To put an end to the indiscriminate chopping of trees for fuel wood and charcoal in Jigawa state, the state government has banned tree felling for firewood and charcoal to protect forest resources and the environment. This piece of information was given by the Managing Director, Jigawa State Environmental Protection Agency (JISEPA), Mr. Ahmed Lasan, in Dutse. According to Ahmed, the law henceforth prohibits tree felling without approval in all the 27 local government areas of the state.
“JISEPA is legally-obliged to discourage, prevent, and stop the unauthorised cutting down of trees in the state in order to protect the environment. The agency witnessed and received reports of persistent and uncontrolled tree felling for illegal and unauthorised logging, as well as cutting down of trees for fuel and charcoal. This has had devastating impacts on the existing and fragile trees, leading to potential deforestation, loss of farm yields, livelihoods, and public health.
“Trees provide life support system, play vital role in economic and social lives, carbon sequestration, and global climate regulation, as well as regulate local air quality and rainfall patterns. Deforestation, fragmentation, and degradation destroy biodiversity. How many trees, shrubs, herbs, and habitats for some animal species have been depleted, while some are endangered”, he asked. Lasan stated further that cutting down of trees can result in numerous consequences, including reduced biodiversity, habitat destruction, climate change, desertification, water and soil resource depletion, and psychological and social impacts, as he tasked residents to report any indiscriminate activities of the loggers to the agency, forestry offices, and law enforcement agents.
