Welcome Address/Introduction of HOD of the Department

Dr. Munir Karounwi Adegoke WAHAB

Ag.HOD

I welcome you to the Department of Forest Resources Management, which is strategically positioned in the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources Management, College of Agriculture, to promote sustainable production and utilisation of forest resources, as environmental friendly substitutes to non-renewable natural resources. The Department adopts an accommodating approach to ensuring integrity in teaching and impartation of knowledge to students and staff through effective teaching, seminars and relevant field experiences; geared towards producing forestry professionals who are able to engage the changing world in activities geared towards sustainable forest production and utilization. 

The Department has evolved from the sustained yield concept of forest management to a broader scope that focuses on sustainable management of the entirety of ecosystem services and to this end, the Department has developed an underlying philosophy which prepares world-class graduates for the challenges that face the environment and human dependence on it. This is to bridge the gap for trained capacity in the field of forest production and its utilisation while creating pragmatic and sustained solutions to the problems encountered in food, fuel and fibre production; deforestation and forest degradation; loss of tree genetic diversity, forest and climate change as well as poor data management and conservation. 

The Department of Forest Resources Management operates in an atmosphere that encourages free flow of knowledge among students and members of staff. The intention of this practice is to in turn create excellent relationship with professional colleagues outside the department over the years.   

Location of the Department

The Department is one of the departments in the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources Management, in the College of Agriculture which is located in Ejigbo town of Osun State. Ejigbo, is situated along the border between Oyo and Osun States. The Department is in the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources Management building.

Brief History of the Department

The Department of Forest Resources Management, Osun State University Nigeria, was established in the year 2019. The stated aim of the Department was to provide professional personnel qualified in forestry and allied land management. 

Mission of the Department

1. To produce competent graduates of forest science who are able to cope in a competitive world 
2. To assist in wealth creation, through judicious use of forest produce and allied natural resources
3. To continue to engage the changing world in activities geared towards sustainable forest production and utilisation 
4. To serve as bridge for forestry stakeholders through robust advocacy for broad based management of forests as well as forest products utilisation 

Vision of the Department

To build a department that will be a Centre of excellence for training and research in forest science and environmental management in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa.   

Academic Programme

1. Forestry Management

Physical Development

The Directorate of works and physical development continues to supervise the on-going physical development projects which include approach road construction, health centre, classroom complex, ICT centre, library building, laboratories complex, sports arena and facilities and farm structures. A feed mill factory, standard fisheries and aquaculture complex. 

There are three functional laboratories in the College that serve the academic programmes of the Department. The laboratories are well equipped to cope with the teaching of students and for the use by the academic staff for research purposes. Well-equipped class rooms and lecture rooms are also available for the smooth running of academic programmes in the department, faculty and the college as a whole.

The desire to create a model department of Forest Resources Management in the college of agriculture is the driving tempo for the physical development in the department, faculty and the college. 

Research Activities

The global population continues to seek environmentally friendly solutions to issues pertaining to forest resources utilisation, with a special focus on sustainability of the renewable natural resources found in forests. The Department of Forest Management has evolved from the sustained yield concept to a broader scope that focuses on sustainable management of both tangible and intangible forest products. To this end, the Department has developed an underlying philosophy which prepares world-class graduates for the challenges that face the environment and human dependence on it. The aim is to bridge the gap for trained capacity in the field of forest production and its utilisation while creating pragmatic and sustained solutions to the problems encountered in food, fuel and fibre production; deforestation and forest degradation; loss of tree genetic diversity, forest and climate change; poor data management and conservation. The proposed curriculum focuses on sustainable forest resources management, maintenance of ecological integrity and integrated approaches to forest resources utilisation, with the aim of producing versatile graduates with sound knowledge and entrepreneurial skills in resource utilisation without exceeding the carrying capacity of the environment.

Journals:

• Journal of Forestry Association of Nigeria
• Journal of agriculture, forestry and fisheries
• Journal of forestry, environment and sustainable development
• Journal of the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
• Journal of Research in Forestry, Wildlife Environment
• Journal of Forestry, Environment and Sustainable Development  Nigerian Journal of Forestry
• Online Journals
• Ecological Society of Nigeria
• UNIOSUN Journal of Agriculture and Renewable Resources  Renewable Resources Journal

Community Empowerment Service Project:

The Department has evolved from the sustained yield concept of forest management to a broader scope that focuses on sustainable management of the entirety of ecosystem services and to this end, the Department has developed an underlying philosophy which prepares world-class graduates for the challenges that face the environment and human dependence on it. This is to bridge the gap for trained capacity in the field of forest production and its utilisation while creating pragmatic and sustained solutions to the problems encountered in food, fuel and fibre production; deforestation and forest degradation; loss of tree genetic diversity, forest and climate change as well as poor data management and conservation. The department engages in sensitizing the young foresters on the better way to produce seedlings and economic trees for commercial purposes.