Sustainable Resort, Botanical Garden and Community Garden Proposal to Create a Socially Responsible Eco-Resort in Bayelsa, Nigeria

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BAYELSA, nigeria BOTANICAL GARDEN PROPOSAL



Sustainable Resort, Botanical Garden and Community Garden Proposal to Create a Socially Responsible Eco-Resort in Bayelsa, Nigeria

PREPARED BY: YOLANDA wilson vanveen
E-Mail: [email protected]







Bayelsa, Nigeria is an area with natural botanical beauty. A resort can be developed to not only showcase the native plants of the area, but give the local people an opportunity to share their culture, foods, dances and music with international visitors. Social responsibility is easy to achieve if everyone benefits from the project. The resort can save areas for flora and fauna to live in their natural places as well as develop botanical gardens, community gardens and centers to share the culture of the local people.
When developing the resort, it is important to leave some natural areas untouched by development. If there are mountains or wetland areas they should be left for visitors to view the wildlife and plants native to the area. A natural sanctuary is important for sustainability.
Community gardens can provide the restaurants and local people with many types of fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers. These gardens can be located next to the restaurants but also next to guest rooms so that visitors can pick fresh Papaya off of trees outside their door.
Bayelsa has a rich history and culture that can be shared with visitors. The Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii is a wonderful example of how local people can teach visitors traditional dances , basket weaving, music, and cooking through demonstrations and classes. This is social responsibility. Concerts in the garden featuring local entertainers will also attract visitors. Movie night and theatrical plays can further entertain visitors. Art shows can share their native art. The resort can offer recording services so that the local people can have their talents shared with the world on Youtube.com. They can sell their music and talent and charge for downloads on iTunes and other services. Guests can purchase their DVDs and CDs at the gift stores. There is no end to the financial opportunities.
A botanical garden that showcases the rare and endangered plants of Nigeria and Africa should be located close to the resort so that visitors can learn about them and programs to conserve their legacy. The seeds can be sold and plants propagated to sell to international gardeners. Kirstenbosch Gardens in South Africa is a great example how a botanical garden can showcase native plants and propagate them to share with the world.
The Bayelsa, Nigeria Botanical Garden can follow the lead in sustainable gardens and resorts. The botanical gardens can attract visitors from all parts of Nigeria, Africa and internationally. Most importantly, the flora and the fauna as well as the local people can not only survive but thrive because of the resort. Thank you in advance for taking the time to review this information. Sustainability is a good goal to protect the flora and fauna and native peoples of the world.




SUSTAINABLE RESORT, BOTANICAL GARDEN AND COMMUNITY GARDEN PROPOSAL TO CREATE A SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE ECO-RESORT
TABLE OF CONTENTS

The report is divided by subjects to further introduce readers to the concept of Social Responsibility and the Resort Botanical Garden Development:
1. Botanical Garden Feasibility Report
2. Sustainable Development Report
3. EcoTourism Development Report
4. Conservation Policies for the Botanical Garden
5. Definition of Organic Horticulture
6. Bayelsa Gardens Food Plants and Flowers List
7. Nigeria Crop Report for Community Gardens
8. Bayelsa SITES Sustainable Resort Guidelines
9. Farm Example in Kenya
10. Conclusion









Botanic gardens worldwide are well recognized for the roles that they play in science, conservation, public education and recreation, as well as in the sustainable management and utilization of plant genetic resources. Most countries in the world now have at least one major botanic garden. Nevertheless to date no such significant botanic gardens have been created in Nigeria. New efforts are needed to support the development of major botanic gardens in the world to act as botanical resources centers for these countries and to help national and regional efforts not only to conserve threatened or economically useful plants but also to raise public understanding of the importance of environmental vital protection, the importance of plants for our daily lives and for the future of the planet
Major Goals and Objectives
Maintain and display living collections of native Nigerian, African and endangered plants from around the world.
Display the collections in horticulturally attractive settings.
Pursue botanical and horticultural research programs.
Promote awareness and knowledge of plants and the importance of biodiversity in the local community.
Develop, support and promote the role of the garden as a focus for botanical and horticultural excellence.
Develop the landscape in resort to provide an attractive place for visitors.
Set up a landscape design consultancy to work with other public and private institutions providing technical advice, planning and native plants.
Grow native plants to replenish the collections, to sell to visitors and provide plants for the landscape design consultancy.
Interpret the collections by linking them to aspects of life in the community.
Provide training courses for the local community in horticulture, permaculture and organic gardening techniques, to improve their plant knowledge.
Develop staff skills at all levels by appropriate training.
Consult and involve all staff in planning the garden and its work.
To ask for, listen to and act upon staff suggestions and ideas, at all levels.
Review policy and practise once a year and publish an Annual Report.
Hold workshops for staff on the International Agenda for Botanic Gardens in Conservation and the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation.
Provide technical advice to other governmental and private institutions in Nigeria.
Follow an environmentally-friendly approach in planning the Garden.
Develop links with other institutions in Nigeria with some shared aims.
Develop links with other gardens in the region and worldwide.

