CBG Full Presentation

8/7/2019 CBG Full Presentation

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THE CALABAR CONSERVATION AND BOTANIC GARDEN



The Old Calabar Botanic Garden was established

in SE Nigeria by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

in 1893. The Cross River State Forestry

Department converted the garden into a zoo in

the 1970s for a brief spell.

The ground have been derelict for the last 20

years. Over the last 10 years the Forestry

Commission and NGOs in Calabar have

discussed various ideas to rehabilitate the

garden.

In 1999 the governor of Cross River State

proposed rehabilitation of the garden in

collaboration with local NGOs. The Forestry

Commission set up a garden Committee including

the Iroko Foundation, Cercopan and some other

local NGOs who drew up a proposal.

This resulted in the Headley Trust supporting a one-week

workshop to design a new master plan (landscape design) for

the gardens with participation from all these local partners, the

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the Limbe Botanic Gardens,

Cameroon.

The design workshop was held in July 2001 and a three-year

plan to redevelop the gardens has been drawn up. Funds are

now required to implement the new landscape design.



AIMS OF THE PROJECT

To establish a botanical garden in SE Nigeria for environmental education

and the conservation of endangered species from the rainforests of Cross

River State, particularly Non Timber Forest Products and Medicinal Plants.

The new garden will address 4 issues

•CONSERVATION

A living collection of plants and primate facilities

•ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

An education centre and nature trail

•RURAL HEALTH / INCOME NEEDS

The propagation and sale of NTFPs and medicinal plant RECREATIONspecies

•RECREATION

The gardens will be the town’s first park

THE NEED FOR THE GARDEN

The Cross River rainforests:

The rainforests of Cross River State are globally

important as one of Africa’s five biodiversity

hotspots. Over 60% of Nigeria’s Endangered

plant and animal species are found nowhere

else in the country, however these forests and

their species (including economic trees and

endemic fauna) are threatened.

The Need for environmental information:

The Cross River National Park, local NGOs,

school children, university students and the

public have no access to information on the

environment.

The Demand for economic seedlings:

Poor rural communities rely on rainforest tree

products for their household income. Many have

requested assistance with tree nurseries and

seedlings.

Recreation:

The garden is the only green space in the heart

of the city of Calabar. In spite of its air of

neglect, people still visit the garden to sit in the

shade of its large trees.







CERCOPAN HEADQUARTERS AND

ENCLOSURES FOR ORPHANEDCAPTIVE PRIMATES

These are a main visitor attraction,

managed by Cercopan and Pandrillus

for primates orphaned by the Bush meat

trade. The primates are rehabilitated

here before being transferred to semi-

natural forest sanctuaries at their field

projects in the Cross River rainforest

north of Calabar.

DISPLAY AREA

A number of beds near the entrance to the Cercopan primate enclosures. The

area is spacious and shady. Groups would gather here to look at changing

displays of flowers, plants eaten by primates or non-timber forest products.

TREE PROPAGATION CENTRE/

NURSERY

Seeds and cuttings of Economic species(especially trees - medicinal, fruit, vegetable

and timber) will be collected from the Cross

River rainforests, propagated and sold to

villages right across the state An extension

service will assist villages to establish their

own tree nurseries.

LIVING PLANT COLLECTIONS AND

NATURE TRAIL\ PATH SYSTEM IN

THE GARDENS

Throughout the garden there will bethemed plantings of rare and

endangered trees from rainforests with

an emphasis on useful species -

medicinal, fruit, vegetables, fibres.

Interpretive signs will explain what they

are and how they are used.



THE PROJECT PARTNERS

Cross River State Forestry Commission

Cercopan

Iroko Foundation

ADVISERS

Royal Botanic Gardens Kew

Limbe Botanic Garden, Cameroon

Documents

CBG Full Presentation