Photo: Lake Nora Bridge at the Lagos Urban Forest and Animal Sanctuary Initiative Park, Lekki Peninsular, Lagos.
Credit: www.lufasi.org
The Lagos Climate Action Plan 2020-2025 has codified the adaptation measures for protecting Lagos State’s population, economy, and infrastructure from the effects of a changing climate.
It prioritizes the expansion of tree planting and the use of green and nature-based ecosystem services.
We acknowledge that the Lagos State government has since 2008 been implementing greening interventions.
The establishment of the Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency (LASPARK) in 2011 and annual celebration of the official Tree Planting Day on 14 July every year (including the free distribution of plants/seedlings to residents in the 57 municipalities of the State) are also worthy of mention.
However, as concerns about climate threats have intensified, the forestry sector in general and urban forestry in particular has been neglected in Nigeria’s most urbanized State.
Following this year's celebration of the International Day of Forests on 21 March, our call is for the proposed Lagos State Urban Development Policy to engender an enabling environment for urban forestry that is founded on specific principles, objectives, and measurable indicators for public and private actions.