NG0003 Nigeria: Development of the Northern Sector of the Cross River National Park



Project Summary:

This project involves the protection of forests within the northern (Okwangwo) sector of the Cross River National Park in Nigeria, and the sustainable development of the land outside the park. The project aims to stabilize land and forest use in and around the park, and links institutional development, environmental education, park protection, and village liaison and development.
Priority Biomes % Strategies %
Forests 50Consumption & Pollution 0
Freshwater Ecosystems 50 EE & Capacity Building 30
Oceans and Coasts 0 Protected Areas 30
Non-Priority Biomes 0 Species 0
Non-Biome Specific 0 Sustainable Resource Use 40
Treaties & Legislation 0
Non-Priority Strategies 0

Project Background:

The concern of the Nigerian federal and Cross River State governments about the economic cost of environmental degradation led to the production of a project proposal drawn up by WWF­UK in association with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF). The proposal was to create a National Park that would include two important forest areas: the southern Oban Hills (project NG0001) and the northern Okwangwo (project NG0003). Reports and surveys on the Okwangwo division in 1989 were synthesized into the project proposal which was published in 1990. In autumn 1991 the two areas were linked when the Cross River National Park was created. The two projects help to ensure that the only remaining moist forest in southern Nigeria is protected.

Cross River National Park lies in the extreme south-east of Nigeria, alongside Korup National Park in Cameroon. Together they form a conservation area of outstanding international importance. Okwangwo, the northern sector of the park, is important because of its high biodiversity. The forest protects a crucial watershed, the rivers of which wind down from the hills before flowing through a wide marshy delta to the Atlantic Ocean. The delta boasts the richest fishing grounds in West Africa. The Okwangwo Division also shelters the country's only gorilla population and it is hoped that the creation of the park will ensure their survival. The project has been funded by the UK Overseas Development Administration's Joint Funding Scheme (ODA­JFS) since 1989 and by the European Commission since mid-1994. Overall management of the Okwangwo Division rests with WWF.

Project Objectives:

1. To ensure the establishment and management of the Okwangwo Division of the Cross River National Park, involving local people as far as possible in the planning and management.

2. To continue to develop public awareness about the aims and activities of the project.

3. To control illegal logging, farm encroachment, and all hunting, and to give particular emphasis to the protection of gorillas.

4. To raise the confidence and ability of communities to initiate economic activities themselves so as to raise income levels, thus enabling the communities to control their own resources in a sustainable manner for present and future exploitation.

5. To organize a survey (a) to enable amendment to the National Park Decree, and (b) to establish a defined National Park boundary, without which the park cannot be protected.

NG0003.1: Nigeria ­ Devlp. of the Northern Sector of the Cross River NP, ODA-JFS Funds (Aug. 89 - Jun. 98)

Activity Background:

WWF­UK obtained ODA­JFS funding to finance five key senior posts in the Okwangwo Programme (the northern sector of Cross River National Park).

Activity Objectives:

1. To manage and coordinate the Okwangwo Division of the Cross River National Park.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Moist Forest.

Activity Methods:

Protected Area Management.

Activity Species:

Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes); Drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus); Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla).

NG0003.2: Nigeria ­ Development of the Northern Sector of the Cross River NP, EC Funds (Aug. 89 - Jun. 98)

Activity Background:

WWF­UK negotiated and obtained major EC funding for implementation of the Okwangwo Programme, on behalf of the Nigerian Federal Government.

Activity Objectives:

1. To manage and coordinate the project activity.

2. To conduct park management.

3. To conduct rural development activities.

4. To conduct biological research.

Major targets for FY1998 and beyond:

EC funding expires in July 1998. A proposal for programme extension will be submitted during 1996-97, which will consider continuation/expansion of support zone development, funding for the resettlement programme, and park management development, particularly with respect to tourist development in the park and Obudu Plateau.

Activity Biomes:

Tropical Moist Forest.

Activity Methods:

Protected Area Management.

Activity Species:

Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes); Drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus); Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla).

NG0004 Nigeria: Project Development Officer for the Nigerian Conservation Foundation

Project Summary:

This project involves support for the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), a charitable non-profit making organization, the objective of which is to promote the conservation, management, and sustainable use of Nigeria's flora and fauna. The purpose of the project is to develop the in­house capacity of the NCF, a WWF associate organization, to manage projects and attract maximum potential funding from donor agencies.
Priority Biomes % Strategies %
Forests 0Consumption & Pollution 0
Freshwater Ecosystems 0 EE & Capacity Building 90
Oceans and Coasts 0 Protected Areas 0
Non-Priority Biomes 0 Species 0
Non-Biome Specific 100 Sustainable Resource Use 0
Treaties & Legislation 10
Non-Priority Strategies 0

Project Background:

The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) was established in 1982 to increase awareness of the dangers posed to the country by the continuing degradation of natural habitats and loss of wildlife. It has three main activities: (a) public awareness and conservation education, (b) protection of natural habitats and endangered species, and (c) provision of support for active conservation organizations within Nigeria.