Aims and Objectives of the Collections
Establish living collections of native plants according to aesthetic, scientific, educational and ethnobotanical considerations.
Establish collections of threatened plants and to promote the ex situ conservation of rare and endangered plants.
Plan, develop and maintain the gardens in an aesthetically pleasing manner in order to attract visitors to the Garden.
Make available and promote the use of indigenous plant material in order to foster an appreciation of plants in the wild.
Reproduce plantings typical of the local ecosystem to promote appreciation of natural ecosystems and biodiversity.
Establish small living collections of exotics to extend the period of interest of the Garden.
Ensure proper documentation (registration) of the collections for scientific validity

Strengths
The area is known for traditional dancing, crafts and music. The garden can share this with the world.
Good team on committee with capability to carry out the project.
The garden can be incorporated in to the resort.
An attractive, scenic area of countryside accessible from major cities.
The plan is to involve people, especially locals, in job creation schemes within the project and also help with the garden itself e.g. tree planting.
It is the only Botanic Garden in Nigeria – so this is a prestigous, national level project.
The attractive initial area will make a good impression on visitors.
Technical expertise exists in Nigeria to construct the Botanic Garden.

Opportunities
There is low plant awareness in the general public – a chance to educate and show them something new.
A chance to develop an attraction for visitors in a country with few attractions.
A chance to use attractive planting, the Visitor Centre, and the natural beauty.
Local people are positive about the project at the moment. A chance to use them as employees as well as volunteers as guides, assistant gardeners and for help with outreach.
The Garden will be unique – there is no other Botanic Garden that is the same in any part of the world. A chance to show Nigerian native plants and their uses in a way that is suitable to Nigeria.
The Garden can be a tourist attraction for foreign visitors.

Weaknesses
Distance from major cities in other parts of Nigeria.
Low Seasons – There will be times of the year that may not be profitable for resort and gardens.
Possible predation by local people and security of visitors to the resort – violence, litter, vandalism.
Necessary to walk. The old and infirm will need help, but the Garden wants to encourage walking, for visitors to learn about the plantings. A small shuttle with tour guide or golf cart tours could help.
The collections will be immature at first so may not look lush right away.
Watering systems and possibility of droughts should be considered.

Planting Material
Native plants are available on the property and in the local area.
Local plant nurseries and suppliers can provide non-native plants.
Plants can also be imported from South Africa and other areas in the world.

Commercial opportunities
Commercial opportunities will exist at the garden-Food/drinks/plants/souvenirs.
Eco-tourism can be developed. Local natural sites to bird watch and hike.
Local people can sell their art, music, crafts, baskets, clothing at the gift shops.





Sustainable Development of Bayelsa Botanic Garden-Information from www.bgci.org

Sustainable development is a process that aims to meets the needs of the present generation without harming the ability of future generations to meet their needs. It is not only about particular environmental issues such as species extinction and pollution but also about economic progress which meets all our needs without leaving future generations with fewer resources than we enjoy. It can be seen as a way of living from nature's income rather than its capital account. Areas of particular relevance to botanic gardens are: 1. /WWW.BGCI.ORG

Social and Economic Dimensions concern:

Promoting sustainable development through trade
Combating poverty
Changing consumption patterns
Protecting and promoting human health

Conservation and Management of Resources for Development

Combating deforestation
Managing fragile ecosystems: combating desertification and drought
Managing fragile ecosystems: sustainable mountain development
Promoting sustainable agriculture and rural development
Conservation of biological diversity
Environmentally sound management of biotechnology
Protection of the quality and supplies of freshwater resources


Social and Economic Dimensions

Botanic gardens are involved or relevant in many ways in the social and economic dimensions.Gardens are able or have the potential to improve the standard of living of people in their surrounding communities through economic development. In developing countries in particular this might be based on the development of non-wood forest products and minor crops, including fruits, vegetables, flowers, medicinal plants, gums, resins, dyes, fibres, cultural products, rattan and bamboo. Gardens can provide opportunities for small-scale enterprises for local communities which generate income and promote trade. The strength of such projects is that they can develop local resources in participation with local communities and contribute to the economic development of the country.

Many resorts with botanic gardens attract large number of tourists, helping in the development of their local economies and relevant service industries associated both with tourism itself and with the botanic garden. A greener urban environment is emerging together with a stronger sense of community responsibility.

Conservation and Management of Resources for Development

Cyclopia (Leguminosae) is an arid zone plant that has been used as a herbal tea for hundreds of years in South Africa (Honey Bush Tea). This is traditionally collected destructively from the wild. The National Botanical Institute, Kirstenbosch, South Africa discovered the impact of smoke on the germination of many South African species, including Cyclopia, and so has been able to mass-propagate Cyclopia. There are now 40 communities in impoverished areas where there was formerly no agricultural activity that now have industrial-scale operations for the production of Honey Bush Tea.

