Protecting the environment to promote tourism, By Folorunsho Coker

Today, I support the advocacy of a wide range of actors from Nigeria and the rest of the world. They understand the stakes we have in protecting and protecting the natural environment and the ecosystem with all its diverse biodiversity. We also need to prevent their deterioration.

I had the opportunity to reflect on the World Wildlife Day which was observed recently on March 3. It is a significant part of the tourist experience and the native space for all those who work in tourism. This is especially true as nature continues to experience a series of impacts that have led us to worry about climate change. These include rising water levels, massive floods, desertification, and heat storms. All of these are fundamentally altering the environment we have come to love, celebrate, and work with.

There is still a huge biodiversity loss due to the destruction of wildlife stocks. This includes the flora & fauna that have helped to balance the natural ecosystem.

Our continuing obsession with experiencing the natural, and even the built environment through tourist can only be sustainable if we are in tune to the emergency that is becoming increasingly evident about its decline, and those of many other elements within it, and then make the necessary efforts to mitigate them.

Today, I am proud to support the advocacy of a variety of actors in Nigeria and around the world who understand the stakes in preserving and protecting nature, the ecosystem and all its colors, and preventing their destruction in very deliberate ways.

It is clear that the depletion in the atmospheric ozone layer due to the progress of humanity, as well as our habits of consumption, has led to the uncontrolled global warming. This has been attendant upon the upsurge of greenhouse gases from the burning of hydrocarbons, as much as it has been due to industrial emissions, deforestation, alongside other environmentally-impacting economic activities.

In the last century, our rainforests have been steadily depleted. The savannahs, mangrove forests, and other ecosystems have also changed. Meanwhile, the Sahel has continued to encroach on our biodiversity, animals, and wildlife species. These species are either moving or dying in massive waves of transcontinental migration.

Nigeria’s Biodiversity Endowment & Loss

From time immemorial, the Nigerian biodiversity endowment was a crucial part of the endowment for tourism. It has motivated people to travel to places where certain species of plants or animals are found, both for therapeutic and nutritional reasons. While the human population has increased the demand for hunting, gaming, and harvesting these biodiversity resources, it has also significantly accelerated the trajectory of their disappearance, which has led to a dire need for protection.

According to records, Nigeria’s biodiversity treasure trove includes almost 8 000 species of plants spread across 300 families and more that 2,200 genera. There are over 22,000 species both vertebrate or invertebrate species. These include over 20,000 insects and 1,000 birds, 1,000 fishes and 123 reptiles as well as 247 mammals. As part of the country’s remarkable biodiversity, nearly 1,500 microorganism species have been identified. These are essential for the country’s unique biodiversity, which ranges from the arid North to Southern Nigeria’s wetlands, and the various vegetation subsets in-between.

…the 2022 edition of the World Wildlife Day speaks to the urgency of reversing the loss of the planets critical biodiversity and the restoration of their habitats and the broader ecosystem. It was established a network protected areas that includes a biosphere reserve, nine national park, more than 400 forest reserves, close to a dozen nature reserves, and nearly a dozen game reserves.

Despite the diversity and range of these treasures and the fact that they are so numerous, our biodiversity has suffered huge losses over the past century due to the activities of humans driving progress and advancement. Many species have been lost forever, but many others are still at risk from poaching, illegal hunting/gaming, climate change, and other threats. A number of endangered species of Nigerian wildlife have been identified. These include the ostriches, grey parrots and genera of crocodiles.

There are many species of plants/trees that are at risk of losing their habitat, including the African teak and the F.White or Diospyros.elliotii(Hiern), African wood, African whitewood, the Fennel flower or Nigella sativa, the traditional chewing stick or Masilania, Garcina manni and Oucunbacaaubrevillei, Erythrina.senegalensis and the Hymenocardia.

Stopping the Biodiversity Loss and Decline

The creation of the World Wildlife Day in December 2013 was a result of recognition of the importance of the animal biodiversity in the world, their vital significance, and alarm at the gradual extinction of these species due to natural and human-made factors. This was made possible by the proclamation of the number 68^Thsession of United Nations General Assembly, adopted The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora was established March 3rd to raise awareness and celebrate the world’s wildlife and wild flora and fauna heritage.

