Forest Conservation &Protection Department

About Us

Head of Department:Dr (Mrs) Ekpo E. N.

Forest conservation and protection department is one of the research departments in the institute. The mandates of the department include doing research on the conservation and genetic improvement of flora and fauna species as well as studying the ecology of pests and diseases of forest trees and their control.
The Department is made up of four research sections

Ecology

Entomology

Pathology

Taxonomy

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Ecology Section:

  • The Section has responsibility for the study of the forest in its natural form through insitu conservation. It offers biodiversity study especially in the area of vegetation survey in all ecological zones of the country. The vegetation survey carried out in the past was used by Land and Survey Department to prepare vegetation map of Nigeria.
  • The Section has made great contribution in natural resources conservation by establishing Strict Nature Reserves (SNR) in some ecological zones of Nigeria which now serve as field laboratories within and outside the country.
  • Appropriate fire regime is developed as forest management tool for the development of forest estate in Nigeria.

    • ENTOMOLGY Section:

  • The mandate of the Section is to conduct research on the ecology of insect pests of forest trees of economic importance and improved methods of their control.
  • Regular surveys and collections of insects from, natural forests, plantations, nurseries and arboreta in Nigeria. The collected specimens are preserved in the insect Museum and they serve as source of information for research and training.
  • Research on identification and synthesis of sex pheromones and host plant odours for the control of Phytolyma spp on MIlicia excelsa and Hypsipyla robusta on the Mahoganies, by mass trapping.

    • PATHOLOGY SECTION

  • The mandate of the Section implies research on diseases of forest trees and their control as well as researches on improved technologies for the cultivation of edible mushrooms and mushroom seed production.
  • Study of fungal pathogens associated with some common forest tree seeds.
  • Isolation and identification of fungal pathogens from decayed wood and diseased leaves are carried out.
  • Preservation of pure cultures of the identified pathogens for further use and assistance to students in their forest pathology section.
  • Collection and identification of macrofungi associated with forest trees.
  • Photochemical analysis of some leaf extracts is being studied to ascertain their antifungal effects.
  • Cultivation of indigenous edible mushroom. Research is targeted at reducing the time of mycelia  growth and sporophore emergence for Nigeria edible mushrooms.
  • Training is given to interested individuals on mushroom cultivation and lectures given t students on industrial attachment to the section.
  • The technology is disseminated through extension activities, publications, workshops and other meetings.

    • TAXONOMY SECTION

  • The session is involved in Taxonomic research and services which include Identification, Classification, and Nomenclature of plants and medicinal plant research
  • Medicinal Plant Research: A medicinal pant garden is being developed with plants ranging from trees, shrubs, herbs, climbers, grasses etc. Ethnomedicinal information of some plants is available
  • Herbarium: This is Forest Herbarium Ibadan with the International herbarium code being FHI, The National Herbarium for Nigeria with over 108000 plants being the largest in the country. This herbarium contributed to the publication of the flora of West Tropical Africa in three volumes by Hutchinson and Dalziel (1958 – 1972), the samples of all the wild plants that ever occur in Nigeria are preserved in the Herbarium Ex-situ conservation.
  • Taxonomy Research: Through FHI and Laboratory Research, we carry out Taxonomic research and offer Taxonomic Services such as: Plant Identification, Collection, Flora writing, plant survey and publication of reference books for plant Identification, Vernacular version of Nigeria flora (Yoruba, Hausa, Edo and Delta versions) etc
  • Training: The section offers Herbarium Management and Techniques course (Ordinary and Advance levels),
  • Checklist of Nigerian Flowering plants
  • Checklist of Nigerian herbs
  • Checklist of Nigerian Climbers
  • Igbo vernacular names of Nigerian plants
  • Common names of Nigerian plants
  • Software on Herbarium Management Information System

    • Wildlife Section:

  • The mandate of the Section is Wildlife Conservation and Protection, Management and production which essentially involves carrying out of
  • Research into Sustainable Wildlife Conservation and Protection IN-situ throughout Nigeria
  • Research in the area of Wildlife Habitats, Diseases, population Dynamics, Eco-Tourism, Socio economics of Wildlife Conservation etc
  • Since the inception more than a decade ago, grass cutter and snailery units have trained and assisted to procure foundation/parent stocks to hundreds of people across the country on the technique of rearing grass cutter and snails
  • The section offers Training on grass cutter and snail domestication.

    • Ongoing and proposed projects in the section

  • Grass cutter domestication and multiplication
  • Snails domestication and multiplication
  • Thevetia peruviana steud-bee honey research project