Botanic gardens can also provide support for sustainable tourism , through the development of `orientation centres' or `habitat plantings' within their grounds, through the publication of inexpensive wildlife guides or information sheets and through cooperating with national parks for naming and labelling `botanic garden paths' within the reserve. The development of mountain botanic gardens in several parts of the world has provided a valuable educational resource for alerting tourists to the fragility of mountain environments and for promoting erosion control and sustainable tourism practices. Guests would be impressed to find a nice waterfall to swim in near the resort along with cocktails! They would also hike for miles in to reach a natural waterfall or bird watch.




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Strengthening the Role of Major Groups

The groups include women, children and youth, indigenous people, business and industry and the scientific and technological community. Botanic gardens, through their work with the public and local communities, are in a good position to strengthen the participation of the major groups in sustainable development and provide a local forum for debate, especially with women and young people.

The Jardín Botánico Francisco Javier Clavijero, Xalapa, Mexico is working with local women to identify native plants with economic potential, as well as species that the women consider to be in a process of decline, and to promote their rescue and conservation. A sustained management module is being designed centered on organic cultivation. It aims to diversify the use of plants according to the traditional knowledge of the women of the rural communities south of the Cofre de Perote area of Veracruz. A permanent workshop has been set up for the exchange of ideas, knowledge and reflection amongst the participating women from some of the regional communities in this area.

Many botanic gardens actively involve young people in plant conservation and the protection of the environment. Through the Georgia Endangered Plant Stewardship Network, U.S.A., students are gaining personal experience with endangered plants. As the children plant, hold and tend endangered plants, they begin to care about the larger environment and the seeds of environmental stewardship are nurtured.

Botanic gardens have already developed strong networks throughout the world and are well placed to support or initiate innovations that develop a common sense of purpose to replace unsustainable development patterns with environmentally sound and sustainable development.




Business and industry can work closely with botanic gardens.

The Aburi Botanic Garden, Ghana surveys sites where planning permission is being sought for development. The Garden can then make recommendations and, if required, take wild plants into cultivation for conservation and undertake habitat restoration projects. Botanic gardens can improve communication and cooperation between the scientific community and decisions makers and the general public.

'Education is critical for promoting sustainable development and improving the capacity of the people to address environment and development issues'. Botanic gardens are in the forefront in developing education programmes. This type of education is concerned with the development of values, attitudes and skills to motivate and empower people to work individually, and with others, to help promote the sustainable use of the natural and social environment. Most education programmes in botanic gardens help visitors appreciate the value of biodiversity and the threats it faces. Other programmes highlight trade issues, consumption patterns and pollution.

The Missouri Botanic Garden, St Louis, U.S.A. has developed demonstration carts that can travel through the gardens. These carts attract both children and adults and staff conduct scripted 15-25 minute activities. The topics covered range from photosynthesis and decomposition to chemical reactions and energy. Each demonstration relates to a pressing environmental quality issue such as sustainability of food supplies, availability of metals, air pollution, and availability of fuel supplies.
Training is one of the most important tools to develop human resources and to facilitate the transition to a more sustainable world. All training programmes should promote a greater awareness of environment and development issues.

The Missouri Botanical Garden, St Louis, U.S.A. has already created an environmental position plan. Particular goals of the Garden's programmes are the conservation of biodiversity, sound horticultural practices, international understanding and action, and the responsible use of all resources. The Garden emphasizes these goals in its own activities and encourages individuals and other organizations to do so as well.

The "Eco-Restorán" at the Jardín Botánico Nacional, Havana, Cuba is a model of what can be achieved even with limited resources. The restaurant in the Garden is supplied with vegetables grown on the site. In general about 40% of the total plant volume is supplied in this way, which includes over 400 species of vegetable, spice and medicinal plant. They are grown organically, the garbage is recycled using vermiculture (worms) and solar energy is used in the kitchens ("Solar dishes" - platos solares). Apart from being profitable, the restaurant highlights the importance of plants for nutrition and therefore the importance of biodiversity conservation. It is also promoted as a way of improving the traditional diet of visitors and developing efficient methods of cultivation.




Sustainable development

Horticulture (e.g. collection practices, composting and use of fertilizers, integrated pest management)
Low-impact resource use (e.g. water conservation, waste disposal, energy conservation, paper use, recycling)
Equitable sources (e.g. equipment and food stuffs produced from fair trade and sustainable sources)
Decide what level of involvement is possible in each area e.g. exemplify in operations, inform through education, exhibits, interpretation or actively promote.

