1005-B1
TONY OKPKAM 1
From an early stage till today the forest has had an important role in the survival of man. Man still depends on forest products even in the most technologically advanced places. Hence this congress theme, forest source of life, pointing to the usefulness of forest.
Indigenous people who live in and around forests are dependant on the forest to a significant degree. Over the centuries they have developed strategies to sustain and conserve forest, some of these strategies have in turn influenced the culture of these people. Have indigenous peoples of the forest been the reason for its deforestation around the world, as has been emphasized in the media? The greatest devil, loggers, have made friends in high places, friends that have helped to suppress negative publicity. To anyone who sees it fit to give forest conservation a closer look will see that the pressure in forest has vastly increased due to outside influences. The current and fashionable initiative in forest conservation has been to work with local people, using or adapting traditional conservation practices, some of which have been made redundant partly due to the oppressive attitude of a domineering alien culture that sees other cultures as primitive, dark and obsolete. But also due to the proliferation of sophisticated logging and hunting techniques as well as a more commercial orientated farming. By confiding with those closest to the forest, who appreciate the forests most, who's life is dependent on the forest, who out of a natural/perceived desire have attempted locally to protect forest, who's culture is naturally pro conservation and guess what? They are the indigenous people. The world is yet to learn enough from those that live in the forest, but there is also room for them to learn from the rest of the world, so far it has mostly flown one way, from the outside to the forest people. Forest is natural and natural knowledge is the best for its conservation and restoration. The modern and sophisticated forest destruction medium can no doubt be taken care of in modern literatures and western knowledge. But I wish we put first things first and the most talked about bottom up approach in sustainable development strategy and natural resource management, should be more willfully experimented. "We did not weave the web of life, we are merely a strand in it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves" (Chief Seattle, in E Stauss et al).
My father once told me a conservation story unconsciously, when I was a child. And I have constantly sought for an opportunity to tell this story to the world. I think the time is now that the world have again converge in Quebec.
Forests at their varying state in the world, cover over 40% of the earth land area. They are and will continue to be life sustainer, both for man and other creatures on earth. Such that today's congress theme being FOREST SOURCE OF LIFE, is a pointer to the reality / usefulness of all forests. Though they exist in divers forms, mostly due to climatic conditions, soil types and topography of an area. Yet the compound goal of sustaining life on earth is performed by all forest types.
Indeed since creation, man has depended on forest and forest resources for survival and resource use has been discretionary as could be available. there are lots of sorry stories and depressing information on forest strategies/data that could be shared, but I will leave that for others and rather concentrate on what I presume is the way forward for universal strategy to protect, manage, conserve and sustainable use forest resources as not to jeopardize the chances of future generation using this green gold, considering the percentage of the resource left on earth.
As forest is of fundamental importance to every society and it's loss already posing serious impact on the world's environment, through the large scale pervasive nature of forest related activities. The age long thinking of forest concerns being local in character is now obsolete with the threatening signals which steers us in the face today (global warning rice in sea level, flooding species extinction etc.) and everyday draws us nearer to the signals which are likely to lead us to higher social and environmental costs and we risk missing opportunities for economics growth, as a result of deforestation.
I see this congress as a forum to show case constructive and professional know-how that will lead to a worldwide sustainable forest management and which will guarantee continuos existence of forest worldwide and challenge negative/weak forestry policies and initiatives head-on.