Many aid agencies are seeking to increase their aid to Nigeria and would like to work with the NCF, either directly or through WWF. At present NCF is developing its capacity to manage complex projects and make use of current and potential funds. NCF asked WWF­UK and the Overseas Development Administration (ODA) to help improve its in­house capacity to manage projects. The ODA supports this project through its Joint Funding Scheme and provides NCF with in­house capacity for improved project management.

Project Objectives:

1. To improve and rationalize NCF's capabilities in strategic planning.

2. To identify potential projects and development of proposals and plans for these projects.

3. To secure funds from outside agencies.

4. To adequately implement new and existing projects.

5. To collaborate the preparation and finalization of a strategic plan for WWF's future involvement in Nigeria.

NG0004.1: Nigeria ­ Provision of Support for the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (Jul. 90 - Jun. 99)

Activity Background:

See Project Background.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objectives.

Major targets for FY1998 and beyond:

1. To review schools' environmental education syllabuses.

2. To conduct a waterfowl census.

3. To create joint NCF/National Parks Service management of Old Oyo National Park.

4. To publish a book entitled "The Nigerian Environment: Perspectives into the Year 2000".

5. To advocate gazetting of new National Parks and protected areas.

Activity Methods:

Institutional Support and Development; Programme / Project Development.

NG0007 Nigeria: Gashaka Gumpti National Park.

Project Summary:

This project supports the Nigerian Conservation Foundation in assisting the federal government's National Park Service to conserve Nigeria's valuable natural resources by developing Gashaka Gumpti National Park and by promoting improvements in the standard of living of people residing near the park.
Priority Biomes % Strategies %
Forests 50Consumption & Pollution 0
Freshwater Ecosystems 50 EE & Capacity Building 30
Oceans and Coasts 0
Protected Areas 50Non-Priority Biomes 0 Species 0
Non-Biome Specific 0 Sustainable Resource Use 20
Treaties & Legislation 0
Non-Priority Strategies 0

Project Background:

The mountainous region of Gashaka Gumpti is a 6,000 sq km mosaic of diverse habitats with altitudes varying from 450-2,400m above sea level, situated in Adamawa and Taraba States of Nigeria. These forested mountains shelter the headwaters of some of the major tributaries of the River Benue, Nigeria's second-largest river. Conservation of these forests is important for the future of Nigeria's water resources. The extensive range of different habitats supports communities with a high degree of biological diversity, which provides considerable potential for tourism. A former Game Reserve, Gashaka Gumpti was declared a National Park in August 1991. During 1992, responsibility for managing the park was taken over by the National Park Service. The Nigerian Conservation Foundation, with support from WWF, are assisting the park management in the protection and development of this important conservation area. WWF assisted with sourcing UK ODA­JFS and EC funding, which commenced in 1991.

Project Objectives:

1. To establish Gashaka Gumpti National Park as a well­managed conservation area.

2. To protect the forested water catchments of the Taraba River.

3. To prevent environmental degradation and soil erosion in the mountains of Gashaka, and in the Mambilla and Ganye local government areas of Adamawa and Taraba State.

4. To develop an education awareness programme in the vicinity of Gashaka Gumpti National Park.

5. To promote sustainable rural development in order to improve the standard of living of people living near Gashaka Gumpti National Park.

6. To conserve the park's breeding populations of fish and mammals.

7. To conserve the region's high biodiversity.

8. To develop hitherto untapped tourist potential.

9. To control illegal logging, farm encroachment, and hunting.

10. To retrain and redeploy the park's anti­poaching force.

11. To initiate and develop an inventory of the park's biological resources.

NG0007.1: Nigeria ­ Gashaka Gumpti National Park (Nov. 91 - Jun. 99)

Activity Background:

See Project Background.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objectives.

Major targets for FY1998 and beyond:

1. To assist the park's authorities and local communities in the implementation of a collaboratively planned management plan.

2. To secure long-term funding for the development of the park and surrounding areas.

Activity Methods:

Protected Area Establishment; Protected Area Management.

Activity Species:

Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes); Giant forest hog (Hylochoerus meinerzhageni); Hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus); Leopard (Panthera pardus); Lion (Panthera leo).

