Emerald Forest Reserve (100506)
Nigeria, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, B1
Year of last assessment: 2022
National site name: Emerald Forest Reserve
Central coordinates: Latitude: 7.2981, Longitude: 3.5341
System: terrestrial, freshwater
Elevation (m): 227
Area of KBA (km2): 1.03129
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: No
Site details
Site description: The Emerald Forest Reserve (EFR) is a c.120-ha privately owned secondary rainforest located at the Abayomi Farm Estate, c.25 km south of Ibadan in Ikoyi, Isokan Local Government Area of Osun State, south-west Nigeria (07°18’N 04°08’E). It is bisected by two seasonal streams, the Aworin and Akinrin that join at the Emerald confluence to form the Aduni River, all of which are reduced to puddles in the dry season. The Aduni River flows over the Iyaniwura waterfall into the Osun River, which borders EFR in the west and the Osun River which is an important perennial river, dammed by the government to provide water to communities in the surrounding areas (Olajire & Imeokparia 2000). The river is bordered by gallery forests that serve as an important habitat corridor and adjacent to the forest are patches of rocky outcrops and farmland. EFR involves Ikoyi, the host community, in managing and protecting the forest against illegal poaching and logging’ (Awoyemi et al. 2020). Management activities include reforestation efforts to replace non-native trees with native species such as Albizia zygia, Antiaris toxicaria, Ceiba pentandra, Cola gigantea and Triplochiton scleroxylon. In the buffer zone, crops like Elaeis guineensis, Citrus sinensis and Ananas comosus are cultivated. The site is a global KBA for birds (Malimbus ibadanensis). Other important biodiversity elements at the site include primates (Cercopithecus mona), reptiles (Python regius) and plants (Pterygota macrocarpa, Sterculia oblonga, Lophira alata, Afzelia africana, and Nauclea diderrichii). Awoyemi, A.G., Olubodun, O., Awoyemi, O.A., Manu, S., Abalaka, J., Abayomi, A. & Hall, P. (2020) Emerald Forest Reserve: a potential Important Bird and Biodiversity Area in south-western Nigeria. Bull. Afr. Bird Club. 27: 196–203. Olajire, A. A. & Imeokparia, F. E. 2000. A study of the water quality of the Osun River: metal monitoring and geochemistry. Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiopia 14: 1–8.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: Emerald Forest Reserve has been delineated because the site contains significant reproductive units of the endemic and endangered Ibadan Malibe (Malimbus ibadanensis), the trigger species for the proposed KBA. Historically, the species is restricted to a small range in the southwestern region of Nigeria and previous records were limited to the c.1000 ha managed by the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Oyo state, Nigeria. EFR is important, as it provides an additional site to IITA, which is the characteristically ideal size of forest required by the species to thrive. In addition to the trigger species, other important species that have been recorded at this site include the mona monkey (Cercopithecus mona), and ball Python regius. The floral composition include Pterygota macrocarpa, Sterculia oblonga, Lophira alata, Afzelia africana, and Nauclea diderrichii.
Additional biodiversity: The site is dissected by two seasonal streams, the Aworin and Akinrin, which flow into the River Osun on the boundary of the site. These river bodies support a range of biodiversity, particularly plants, mammals, reptiles, amphibians etc.
Manageability of the site: The Emerald Forest Reserve (EFR) is a c.120-ha privately owned secondary rainforest located at the Abayomi Farm Estate, c.25 km south of Ibadan in Ikoyi, Isokan Local Government Area of Osun State, south-west Nigeria (07°18’N 04°08’E). It is bisected by two seasonal streams, the Aworin and Akinrin that join at the Emerald confluence to form the Aduni River, all of which are reduced to puddles in the dry season. The Aduni River flows over the Iyaniwura waterfall into the Osun River, which borders EFR in the west and the Osun River which is an important perennial river, dammed by the government to provide water to communities in the surrounding areas (Olajire & Imeokparia 2000). The river is bordered by gallery forests that serve as an important habitat corridor and adjacent to the forest are patches of rocky outcrops and farmland. EFR involves Ikoyi, the host community, in managing and protecting the forest against illegal poaching and logging’ (Awoyemi et al. 2020). Management activities include reforestation efforts to replace non-native trees with native species such as Albizia zygia, Antiaris toxicaria, Ceiba pentandra, Cola gigantea and Triplochiton scleroxylon. In the buffer zone, crops like Elaeis guineensis, Citrus sinensis and Ananas comosus are cultivated. The site is a global KBA for birds (Malimbus ibadanensis). Other important biodiversity elements at the site include primates (Cercopithecus mona), reptiles (Python regius) and plants (Pterygota macrocarpa, Sterculia oblonga, Lophira alata, Afzelia africana, and Nauclea diderrichii). Awoyemi, A.G., Olubodun, O., Awoyemi, O.A., Manu, S., Abalaka, J., Abayomi, A. & Hall, P. (2020) Emerald Forest Reserve: a potential Important Bird and Biodiversity Area in south-western Nigeria. Bull. Afr. Bird Club. 27: 196–203. Olajire, A. A. & Imeokparia, F. E. 2000. A study of the water quality of the Osun River: metal monitoring and geochemistry. Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiopia 14: 1–8.
Other site values: No
Delineation rationale: Emerald Forest Reserve is part of a privately owned farm estate called the Abayomi Farm Estate (AFE). As part of the owner's contribution to biodiversity conservation, part of the estate (Emerald Forest Reserve) was carved out for the preservation of genetic resources. This privately owned forest reserve has been protected since 2003 to halt the extensive deforestation and biodiversity loss in the area prevalent in the wider area. The forest is located at about 25 km south of the city of Ibadan, sharing boundaries with the Osun River to the south, a laterite road linking the Aworin village and Ikoyi town to the north, and farmlands to the west and east following the master plan. This diversity of habitats interspersed with rocky outcrops enhances the associated biodiversity that seeks refuge from disturbances in the surrounding areas. Results from biodiversity monitoring at this privately owned reserve show that the endemic and endangered Ibadan Malimbe is present at the site with evidence of successful reproduction. The presence of the endangered and endemic trigger species (Ibadan malimbe) has spurred the nomination of the site as a Key Biodiversity Area.
Habitats
Land use: Strictly conservation area with a little area built for accommodating tourists