It has been estimated that more than a million species wild fauna and flora are at risk of extinction. This motivated the 2022 World Wildlife Day theme to be Recovering key species for ecosystem recovery. This is to highlight the need for conservation and protection of endangered species. This aligns and enhances the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals 1, 12, 13, 14 and 15, which all emphasize the need for commitments to the sustainable use and conservation of the world’s resources.

The 2022 World Wildlife Day highlights the urgent need to reverse the loss of biodiversity and restore the ecosystem. In Nigeria, the recognition of the need for conservation of wildlife and other important species led to the creation a network protected areas. These include nine national parks, more than 400 forest reserves, 30 games reserves, and close to a dozen nature reserve.

While many of the British forest reserves were established by the British, they were later converted into national parks and conservation areas. This is why it is so urgent that we all preserve this legacy. We also exhort others at the National Tourism Development Corporation to do the same. This will allow us to continue to enjoy all that our environment and biodiversity have to offer.

Landscapes of Natural Tourism Assets

Apart from the forests and games reserves, the nine national parks are some of the most important protected areas in Nigeria for biodiversity and wildlife. They cover approximately 2.4 million hectares. These parks, which are eco-tourism destinations and exceptional spheres of conservation, provide natural habitats for more than 1,300 animal species, including 800 birds, and hundreds of unique faunas and flora.

These diverse ecological domains include many cultural and historical monuments. The Chad Basin National Park is located in North-Eastern Nigeria and consists of the Sambisa Game Reserve, Hadejia-Nguru Wetlands, and the Cross River National Park. It also includes the Okwangwo, Oban sections that cross some 4,000 kilometres of rainforests in the central and north, and mangrove swamps along the coast.

Gashaka-Gumti National Park is also available. It is a combination of two games reserves that runs from Taraba and Adamawa States to the Nigerian border with Cameroon. The Kainji National Park is located between Niger and Kwara States. This includes the Kainji Lake where fishing is restricted, as well as the Zuguruma Game Reserve (to the southeast) and the Borgu Game Reserve (to the west), which cover an area totalling 5,341 km2.

Kamuku National Park in Kaduna State has a total area of 1,120 kilometres. Its ecology consists mainly of the Sudan Savanna. Old Oyo National Park runs through Oyo State’s northern half and Kwara State’s southern half. The Jos Wildlife National Park is located in Plateau State, North-Central Nigeria, and the Yankari National Park, Bauchi State. These parks extend to the North-Eastern regions of the country and the Okomu National Park, Ovia South-West Local Government Area, Edo State. This forest covers an area of more than 1,082 kilometres.

We are bound to continue to improve our efforts in conservation and protection of biodiversity. This includes the unique fauna and flora that make up our ecosystem and natural habitats. This is the central objective of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration regarding the natural environment. It is the balance that we all need to sustain our existence on this planet and continue to enjoy the benefits of tourism. This aligns with international standards, such as Sustainable Development Goals. But, it’s also about real pragmatism, good economics, and good economics.

While many of the British forest reserves were established by the British, they were later converted into national parks and conservation areas. This is why it is so urgent that we all preserve this legacy. We also exhort others at the National Tourism Development Corporation to do the same. This will allow us to continue to enjoy all that our environment and biodiversity have to offer.

Feminists are the future of our world and tourism

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I will not stop this essay about the necessity of protecting nature and the environmental environment without offering a resounding salutation our womenfolk who do much the work of tourism, directly or through its associated sectors, as part of the International Women’s Day 2022 (IWD), which was just held on March 8.

It is clear that women make up half of the world’s population, in Nigeria and around half of the world’s total population. However, they are still bound by tradition, conventions, and society which limits their potential and limits their possibilities. We can unlock the future we want and make it possible by becoming feminists and supporting our womenfolk to unleash their diverse abilities and potentials, while breaking down all the biases that may be in their path. God, please help us.

Folorunsho CookerThe Director General of Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), and chief marketer for the Nigerian destination.