Plant conservation and sustainable living

Threats to local plants or local habitats;
Water shortage during drought;
Selection of plants for horticulture to suit local conditions (i.e to reduce inputs of water, fertilizers etc.)
Promote the use of native species in landscaping
Horticultural methods to reduce inputs of water, pesticides and herbicides, peat etc.;
Disappearance of traditional knowledge;
Composting garden waste from the community;
Invasive plants or animals;
Greening of public spaces and minimising loss of green areas
Encourage wildlife in green areas;
Promoting sustainable tourism;
Incorporate education for sustainability into botanic garden education programmes
Identify plants that are important to the local or national economy with a view to developing enterprises through sustainable harvesting, community gardens, commercial horticulture, agriculture, forestry etc. e.g. medicinal plants, fruit, cultural products (baskets and brushes)
Building resorts with botanical gardens where guests can relax surrounded by native plants and plants from all over the world.

Plant Collection Policy
How should a public garden build a plant collection? What are the components? What distinguishes a good collection from a great one? If one were to envision the consummate botanic garden,what would its plant collections encompass? The Chicago Botanic Garden has pursued answers to these questions with the goal of developing an exemplary, world-class plant collection. In 2002 the Chicago Botanic Garden benchmarked the living plant collections of 20 national and international institutions and began a three year Collections Study Tour of 12 gardens and arboreta in seven countries.

The results from these two initiatives provide a framework for what the Garden has identified as the 12 characteristics that define the model for a world-class living plant collection.
I. Institutional Collections Policy and Development Plans
II. High diversity (breadth in taxa and germplasm)
III. Depth or areas of specialization (plant-related areas)
IV. Thorough record-keeping
V. Care—maintenance practices
VI. An active Verification Program
VII. Plants of wild origin with cultivated plants from their introducer
VIII. Taxa of conservation concern
IX. Staff expertise (knowledge acquired from the building and study of the Collection)
X. Public access (to view and study plants and benefit from associated programming)
XI. Plant Exploration Programs
XII. Relevance to science and society for multiple generations

This article is an examination of those characteristics: http://www.bgci.org/files/Worldwide/Botanic_Gardens/plant_collections_policy.pdf





Bayelsa Botanic Garden and Resort-Sustainable Ecotourism

Ecotourism has become one of the fastest-growing sectors of the tourism industry, growing annually by 10–15% worldwide . It is a form of tourism involving visiting fragile, pristine, and relatively undisturbed natural areas, intended as a low-impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial (mass) tourism. Its purpose may be to educate the traveler, to provide funds for ecological conservation, to directly benefit the economic development and political empowerment of local communities, or to foster respect for different cultures and for human rights. Since the 1980s ecotourism has been considered a critical endeavour by environmentalists, so that future generations may experience destinations relatively untouched by human intervention. Several university programs use this description as the working definition of ecotourism.

Generally, ecotourism focuses on socially responsible travel, personal growth, and environmental sustainability. Ecotourism typically involves travel to destinations where flora, fauna, and cultural heritage are the primary attractions. Ecotourism is intended to offer tourists insight into the impact of human beings on the environment, and to foster a greater appreciation of our natural habitats.


A natural swimming area using non-toxic additives and plant filtration systems.


Responsible ecotourism includes programs that minimize the negative aspects of conventional tourism on the environment and enhance the cultural integrity of local people. Therefore, in addition to evaluating environmental and cultural factors, an integral part of ecotourism is the promotion of recycling, energy efficiency, water conservation, and creation of economic opportunities for local communities For these reasons, ecotourism often appeals to advocates of environmental and social responsibility.

Ecotourism is a form of tourism that involves visiting natural areas—in the remote wilderness or rural environments. According to the definition and principles of ecotourism established by The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) in 1990, ecotourism is "Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people."Martha Honey, expands on the TIES definition by describing the seven characteristics of ecotourism, which are:

Involves travel to natural destinations
Minimizes impact
Builds environmental awareness
Provides direct financial benefits for conservation
Provides financial benefits and empowerment for local people
Respects local culture
Supports human rights and democratic movements
Conservation of biological diversity and cultural diversity through ecosystem protection
Promotion of sustainable use of biodiversity, by providing jobs to local populations
Sharing of socio-economic benefits with local communities and indigenous peoples by having their informed consent and participation in the management of ecotourism enterprises
Tourism to unspoiled natural resources, with minimal impact on the environment being a primary concern.
Minimization of tourism's own environmental impact
Affordability and lack of waste in the form of luxury
Local culture, flora and fauna being the main attractions
Local people benefit from this form of tourism economically, often more than mass tourism

Ecotourism is a travel activity that ensures direct financial support to local people where tourism activities are being generated and enjoyed. It teaches travellers to respect local cultures of destinations where travellers are visiting. It supports small stakeholders to ensure that money must not go out from the local economies. It discourage mass tourism, mass constructions of hotels, tourism resorts and mass activities in fragile areas". For many countries, ecotourism is not simply a marginal activity to finance protection of the environment, but is a major industry of the national economy. For example, in Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nepal, Kenya, Madagascar and territories such as Antarctica, ecotourism represents a significant portion of the gross domestic product and economic activity.









