Abstract

Literature is replete with evidence of deforestation of the tropical forest. In Nigeria, studies on deforestation also abound. This report, which is built on the government forests in South West Nigeria attempts to provide a basic linkage between deforestation and endangered indigenous tree species. Endangered indigenous forest trees in South West Nigeria are further threatened by lack of commitment and business as usual. Deforestation is highly severe and this continues unabated. The stock of the forest is depleted by agents such as saw millers and fuel wood gatherers. They constitute 42% of the agents of deforestation. On the scale of threat, Miliciaspecies comes first with a level of 26, followed by Triplochyton scleroxylon with 20 on the threat incident scale while Khaya species and Mansonia species comes next with a threat incident level of 17. The ratio of regeneration in general is, one cut to two replenishment but the replenishment is based on coppicing, which limits the power of the forest to replace lost volumes. Deforestation apart from its direct effect on endangered indigenous tree species impacts negatively on food supply, soil and landscape of South West Nigeria. For improvement to be engendered in the Zone, more Education is needed for the entire citizenry on the need to conserve the endangered species as well as making sure that forest policies are well fashioned out and followed to the latter, to safeguard the tree species from extinction.

Key words: Deforestation, endangered species, non-timber forest products, greenhouse, depletion.