The Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) awarded a grant to the IITA Forest Center, Ibadan, to enrich its Tree Heritage Park (THP) with rare and threatened native trees in 2022. According to the donor, “The BGCI Global Botanic Garden Fund is disbursed to eligible small botanic gardens in developing countries and biodiversity hotspots, that are committed to conserving different plant species, especially those that are rare and threatened.”
From 2015 to 2017, the IITA Forest Center partnered with BGCI to implement a project titled “Prioritising and protecting Nigeria’s most threatened trees: conservation, propagation, and ex-situ cultivation of endangered indigenous tree species.” The project, funded by the Mohammed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, recorded remarkable successes in compiling a list of priority Nigerian trees based on current conservation assessments, selecting four threatened Nigerian trees. It also developed propagation protocols, ex-situ conservation of priority species in the THP, and built the capacity of resource persons.
According to Project Manager Adewale Awoyemi, “The new project will build on previous successes through ex-situ conservation of an additional eight rare native trees that are not presently conserved in the THP. These are Allanblackia floribunda (LC), Drypetes staudtii (VU), Entandrophragma candollei (VU), Khaya ivorensis (VU), Nesogordonia papaverifera (VU), Pterygota bequaertii (VU), Sterculia oblonga (VU), and Strombosia pustulata (LC)”. The new project also involves collecting propagation materials in forest patches in southern Nigeria, photography, and experimental trials, which will be useful in developing a propagation protocol. Another key aspect of the project is capacity building among forest rangers and students during collecting trips. We will have to engage and train a future arboriculturist to assist with this project while learning”.
When asked about the prospects of the THP, Awoyemi said, “The THP is already a reservoir of genetic resources of rare and threatened native trees that will be useful for future reintroduction programs. Some trees planted about five years ago are already fruiting. Of course, there are a few places on the African continent where you could have such collections in addition to or as part of ex-situ THP conservation. The IITA Forest Center, which is responsible for managing these resources, has the capacity for expansion within and outside the IITA-Ibadan campus. Therefore, we are keen on adopting global best practices in carrying out our activities. Recently, the IITA Forest Center registered as a BGCI member, a step towards the integration of the THP into the network of global botanic gardens, which we are currently pursuing”.
The THP covers 10 ha of land within the IITA-Ibadan campus and supports over 100 species of native trees. Half are either considered regionally or globally threatened, which is why the THP is nicknamed Noah’s Ark. The IITA Forest Center works with conservation partners in managing and utilizing forest resources for conservation, research, education, and livelihood improvement. Contributed by Anita Akinyomade.
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