Ecotourism, responsible tourism, jungle tourism, and sustainable development have become prevalent concepts since the mid-1980s, and ecotourism has experienced arguably the fastest growth of all sub-sectors in the tourism industry. The popularity represents a change in tourist perceptions, increased environmental awareness, and a desire to explore natural environments. At times, such changes become as much a statement affirming one's social identity, educational sophistication, and disposable income as it has about preserving the Amazon rainforest or the Caribbean reef for posterity.

However, in the continuum of tourism activities that stretch from conventional tourism to ecotourism proper, there has been a lot of contention to the limit at which biodiversity preservation, local social-economic benefits, and environmental impact can be considered "ecotourism". For this reason, environmentalists, special interest groups, and governments define ecotourism differently. Environmental organizations have generally insisted that ecotourism is nature-based, sustainably managed, conservation supporting, and environmentally educated. The tourist industry and governments, however, focus more on the product aspect, treating ecotourism as equivalent to any sort of tourism based in nature. As a further complication, many terms are used under the rubric of ecotourism. Nature tourism, low impact tourism, green tourism, bio-tourism, ecologically responsible tourism, and others have been used in literature and marketing, although they are not necessary synonymous with ecotourism.

Beekeeping on a roof of the resort
Watch this video to see how easy it is to create a honey industry which goes well with the gardens:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjMHsmNOw6E
50,000 Bees reside on roof of Fairmont Royal York Hotel by Lucy Izon / Canada Cool



Honey is a profitable industry that depends on the
garden for pollen. No chemicals can be used.
The goals of Ecotourism are:
Conservation and sustainable use of scarce resources such as water, land, and air;
Protection of representative or unique or pristine ecosystems;
Preservation of threatened and endangered species extinction;
The establishment of nature and biosphere reserves under various types of protection; and, most generally, the protection of biodiversity and ecosystems upon which all human and other life on earth depends.

Craft Shops
A craft shop in the garden can sell a variety of crafts made from the unique natural products of Bayelsa. It is value adding of natural resources to improve the income generation of our people. Visitors can find craft made from wood, basketwork, balata, tanned and dried leather, pottery, home grown cotton, seeds and pods for dress jewelry and embroideries that depict the very special cultural lifestyles of the Bayelsa people. Other products can include:
Dried fruit
Wild honey
Casareep made from the bitter cassava root
Cashew nuts and cashew nut butter
Preserves from our fruits
Pepper sauce (watch out!)
Mango achar

Local Culture Preservation
The resort can construct stages in different areas where local people can play music and demonstrate their dance traditions. Guests would love to take dance classes to learn the traditions and for fun. This is a nice video that shows a group of Bayelsan dancers:

MISS UNIVERSITY AFRICA (BAYELSA CULTURAL DANCE)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIwueVSYWFc&feature=related

There are many local crafts and products that can be taught at the resort as well. It can be modeled after the Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii where visitors can make their own baskets with help from locals and purchase crafts made by locals at the resort. Visitors would love to go to a dinner show with Bayelsan dancers on stage listening to local bands.

Modern Culture
Bayelsa is growing quickly to be known for it's emerging musical stars like Timaya in this video: Plantain Boy. It has a wonderful message: Believe in yourself everybody! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15gzJf8_P3Y&feature=relmfu and it is used in this video:
Welcome to Bayelsa State http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4qOuvTT-f8&feature=related
As soon as visitors reach the resort, music should be played from Timaya as well as traditional music in all parts of the garden. Visitors can purchase CDs and take them with them. The cultural center should also have a video and recording studio even if simple so that local people can get their music out to the world. They can put their music on youtube and sell copies off of iTunes. Concerts in the garden will attract even more visitors to the resort. There are many local musicians that can perform at the park to attract visitors.

Here is a great example of how a resort can benefit the community: Eco Hotel: Frangipani Langkawi Resort Malaysia http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPtkDreWtLU

The use of available city space including rooftop gardens, community gardens, garden sharing, and other forms of urban agriculture for cooperative food production is another way to achieve greater sustainability. One of the latest ideas in achieving sustainable agricultural involves shifting the production of food plants from major factory farming operations to large, urban, technical facilities called vertical farms. The advantages of vertical farming include year-round production, isolation from pests and diseases, controllable resource recycling, and on-site production that reduces transportation costs[citation needed]. While a vertical farm has yet to become a reality, the idea is gaining momentum among those who believe that current sustainable farming methods will be insufficient to provide for a growing global population.

Forest gardening is a low-maintenance sustainable plant-based food production and agroforestry system based on woodland ecosystems, incorporating fruit and nut trees, shrubs, herbs, vines and perennial vegetables which have yields directly useful to humans. Making use of companion planting, these can be intermixed to grow in a succession of layers, to replicate a woodland habitat.