Emphasizing sustainability of the world's forests, while exploring development options through community forestry is our best bed, if the forest ecosystem is to be given it's right place as a sustainer of life. This congress therefore should draw up international programme of action for sustainable forestry. Having in mind, that the whole idea of community forestry viz a viz poverty reduction and better living standard to forest communities, should revolve around negative attitudinal change, through the provisions of sustainable alternative livelihood. Options and the creation of new opportunities and excitement on (non-timber forest products (NTEP'S) harvesting/cultivation. Sustainable agriculture etc, by indigenous people. A wide spread collaboration with indigenous people, and global partnership between governments, business and the civil society, is required to bring about the necessary transformation of our consciousness towards forest consequential issue of our time, poverty. Which is considered as the most profound social trap plaguing all nations. Moreover, it was in line with trying to promote development on one hand and equally protect the environment on the other that led to the coming of the word sustainable development in the 80's by the world commission on the environment and Development Hence the 1992 earth summit in Rio de Janerio, advocated for a global partnership to conserve, protect and restore the health and integrity of the earth's ecosystem some specific principles of the Rio declaration, sought for the eradication of poverty and reduction of disparities in living standards of different parts of the world, being essential to achieve sustainable development and meet the needs of majority of the people.
Also, it was resolved that environmental issues are best handled with participation of all concerned citizens, and the full participation of women, was essential to achieve sustainable development. The creativity, ideals and courage of youths as well as the knowledge of the indigenous people together with the recognition and support of the identity, culture and interests of indigenous people, are needed too in the world's quest for sustainable development.
To protect natural environment, the establishment of global partnership to conserve protect and restore the world's forest as well as the health and the integrity of the earth's other ecosystem cannot be over emphasized.
Furthermore, the world summit on sustainable development held in Johannesburg 2002 (Rio+10), reaffirmed the world's concerned on poverty eradication and other related issue such as water, food and agricultural security as well as clean energy. It was observe that the global divide between developed and developing nation pose a serious trade to global security, stability and posterity. And forest conservation could be a great remedy.
As was identify in the Rio and Johannesburg summits, on sustainable development I have no doubt that this Quebec congress will equally expose sustainable forestry to be dependent on the connected/interdependent and mutual reinforcing pillars of socio- economic development and environment protection. Since the link between poverty, environmental protection and the use natural resources is very obvious and should be establish at local, nation, regional and intentional levels.
I recommend the following actions to be implemented in our genuine quest to satisfy human needs, through forest resources, while ensuring the ability of such forests to fulfil its ecological role of sustaining life on earth.
A model that integrate indigenous people and forest consideration, must go beyond cosmetics, politics, lip service and "sloganisation". Indigenous people and their culture/ religion should be considered and involved in the conceptualization, designed, implementation and evaluation of any global initiative that hence to protect, conserve and manage forests. There is something unique about indigenous people which the world have refused to thoroughly learn from.
There are a lot of conservation initiatives in the culture of indigenous communities worldwide an example are those of Cross River State Nigeria which have not been studied, documented nor used. Such that it's the only state in Nigeria still having pristine forest cover. Until we tab from such wisdom, we might be missing a useful point. You may have heard of the forest of "OTABHA", secret forest, forest of death, spirit or dark forest, "akpuunti" (secrete groves) or a tree (s) / animal (s) housing human beings. This are some indigenous ways of forest preservation, protection and restoration initiative use by indigenous people. This has placed centuries long before even the first National Park in Yellowstone USA was created in 1872. Nor the advent of sustainable development. This forest and animals mentioned above where never allowed to be farmed, hunted or destroyed.
Most indigenous people's culture are pro-conservation and reviving their culture in conservation work will go a long way to trigger or reawaken their near lost conservation orientation/background. Such effort will be seen as connected to their cultural beliefs and bringing them, back to their ancestral ethics and giving them a decisive voice about forest conservation in their localities.
Forest management should constitute a process that facilitates and restore indigenous capabilities of local people and community based organizations to manage micro-watershed and land management projects that mitigate the impacts of environmental change, through direct conservation, forest stewardship and public awareness measure. Value adding activities, such as improved processing and marketing, should be given priority, as communities are encouraged to exploit forest resources themselves community should be of concern to forest restoration and development movements. The understanding here is that most forest loss worldwide, comes as a result of care free use, which to a very great extent, cannot guarantee continuos existence of such forest coupled with the fact that forest use in which ever form is heard to stop without alternative provisions, then establishment of community based poverty reduction/rural livelihoods forestry enhancing projects options, have to be seen as the main answer to the threatening forestry enhancing projects options, have to be seen as the main answer to the threatening forest loss worldwide.
