Evaluation of Forest Trees and Shrubs in Nun River Forest, Nigeria: Ornamental perspective

Abstract

The protection of ornamental plants is greater than that of their wild counterparts, and they continue to serve as symbols of ownership, prohibiting all forms of trespass. In addition, the immense benefits of the trees mean that they cannot be arbitrarily cut down or removed. Forest trees are not afforded such protection, especially in most third-world nations where forest protection laws are not enforceable. Therefore, identifying, selecting, and cultivating indigenous forest plants for ornamentals and urban plantings may be the most practical means of achieving a greener future. This study aims to identify and select ornamental native forest trees and shrubs in the Nun River Forest. Four randomly selected 50x10 m transects were helpful in the identification of trees and shrubs in the Nun River forest. In addition, four out of ten forest communities were randomly selected and classified as native or exotic species. The result was the identification of 1,127 trees and shrubs, of which 821 (72.85%) were exotic, and 306 (27.15%) were native. The diversity indices revealed a similarity in human activities impacting the composition of trees and shrubs in the study area. The study shows planting more trees and shrubs as ornamentals than indigenous in the five communities. Rural communities must be aware of the vast plant resources available in our forests yet unidentified as ornamentals.