article · International Journal of Forestry and Horticulture
An assessment of woody species along watershed areas in three municipalities within Mezam Division reveals significant challenges to natural forest replenishment. Human activities threaten the local floristic diversity across these critical water catchment sites. Field measurements across four transects identified 52 woody species, evaluated through the counts of mature trees, saplings, and seedlings based on diameter at breast height. The documented species are primarily valued for timber, medicinal purposes, and firewood. However, the evaluation established that only 11 species exhibited active new regeneration, including plants such as Cornus sericea, Phytolacca americana, and Rhamnus prinoides. In contrast, 41 species showed no signs of regeneration, highlighting an imbalance that could affect the long-term survival of the local woodland canopy and watershed health.
Watersheds are essential natural resources that provide clean water and support biodiversity, yet human pressure is placing them under strain. By establishing that most woody species in these areas are failing to regenerate naturally, this assessment warns that important sources of timber, fuel, and traditional medicines may dwindle without interventions to protect and restore vulnerable ecosystems.
The findings provide early-stage baseline ecological data that could inform watershed management programmes, conservation initiatives, or forestry restoration schemes run by local authorities and environmental bodies. However, the abstract describes an observational ecological study and does not indicate an immediate commercial application pathway or product.
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This study assessed the regeneration potential of woody species around watersheds in Mezam Division whose floristic diversity is threatened by anthropogenic activities.Four transects were established with quadrats of sizes 10 m × 10 m on watersheds located in three municipalities in Mezam from which woody species were identified and diameter at breast height (DBH) of all individuals per species was measured.Regeneration status of each species was determined from the number of mature trees (DBH > 10 cm), saplings (10 cm > DBH > 2.5 cm) and seedlings (DBH < 2.5 cm.52 woody species were identified along these watersheds.The uses most common across the species were timber, medicine, and firewood.There was New regeneration for 11 species (Cornus sericea, Phytolacca americnana, Paulliinia pinnata, Rhamnus prinoides, Allophylus africanus, Palisota ambigua, Microlepia speluncae, Siphonochilus aethiopicus, Coptosperma graveolens, Abrus precatorius, Alpinia purpurata) and No regeneration for 41 species (Pinus wallichiana, Terrminalia catappa, Aralia spinosa, Quercus suber, Prunus serotina, Albizia julibrissin,
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DOI: 10.20431/2454-9487.1101003
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