The Forestry Association of Nigeria (FAN) on Friday warned that Nigeria's forests and forestry are at crossroads in spite of the huge potential for contribution to the economy, social and environmental sustainability.

FAN's President, Professor Labode Popoola while addressing newsmen said that before it was too late, prompt and concerted actions were required to save the forests and the environment.

While noting about 20 per cent which constituted forests were scattered across the country, though the bulk lied in the country's lowland rainforest belt in the south, the university don said that since 1960, with the transformation of the economy from agricultural to oil-based one, large areas of the constituted forests had been

de-reserved for political reason or for 'special projects' such as agricultural plantations, road construction, and development of new settlements and laying of petroleum pipelines.

"Even if areas under forest were considered, the total forest area in Nigeria will still be less than 10 per cent, this is a far cry from the recommended minimum of 25 per cent by the FAO," he said.

Popoola who is Professor of Forestry Economics, identified problems of sustainable forest management in Nigeria to include political instability and insecurity, obsolete laws not suitable for contemporary forest management, poor funding, deforestation and re-reservation, poor remuneration and incentive for staff,inadequate staffing and under value of forest products and services.

He explained that these problems had adversely affected sustainable management of forest, adding that the effects include unfavourable climate scenarios leading to flooding, drought, desertification, gully erosion, incidence of both communicable and non-communicable diseases, insecurity, loss of livelihoods and poverty.