In many African countries, for example Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, gardens are widespread in rural, periurban and urban areas and they play an essential role in establishing food security. Most well-known are the Chaga or Chagga gardens on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. These are an excellent example of an agroforestry system. In many countries, women are the main actors in home gardening and food is mainly produced for subsistence. In North-Africa, oasis layered gardening with palm trees, fruit trees and vegetables is a traditional type of forest garden.

Seven-layer system:

The seven layers of the forest garden.
Robert Hart pioneered a system based on the observation that the natural forest can be divided into distinct levels. He used intercropping to develop an existing small orchard of apples and pears into an edible polyculture landscape consisting of the following layers:
'Canopy layer' consisting of the original mature fruit trees.
'Low-tree layer' of smaller nut and fruit trees on dwarfing root stocks.
'Shrub layer' of fruit bushes such as currants and berries.
'Herbaceous layer' of perennial vegetables and herbs.
'Ground cover layer' of edible plants that spread horizontally.
'Rhizosphere' or 'underground' dimension of plants grown for their roots and tubers.
'Vertical layer' of vines and climbers.
A key component of the seven-layer system is the plants he selected. Most of the traditional vegetable crops grown today, such as carrots, are sun loving plants not well selected for the more shady forest garden system.



Criteria
An eco-resort must usually meet the following criteria:
Dependence on the natural environment
Ecological sustainability
Proven contribution to conservation
Provision of environmental training programs
Incorporation of cultural considerations
Provision of an economic return to the local community

Green hotels follow strict green guidelines to ensure that their guests are staying in a safe, non-toxic and energy-efficient accommodation. Here are some basic characteristics of a green hotel:
Housekeeping uses non-toxic cleaning agents and laundry detergent
100% organic cotton sheets, towels and mattresses
Renewable energy sources like solar or wind energy
Bulk organic soap and amenities instead of individual packages to reduce waste
Guest room and hotel lobby recycling bins
Towel and sheet re-use (guests can tell housekeeping to leave these slightly used items to reduce water consumption)
Energy-efficient lighting
On-site transportation with green vehicles
Serve organic and local-grown food
Non-disposable dishes
Offers a fresh-air exchange system
Graywater recycling, which is the reuse of kitchen, bath and laundry water for garden and landscaping
Newspaper recycling program
The term has been used on a more regular basis as new websites devoted to the subject become more prominent and hotel owners become more interested in protecting the areas their guests have come to visit.
New properties are being built from sustainable resources–tropical hardwoods, local stone–and designed to better blend in with their environment. In addition, they are also being run on eco-friendly principles, such as serving organic or locally grown food or using natural cooling as opposed to air conditioning.

Walkway Viewing areas
If the resort has natural areas with mountains near it, excursions or visits would generate income for the resort. Many of Guyana's 840+ species are on unique display at the Canopy Walkway. Perched 33 meters (100 feet) above the forest floor, the walkway's three spacious platforms give visitors a unique perspective impossible to gain from the ground below. The Walkway and Lodge are staffed entirely by local Makushi Amerindians who grew up in this rainforest, walking its trails, swimming in its rivers, and learning from countless days of experience. Atta Rainforest Lodge, at the base of the walkway, provides home-cooked meals and comfortable accommodation and is perfectly situated for early and late visits to the walkway.















Bayelsa Botanical Garden Conservation Principles -Modeled after the North Carolina Botanical Garden




The Bayelsa Botanical Garden is dedicated to conservation in a broad sense: protecting and restoring natural areas and biological diversity, protecting water and air quality, reducing impacts through recycling and reuse of materials, and involving residents in environmental education, outdoor recreation, and stewardship. We, therefore, wish to work with those who seek recommendations for minimal impact development. Conditions for the garden collaboration require that the developer adhere to the twenty-seven principles listed in this document. Developers are, nevertheless, encouraged to incorporate any of the following principles even if collaboration is not sought. Our aim is that these principles guide development to reduce environmental impact, mitigate unavoidable environmental harm and support a high quality of life for those who live or work in the communities created.

The Garden, as a collaborator, can take one or more of the following roles:

Participant: The Garden is included in planning efforts from the beginning and works with the developer to produce plans that will serve a model for the community.

Evaluator: The Garden evaluates particular plans that have already been developed and makes recommendations for improving those plans.

Advisor: The Garden makes a statement of principles available to all interested parties, but does not participate in or evaluate a specific project.

THE PRINCIPLES

PRINCIPLE ONE: INVENTORY AND PROTECT SIGNIFICANT NATURAL AREAS

1. Designate natural areas and establish boundaries to protect them; save places outright as part of the design; allow no development on significant natural areas; and include these commitments in neighborhood covenants.

