TheCable

The Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN) says the protection of forests is important in absorbing carbon dioxide and mitigating climate change impacts.

Oladapo Akinyemi, FRIN director of planning, research and statistics, spoke while receiving a NAN team in Ibadan.

Akinyemi said the effects of climate change are increasing because of land degradation and the pollution of water bodies.

The director said the FRIN is committed to promoting afforestation through tree-planting initiatives across the country.

“Global warming and its consequences — climate change, must be checked,” NAN quoted Akinyemi as saying.

“Degradation of the land, pollution of oceans, inland water bodies and the air is now taking their toll.

“Protecting the world’s forests should therefore be a priority because they absorb carbon dioxide, help to generate rainfall and purify water sources.

“So, the day trees cease to exist will mark the end of human existence.

“Our department of sustainable forest management has been saddled with the responsibility of ensuring an abundance of both indigenous and exotic tree species which can be used for afforestation programmes in the country.

“Forestry has linkage with climate change and to address this, FRIN has been involving itself in tree-planting across the country, raising seedlings for governments and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), as well as the promotion of sensitisation programmes on afforestation in Nigeria.”