal logging increased in Nigeria in the past two years.
According to him, economic hardship contributed to the situation.
The biodiversity expert, however, cautioned that destroying the environment for a temporary economic gain would be counter-productive.
He said that illegal logging would have long-term negative consequences and should be avoided.
Eniang said that the environmental was being highly degraded by indiscriminate felling of trees as unpatriotic people turned mangrove forests to alternative sources of income and energy.
He warned that nature’s ways of reacting to such could be catastrophic.
“Violation of the nation’s forest reserves without regard to measures put in place to protect such assets depicts high level of retrogression.
“The environment remains the bedrock of human existence, and development efforts should be consistently geared toward its protection for sustainability.
“Renewable energy should be the trend toward better environment.
“Government should avoid polices that make people to dependent on trees in the forest as an alternative source of energy or means of livelihood,” he said.
NAN