2. Conserve areas needed to support the quality of significant natural areas in surrounding tracts and corridors needed to connect to natural areas on those tracts.

3. Write management plans for natural areas that ensure minimal impact and retention of snags and downed woody debris for wildlife where these are not hazards to health and property.





PRINCIPLE TWO: PROTECT WATER QUALITY

4. Protect stream banks, riparian zones, slopes adjacent to creeks, and steep slopes in order to protect water quality.

5. Design for minimal impervious surface and manage storm water such that peak flow to stream does not exceed expected natural levels.

6. Provide for stringent erosion control during construction.

PRINCIPLE THREE: CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT, NATURAL AREAS, AND CORRIDORS TO PREVENT FRAGMENTATION

7. Cluster development to minimize habitat fragmentation; set standards for the ratio of developed to undeveloped land; minimize road widths and total road length within the tract; support designs for walking and public transportation and sense of community.

8. Look for opportunities to connect natural areas with corridors.




PRINCIPLE FOUR: MINIMIZE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

9. Minimize footprint of development impact.

10. Enact strict tree protection measures within development zones.

11. Minimize land disturbance and recontouring.

12. Look for plant rescue opportunities in impacted areas.

13. Minimize construction waste; look for opportunities to recycle.

14. Evaluate all utility corridors and minimize impacts to natural features.

15. Shade or reduce heat collecting surfaces in order to prevent "heat island" effect.

PRINCIPLE FIVE: LANDSCAPE AND RESTORE AREAS TO ACHIEVE HIGHEST AND BEST USE FOR CONSERVATION

16. Use the "endemic landscape" as the model for development and landscaping.

17. Practice zeroscaping by using the remnant vegetation as the starting point of landscaping and ecoscaping by adding plants that are appropriate to site and soil conditions. Start with a knowledge of the soil—and if degraded by past use, build a realistic perspective on soil restoration.

18. Devise a sustainable water use policy.

19. Landscape with native plants for native pollinators, birds, and other animal species. Protect endangered plants from other areas in Africa and the world by creating separate gardens for them.

20. Use no invasive exotic plants in horticulture and organize developers and owners to remove existing invasive plant species.








PRINCIPLE SIX: CONTINUE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND AWARENESS AFTER DEVELOPMENT

21. Maximize plantings in order to ensure that the carbon stored by plant life surpasses carbon emitted by people and vehicles.

22. Facilitate the 3 Rs: reduce, reuse, recycle.

23. Minimize light pollution to minimize energy use and provide for a dark night sky for wildlife and the enjoyment and education of the residents.

24. Minimize noise pollution during construction and from infrastructure.

25. Minimize harmful chemical use by gardening organically and practice responsible fertilizer and pesticide applications when all organic choices are exhausted.

26. Design and build nature trails to support the incorporation of nature into our lives, for fresh air, physical activity, curiosity, nature study, and understanding.

27. Fund conservation management and education through endowment and/or annual dues.




What is organic horticulture?

Organic horticulture is the science and art of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, or ornamental plants by following the essential principles of organic agriculture in soil building and conservation, pest management, and heirloom variety preservation.





Mulches, cover crops, compost, manures, vermicompost, and mineral supplements are soil-building mainstays that distinguish this type of farming from its commercial counterpart. Through attention to good healthy soil condition it is expected that insect, fungal, or other problems that sometimes plague plants can be minimized. However, pheromone traps, insecticidal soap sprays, and other pest-control methods available to organic farmers are also utilized by organic horticulturists.




Horticulture involves five areas of study. These areas are:
Floriculture (includes production and marketing of floral crops)
Landscape horticulture (includes production, marketing and maintenance of landscape plants)
Olericulture (includes production and marketing of vegetables),
Pomology (includes production and marketing of fruits)
Postharvest physiology (involves maintaining quality and preventing spoilage of horticultural crops).

All of these can be, and sometimes are, pursued according to the principles of organic cultivation. Organic horticulture (or organic gardening) is based on knowledge and techniques gathered over thousands of years. In general terms, organic horticulture involves natural processes, often taking place over extended periods of time, and a sustainable, holistic approach - while chemical-based horticulture focuses on immediate, isolated effects and reductionist strategies.

Organic gardening is designed to work with the ecological systems and minimally disturb the Earth's natural balance. Organic farmers use techniques such as mulching, planting cover crops, and intercropping, to maintain a soil cover throughout most of the year. The use of compost, manure mulch and other organic fertilizers yields a higher organic content of soils on organic farms and helps limit soil degradation and erosion.

Other methods can also be used to supplement an existing garden. Methods such as composting, or vermicomposting with worms. These practices are ways of recycling organic matter into some of the best organic fertilizers and soil conditioner. Vermicompost is especially easy. The byproduct is also an excellent source of nutrients for an organic garden.

