By Cletus Asuquo
The Cross River Forestry Commission has received five patrol motorcycles and field monitoring gadgets to strengthen forest surveillance and biodiversity protection across the state.
The motorcycles were donated by the Wildlife Conservation Society, WCS, with support from the European Union, EU, under its forest and biodiversity protection programme in Cross River State.
Speaking during the official presentation in Calabar on Friday, the Country Director of WCS Nigeria, Dr Inaoyom Imong, said the organisation remained committed to supporting conservation efforts in the state.
According to him, the support became necessary to improve field operations in protected areas such as the Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary and Mbe Mountains.
“Our work in the Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary and other areas would not be possible without the enabling environment that the Cross River State Forestry Commission has created,” he said.
Imong added that despite existing threats to biodiversity and forests, WCS remained optimistic that stronger collaboration would help preserve natural resources for future generations.
Also speaking, the Cross River Landscape Director of WCS Nigeria, Anthony Atah, said the motorcycles would assist forest rangers and patrol teams to improve monitoring activities in difficult terrains.
He disclosed that WCS was also preparing to commence reforestation projects in critical forest areas using indigenous tree species in collaboration with local communities.
Responding, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, Rt. Hon. George O’ben-Etchi, described the intervention as a major boost to the commission’s efforts to tackle deforestation and restore degraded forest areas.
He said the commission remained determined to rebuild the state’s forest cover after years of neglect in the forestry sector.
“The effort to conserve isn’t an easy one, but we will not give up. We will keep doing the very best that we can do so as to leave some impact and some legacies,” O’ben-Etchi said.
He noted that the patrol motorcycles would improve the protection of forest reserves and strengthen conservation governance across the state.
A former Director of Ecotourism in the commission, Clement Umina, said WCS was supporting communities around Afi Mountain and the Obudu Ranch axis to develop forest management plans aimed at promoting sustainable forest use and conservation.
