Lumbering in Equatorial Africa, Zaire and Nigeria – SS2 Geography Lesson Note

Lumbering is the felling of economic trees in the forest for domestic, industrial or commercial purposes. It is practised in Equatorial African regions such as Zaire (around Kinshasa, Ituri etc) and in Nigeria (around Benin City, Sapele, Port Harcourt etc).

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

• define lumbering and name areas where it is practised in Zaire and Nigeria;
• state the factors that favour lumbering in both countries;
• describe the methods of lumbering;
• list the economic importance and the problems of lumbering, with solutions;
• state the differences in lumbering between Nigeria and Zaire.

What factors favour lumbering in Zaire and Nigeria?

1. The presence of dense tropical rainforest.
2. The presence of economic trees.
3. The presence of a wide market for the products.
4. High demand for hardwood in foreign countries.
5. High demand for timber as fuel.
6. Efficient sawmill industries to process the raw timber.
7. Efficient transport, such as rivers and roads, to move logs to sawmills or ports.
8. Favourable equatorial climate.

What are the methods of lumbering?

1. In these regions, the lumbermen search for economic trees in the forest.
2. A platform of about 2-3 high is built around trees with buttress roots.
3. The tree is then cut down with an axe, handsaw or powered saw.
4. The branches are cut off after felling, and the whole tree is cut into logs for easy transportation.

What is the economic importance of lumbering?

Economic trees such as Iroko, Obeche, Opepe, Mahogany, African Walnut, Okoume and Limber are of great importance for these reasons:

1. Lumbering provides foreign exchange through the export of timber.
2. It employs many people, for example sawmillers and lumbermen.
3. It provides plywood and planks.
4. Plywood and planks are used in the construction of houses and furniture.
5. Timber is used for the construction of canoes and boats.
6. It provides income to the government through the licences and permits given to timber contractors.
7. Trees in the forest help to control soil erosion and act as a windbreak.

How does lumbering differ between Nigeria and Zaire?

What are the problems of lumbering?

Problems associated with the exploitation of timber in both Nigeria and Zaire include:

1. It causes soil erosion.
2. It leads to the depletion of natural forest products.
3. It can lead to leaching of soil.
4. Most trees do not grow in pure stands, which makes lumbering difficult.
5. It can lead to flooding.
6. It can lead to the disappearance of wildlife.
7. The buttress roots of some trees make felling very difficult and dangerous.

What are the solutions to the problems of lumbering?

1. Forest guards should be employed to check the illegal felling of trees and ensure the planting of new ones.
2. Roads should be constructed around lumbering areas for easy transportation of logs.
3. Afforestation, or planting two trees when one is cut down, should be encouraged.

Evaluation

1. Define lumbering.
2. State four factors that favour lumbering in Zaire and Nigeria.
3. Describe the methods of lumbering.
4. State three problems of lumbering and one solution to each, where the note gives one.

Assignment

1. The artificial felling of trees is called ____ (a) deforestation (b) afforestation (c) lumbering
2. One of these is not an economic tree in Nigeria ____ (a) Iroko (b) Opepe (c) Baobab
3. One of these regions in Zaire is known for lumbering activities: (a) Ituri (b) Benin City (c) Port Harcourt
4. One of the problems of lumbering is that ____ (a) it can lead to the growth of towns (b) it can kill the lumberman during felling (c) the trees are in pure stand
5. The forest area of Zaire is about _____ times bigger than that of Nigeria. (a) 3 (b) 5 (c) 7