Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management

Forestry provides a diverse set of opportunities which can lead to a challenging and fulfilling career. Many people are attracted to forestry through different ways: outdoor orientation, Engineering, Biological, Social and Urban forestry, Medicine and by accident. In Nigeria, the creation of Environmental Protection Agency added to the challenge in forest management. Career in forestry normally starts with dependence on technical field skills to effective land management, economic decision making skills pertinent to professional performance, then graduating with responsibility of managing both man and environmental resources.

Modern forestry is all embracing in scope. Although a forester may not be an expert in all fields, his nature of professional calling requires the individual to have some knowledge of diverse fields of study. Hence the subjects include- basic sciences, communication, mathematics, silviculture, ecology, genetics and tree improvement, land and aerial survey, forest engineering, utilization, wildlife management, social sciences, mensuration, forest economics and management, Forest policy, Law and administration and extension. A forester must be a lover of nature and more often his work and duty takes him to the remotest parts of his environment.

Opportunities are numerous for foresters both in the public and private- institutions at federal, state and local governments. While in the private sector, national and international agencies concerned with environment, rural development and poverty alleviation, environmental health and safety, climate change and related environmental issues are opened to foresters. Professional positions in the field of Forestry and Wildlife Management include Forest Economics and Management, Wildlife Management and Conservation, Parks, Recreation and Tourism, Forest Taxonomy, Environmental Management and Technology, Pulp and Paper Technology, Tree Breeding and Genetics, Silviculture/Forest Biology, Ethno-forestry, Urban Forestry, Forest Biometrics, Forest Ecology, Agroforestry, Forestry Law, Policy and Administration. As the Department grows, more programs are likelyto come on board such as Environmental safety and Toxicology, Environmental and Social Forestry and post-graduate program

The core programme objectives are:

(i)  Develop in students, enthusiasm and skills in productive research for solving current and evolving problems, including acquisition of knowledge in developing innovative skills in all forestry and Wildlife related issues

(ii)   Train students with broad, sound and technical details in forests regeneration and Wildlife 

management

(iii) Create enthusiasm in students in sustainable Forests and Forest Products Development and  

Conservation

(iv)   Prepare graduates for teaching and stimulating research work in Forestry and Wildlife in higher institutions of learning

(v) Produce graduates geared towards self-employment and at the same time skillful enough to fit into the forestry and wildlife industries to meet societal needs at the national and international environments