NG0008 Nigeria: Survey of the Forests of Taraba and Adamawa States, Nigeria

Project Summary:

The project aims to protect the forests that form a significant area of the catchments of a major river system in north­east Nigeria, a system that provides water resources for millions of people. A survey will detail the geographic extent, biological composition, and ethnobotanical, economic, and hydrological importance of the forests, from which an assessment of their conservation, management, and legal status can be made. Following this, proposals for the future management and conservation of the forests will be prepared, indicating the involvement of local communities in their sustainable utilization. The project will also train a team of Nigerians from a variety of institutions in the techniques of undertaking resource and socio­economic surveys.
Priority Biomes %
Strategies %Forests 50 Consumption & Pollution 0
Freshwater Ecosystems 50 EE & Capacity Building 50
Oceans and Coasts 0 Protected Areas 50
Non-Priority Biomes 0 Species 0
Non-Biome Specific 0 Sustainable Resource Use 0
Treaties & Legislation 0
Non-Priority Strategies 0

Project Background:

Considerable areas of lowland and highland moist forests exist in the Taraba and Adamawa States of north­eastern Nigeria. These forests cover many hundreds of square kilometres of countryside. They are little known within Nigeria, and internationally they are virtually unknown. One of the largest lowland forests, Bissaula Forest Reserve, is situated 100km north­east of the Cross River National Park. The north­eastern forests are intensively utilized by local communities for the harvesting of forest products, including timber, building materials, and bushmeat. Extensive areas are cleared for farmland each year by shifting cultivators. Some of these forests have been designated as forest reserves and thus receive a degree of protection and management. Other forests are subjected to constant, uncontrolled exploitation. One of Nigeria's two major rivers, the River Benue, flows through Taraba and Adamawa States. Some of the most important tributaries of this major river have their headwaters in the mountainous country along the international boundary with Cameroon. This rugged terrain is partially protected by these remaining expanses of forest, creating a vital watershed catchment for the tributaries. If these forests continue to be unsustainably exploited, and ultimately destroyed, a significant proportion of the catchments of a major river system will be irreparably damaged, with disastrous effects on river flow patterns and on the water resources of millions of people.

Project Objectives:

1. To carry out a comprehensive field survey of the lowland and highland moist forests in the Taraba and Adamawa States of north­eastern Nigeria, ranging across a watershed of some 50,000 sq km.

2. To make an accurate assessment of the conservation status of these forests and the threats to their future survival.

3. To produce proposals for the long-term management and conservation of these forests.

NG0008.1: Survey of the Forests of Taraba and Adamawa States, Nigeria (Jul. 94 - Jun. 99)

Activity Background:

See Project Background.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objectives.

NG0009 Nigeria: Protection of Okumu Nature Sanctuary, Edo State, Nigeria

Project Summary:

View Map

The Okumu Nature Sanctuary in Nigeria is located within a 1,082 sq km forest reserve representative of the lowland rainforest ecosystem of south-west Nigeria, and containing a unique assemblage of plant and animal species. This project affords protection to the forest reserve, with a view to the spreading out of a "gene pool" of endangered flora and fauna, including many plants with medicinal properties and the endangered white-throated monkey, into the surrounding forest.
Priority Biomes % Strategies %
Forests 100Consumption & Pollution 0
Freshwater Ecosystems 0 EE & Capacity Building 25
Oceans and Coasts 0 Protected Areas 30
Non-Priority Biomes 0 Species 0
Non-Biome Specific 0 Sustainable Resource Use 25
Treaties & Legislation 20
Non-Priority Strategies 0

Project Background:

Okumu Nature Sanctuary in Nigeria was established in 1985, following the Nigerian Conservation Foundation's (NCF) pioneering efforts, and originally covered 69 sq km. In 1991 it was extended to 112 sq km. At present NCF has 12 staff in situ, including nine game guards. The sanctuary is a "flagship" project for NCF. The national policy on conservation is that 20% of Nigeria's land should be under permanent vegetation cover, in order to provide a safeguard for the country's renewable natural resources. At present less than 10% is actually being protected. Uncontrolled timber exploitation, ever increasing demand for more farming land, and urbanization are all contributing to the progressive depletion and destruction of Nigeria's remaining forests.

Okumu Nature Sanctuary is important for its biodiversity and offers great tourism potential - it has a guest house and nature trail, as well as a river where it is possible to swim. The endemic white-throated monkey, the future of which almost certainly hinges on adequate protection of Okumu, and several other endangered species such as the forest elephant, the bushcow, and the yellow-backed duiker, as well as an impressive array of bird life, all occur in Okumu. Although the sanctuary has been in existence for some time, there is still considerable pressure on it from the surrounding communities. Local people are accustomed to making use of non­timber tree species, herbs, shrubs, wild animals, birds, and reptiles to provide food, fodder, fibres, drugs, wild fruits, and other commodities.

This project provides the resource necessary for NCF to continue to safeguard the important genetic resources of Okumu. There are several donors involved in support zone activities around the sanctuary, but none involved with the sanctuary itself.

Project Objectives:

1. South­west Nigeria's rainforests, and to conserve these resources for their scientific, economic, and educational use by present and future generations.

2. To secure funding for the continued protection of Okumu Nature Sanctuary.

3. To provide protection for the sanctuary such that plant and animal populations can build up a gene pool spreading out into the surrounding forest, which in the long term will allow for a system of sustainable harvesting of useful fauna and flora in the support zone around the sanctuary.

NG0009.1: Protection Of Okumu Nature Sanctuary, Edo State, Nigeria (Jul. 93 - May. 98)

Activity Background:

See Project Background.

Activity Objectives:

See Project Objectives.