Assessment of Urban Forestry Contributions to Environmental Sustainability in Nigeria

In developing countries like Nigeria, many of today’s urban poor were yesterday’s rural poor. Among other immediate basic needs, they bring to the cities with them, are fuel wood, low-cost construction materials and other wood products, easily accessible and affordable food and an adequate supply of clean drinking water and water for household use. Not only must their need and those of the people already living there be considered, but also how to fulfill those needs while maintaining or improving the urban environment. Urban forestry offers various potential benefits, including providing the urban poor with some forestry products mitigating the ecological effects of urban sprawl, and improving the living environment in urban areas. The paper therefore affirms that strategy for realizing these benefits have to be developed and planning of urban forestry initiatives should be integrated into the overall urban planning, technical, financial, human, and institutional requirements. The paper finally advocates for the need to encourage public, private partnership for a sustainable urban forest.