IITA Forest Center Unveils Nigeria’s First Certified Tree Heritage Park, Marking a Major Milestone for Indigenous Forest Conservation

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Forest Center, yesterday, hosted the Tree Heritage Park Open Day, unveiling the country’s first certified Tree Heritage Park and a landmark step toward safeguarding Nigeria’s rapidly disappearing native tree species.

The event brought together conservation leaders, researchers, schoolchildren, environmental advocates, and community members to celebrate what experts have called “one of Nigeria’s most important living conservation assets.

The Tree Heritage Park, also known as the “Noah’s Ark” of Nigerian threatened trees, earned its ArbNet Level II accreditation in 2022, making it Nigeria’s first internationally certified Tree Heritage Park (THP), 11th in Africa, and the 500th accredited arboretum in the world.

This recognition places Nigeria on the global conservation map and highlights the country’s growing leadership in safeguarding indigenous forest biodiversity.

Spread across five hectares within the 350-hectare IITA Forest Reserve, the Tree Heritage Park now preserves: Over 100 indigenous tree species, several endangered, threatened, and culturally significant trees, and rare species previously at risk of extinction due to illegal logging, deforestation, and habitat loss.

The Park’s origin dates back to the 1970s, when early scientists and forest custodians such as Phil Hall, Prof. Shiiwuwa Manu, Dr David Ladipo, Dr John Peacock, and Deni Bown began documenting and protecting the area’s unique botanical heritage.

Nigeria loses thousands of hectares of forest annually, and an increasing number of native tree species are endangered due to Illegal logging, agricultural expansion, urbanization and climate change. This rapid decline has severe consequences for biodiversity, cultural heritage, and rural livelihoods.

The Tree Heritage Park stands as a scientific and community-driven response to this crisis, offering a safe refuge for threatened trees and a model for national restoration efforts.

Beyond preservation, the IITA Forest Center supports national-scale forest restoration efforts, including: raising seedlings for the restoration of nearly 1,000 hectares of degraded forest in Olokemeji, Ogun State; supporting restoration projects nationwide with indigenous seedlings; and establishing over 63 conservation clubs in schools to groom young environmental stewards.

During the Open Day event, leading conservation experts shared insights on protecting Nigeria’s natural heritage.

On the importance of conserving native trees, Head of the IITA Forest Center, Dr. Adewale Awoyemi, said: “Our forests are libraries of cultural, ecological, and scientific knowledge. Every native tree lost is a chapter erased forever. The Heritage Tree Park gives Nigeria a fighting chance to protect what remains.”

Patron of the IITA Forest Center, Dr. David Ladipo, reflecting on the scientific significance of the Park, noted: “This living gene bank is more than a collection of trees; it is a rescue mission. Many of these species would have disappeared without the decades of deliberate conservation efforts here.”

Professor of Pediatric Haematology and Nature Lover, Prof. Kunle Adekile, added: “This Park demonstrates how passion-backed science can transform conservation. When communities, students, and experts come together, we create a future where nature and people thrive together.”

As the Park opens its gates to more schools, families, researchers, and conservation enthusiasts, today’s event signals a renewed call for public participation.

The IITA Forest Center reaffirmed its commitment to expanding documentation of endangered species, collecting seeds, wildlings, and cuttings of trees to strengthen Nigeria’s botanical future, and sharing research manuals and training materials to support forest restoration nationwide.