The state and deforestation in the cross river region of Nigeria, 1852-1990: a historical review

Cross River region is home to some of the last stretches of virgin tropical rainforest in Nigeria. For nearly a century, this region had experienced exploitation, beginning with German expansion from the southwest Cameroon in 1852 into the region. The Germans established rubber and oil palm estates and exploited wild rubber within the region. After the Second World War, the British took over the region and introduced scientific forestry, oil palm, rubber and cocoa estates. The forest that once stood at nearly 20,000 square kilometers as one of the oldest rainforest areas in Africa and widely recognized as a biodiversity hotspot has shrunk considerably. This paper interrogates the nature and character of over a century of exploitation of now endangered forestland by the state for scientific forestry and plantation agriculture. It reviews the role of the state and logging companies in the deforestation process. The study further examines the role of non-governmental organizations in persuading the state to protect the remaining bits of the forest against pressure from expanding local populations, logging companies and local timber dealers. The various exploitation methods and recent efforts to conserve the rainforest, manage land conflicts and check exploitation of forest resources are examined in relation to the remaining tropical rainforest, now demarcated into Cross River National Park, eco-tourism sanctuaries, reserves and community forest areas. The paper shall depend on extant literature on the subject in published articles and books.