A global, regional, national or even local forest trust fund be created to assist forest communities in attaining their development aspirations, and serve as development catalyst in forest communities. Choice for their award of funds can be based on the willingness of forest communities to allow for the continuos existence and expansion of their forest estate, or prove of previous definite actions taken in the past on forest protection, restoration or conservation. Such economic incentive can build conservation consciousness and promote the desire for resources protection as well as guarantee investment capital. We should facilitate the coming together of forest indigenous people in form net work to enable a cross fertilization of ideas, experience and strategies and hence a wider understanding of the true essence of the continuos existence of forest. This will enable world forestry practitioners to learn/document their "primitive" experience and indigenous community based sustainable forest management initiatives.
While advocating a global thinking in forest management, by encouraging international co-operation, we should ensure the improvement of the long term socio- economic benefit that could be available to indigenous people from locally oriented alternative management of forest resources. Every forest resource should be researched into for instance in Cross River State Nigeria, over 700 major non timber forest product (NTFP'S) have been identify and were being harvested by local communities. (Alexander and Effa 1994). These product could be properly harnessed as to generate good economic value and even export potentials. If a study of all forest sectors is done, the socio-economic characteristic as well as perceptions to requirement of communities taking into considerations in planning and policy formulation the forest destruction that is currently plaguing our society will be address Debt relief could also be a way of reducing pressure on a extracting forest resources for maximum revenue generations. The debt crisis no doubt has influence many environmental problems (forest destruction) experience that developing countries who in the 70's Strive to narrow the gap between them and developed nations, they attempt to import machinery and technology led to their borrowing money form banks and government of industrialized nations, which ended in inflated and compound interest rate for developing nations. The whole scenario ended us in a devastating effect on the environment, as developing countries turned to their natural resource based to provide the money, hence chopping down forest, extensive exploration and mining as well as accepting toxic wastes. It's obvious that debt relief could go a long way to reduce the pressure on natural resources as it can not be dismissed completely form any initiative to protect natural resources particularly forest.
As indigenous people are encourage to cut down on forest loss, industrialized world should equally cut down on the emission of sulphur dioxide (so2) and nitrogen oxides (NOX). Since this gases are traced to cause acid rains which in turn affect forest lakes and rivers etc. Currently in many countries trees are being affected by this acid rains and they lose their leaves and are even dying. We cannot afford to be loosing forest in such a disastrous way knowing its important.
This congress must as a matter of importance highlight on the faith of forest indigenous people and their quest for a sustainable feature. The congress must align itself with the Rio and Johannesburg summits which make cases for poverty eradication which pose a threat to global prosperity security and stability, well designing strategies for forest conservation. We should ensure that after the congress political social and economic challenges that militate against sustainable forestry are dealt with and indigenous people are taking more seriously in forest conservation initiatives.
1. ODA (1992):- Cross River State Forestry Project; mid term review overseas Development Administration, UK
2. ATTE. O. D. (1994):- Community Participation in Forest Management CRS strategic forest management plan working paper No 18, Nov. 1994
3. A. A. Okpokam, (1997) Socio-Economic and Ecologic impact of a Wood Processing Industry Calabar Nigeria.
4. Collective initiatives (2000):- A Journal on Environment, Health and Industrial Development Vol. 1 No. 7
5. One Country (2002):- Newsletter of the Bahai Int'l, Community Vol. 14, Issue 2
6. Eco Conscious Developments, (ECODEV) 2001 Environmental Alert Vol. 10 No. 1 Calabar - Nigeria
7. E. Strauss and M Lisowski (1998). Biology The Web of Life, Texas Teacher's Edition. Scott
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