The Impact of Economic Activities on Deforestation in Bauchi State. (A Theoretical perspective.)

Abstract

For thousand of years the action of man has been gradually diminishing the world’s forest resources by clearing and felling of trees for fuel, bush burning or making way for agriculture, settlement and industry. This was a relatively slow process in many areas in the past, but it has now been speeded up by population explosion as well as economic activities especially in the provision of fuel wood. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) defines deforestation as a reduction of forest stand density to less than 20 percent of its original cover. Ayuba (2005) defined deforestation as the indiscriminate felling of trees with little or no effort at replacement. Economic activities if pursued without environmental considerations will in the long run limit the scope for growth and overall economic development, more so when the resources derivable from it are economic necessities (Oyeranti, 1998). Therefore the objective of this paper is to identify those economic activities that aid deforestation in Bauchi State with a view to proffer solution to this environmental problem. With the aid of various literatures and discussions from experts in the field, the study will identify the economic activities that contribute to deforestation in Bauchi State. The study among other things identified that demand for fuel wood, intensive use of land for food production and grazing, unemployment, urbanization, migration are some of the activities responsible. The study therefore suggest that tree planting campaign should vigorously pursued, stringent laws to be put in place against indiscriminate cutting down of trees, make alternative source of fuel wood such as kerosene cheaper or encourage the use of efficient wood stove and sensitization campaign to educate the general public on the dangers of deforestation. Key wood: Deforestation, economic activities