Senator Ayade Seeks Funding For Cross River Forest Regeneration And Conservation

The governor of Cross River State, Senator Ben Ayade who was speaking at the World Governors Forum on Climate Change ongoing in the Catalan city where he is the Africa Chair, reminded the audience that Cross River state is still the host to the world’s second largest rain forest and his administration’s intention to shift from absolute conservation to having an aggressive regeneration program which will entail massive afforestation and require international capital.

The governor on wednesday in Barcelona, Spain implored investors and conservationists to consider funding worthwhile initiatives that will generate sustainable economic value from Cross River State forests.
 
The Governor who is also a Professor of Environmental Science, explained that the afforestation program of his administration will create a delicate balance between afforestation and utilization and ensure that sections of the forest which have been hitherto abused or degraded are re cultivated to ensure that within three years, they will form enough canopy cover to guarantee more effective carbon dioxide intake and help reduce the level of global warming.

He called on the international community to partner with the state by providing the requisite funding that will not only help in the conservation of the forests but to also maximize the forest resources to create opportunity and economic benefits for the people of the state.