Charcoal production: A promoter of deforestation in Nigeria

Charcoal production in Nigeria is a growing source of concern for government and forestry institutions because of its perceived impact on the environment. The agreed impact is deforestation, i.e., the clearance of indiscriminate cutting of forest trees. Forest degradation associated with charcoal production is difficult to monitor and overlooked and under-represented in forest cover change and carbon emission estimates. Emissions of greenhouse gases as a consequence of deforestation from charcoal production in tropical ecosystems in 2009 are estimated at 71.2 million t for carbon dioxide and 1.3 million t for methane. Trees used for charcoal production are Vitellaria paradoxa, Ficus sur, Tectona grandis, Khaya ivorensis, Bombax buonopozense, just to mention a few. This review aims to further discredit the act of indiscriminate forest tree falling for charcoal production which have proofed by various works as a promoter of deforestation.