Flood: Forests Should Be Left To Regenerate-Expert

 Following the devastating effects of the recent flooding on farm lands and forests mainly in the Niger Delta region of the country, a forestry expert, Mr. Fredrick Nwokocha, has cautioned against unwholesome activities in the forests to allow for gradual regeneration.

Mr. Nwokocha, a former director of forestry in the Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture who gave the advice over the weekend in Port Harcourt in an exclusive interview said the implications for the forests were numerous.

He revealed that most timber seedlings and shrubs which constitute forest undergrowth would suffocate.

He explained that the life of non timber forestry produce like mushrooms, Snails among others would surely be lost to the flood adding that the eggs of snails would burst due to saturation.

He further explained that apart from the bigger timber that would survive, regeneration for smaller timbers would not be favourable as the natural conditions for regeneration was almost absent.

He said the process of fresh trees growing was minimal as the topsoil and organic soil have been deprived of nutrients that have been washed away from the root zone of trees making it unavailable for frees to grow properly.

He further advised that the forests be allowed to regenerate naturally as what has been lost could not be replanted like the conventional annual Crops.

He called on the authorities to carryout sensitisation programmes to enable the people control their activities in the forests.

On the effect of the flood on animal life, the former director said animals nearing extinction were in more danger of going completely extinct.

He said that faster ones would run in to danger even as some would even end up being caught by man.