Pest Control
Differing approaches to pest control are equally notable. In chemical horticulture, a specific insecticide may be applied to quickly kill off a particular insect pest. Chemical controls can dramatically reduce pest populations in the short term, yet by unavoidably killing (or starving) natural control insects and animals, cause an increase in the pest population in the long term, thereby creating an ever increasing problem. Repeated use of insecticides and herbicides also encourages rapid natural selection of resistant insects, plants and other organisms, necessitating increased use, or requiring new, more powerful controls.

In contrast, organic horticulture tends to tolerate some pest populations while taking the long view. Organic pest control requires a thorough understanding of pest life cycles and interactions, and involves the cumulative effect of many techniques, including:
Allowing for an acceptable level of pest damage
Encouraging predatory beneficial insects to flourish and eat pests
Encouraging beneficial microorganisms
Careful plant selection, choosing disease-resistant varieties
Planting companion crops that discourage or divert pests
Using row covers to protect crop plants during pest migration periods
Rotating crops to different locations from year to year to interrupt pest reproduction cycles
Using insect traps to monitor and control insect populations

Each of these techniques also provides other benefits, such as soil protection and improvement, fertilization, pollination, water conservation and season extension. These benefits are both complementary and cumulative in overall effect on site health. Organic pest control and biological pest control can be used as part of integrated pest management (IPM). However, IPM can include the use of chemical pesticides that are not part of organic or biological technique.

Water Conservaton
Some of the solutions being developed are:
Reduction of stormwater run-off through the use of bio-swales, rain gardens and green roofs and walls.
Reduction of water use in landscapes through design of water-wise garden techniques (sometimes known as xeriscapingTM)
Bio-filtering of wastes through constructed wetlands
Landscape irrigation using water from showers and sinks, known as gray water
Integrated Pest Management techniques for pest control
Creating and enhancing wildlife habitat in urban environments
Energy-efficient landscape design in the form of proper placement and selection of shade trees and creation of wind breaks
Permeable paving materials to reduce stormwater run-off and allow rain water to infiltrate into the ground and replenish groundwater rather than run into surface water
Use of sustainably harvested wood, composite wood products for decking and other landscape projects, as well as use of plastic lumber
Recycling of products, such as glass, rubber from tires and other materials to create landscape products such as paving stones, mulch and other materials
Soil management techniques, including composting kitchen and yard wastes, to maintain and enhance healthy soil that supports a diversity of soil life
Integration and adoption of renewable energy, including solar-powered landscape lighting

A sustainable landscape is designed to be both attractive and in balance with the local climate and environment and it should require minimal resource inputs. Thus, the design must be "functional, cost-efficient, visually pleasing, environmentally friendly and maintainable" As part of the concept called sustainable development it pays close attention to the preservation of limited and costly resources, reducing waste and preventing air, water and soil pollution. Also, compost, fertilization, grass cycling, pest control measures that avoid or minimize the use of chemicals, integrated pest management, using the right plant in the right place, appropriate use of turf, irrigation efficiency and xeriscaping or water-wise gardening are all components of sustainable landscaping.

Composting
Composting is a way to recycle kitchen and garden waste while creating inexpensive organic fertilizer for the garden and landscape. Earthworms, microbes and other soil flora and fauna feast on such organic matter when provided adequate nitrogen and proper temperatures and moisture. The ideal size for a compost pile or bin is one cubic yard (3' x 3' x 3'). It should be placed in a partly shady location to avoid intense sun and drying out, as this will delay the decomposition process. The pile heats up during the decomposition process, then cools as material is transformed, this is a good time to turn the pile, so that undecomposed materials on the periphery of the pile can be moved to the center to complete the process. With adequate moisture, nitrogen, proper temperature and correct timing of turning the pile, compost can be made in about a 30-day period. Left alone this pocess will still occur, but may take three to four months under less-than-ideal conditions.

Compost can be added as an amendment to poorly draining soil, as a fertilizer on flower and vegetable beds, to fruit trees or used as a potting soil for potted plants. Trimmings from lawns, trees and shrubs from a large landscape site can be used as feedstock for on-site composting. Reusing on-site organic materials will decrease the need for purchasing other soil additives.



Mulch
Mulch may be used to reduce water loss due to evaporation, reduce weeds, minimize erosion, dust and mud problems. Mulch can also add nutrients to the soil when it decomposes. However, mulch is most often used for weed suppression. Over use of mulch can result in harm to the selected plantings. Care must be taken in the source of the mulch, for instance, black walnut trees result in a toxic mulch product. Grass cycling turf areas (using mulching mowers that leave grass clippings on the lawn) will also decrease the amount of fertilizer needed, reduce landfill waste and reduce costs of disposal.

A common recommendation is to adding 2-4 inches of mulch in flower beds and under trees away from the trunk. Mulch should be applied under trees to the dripline (extension of the branches) in lieu of flowers, hostas, turf or other plants that are often planted there. This practice of planting under trees is detrimental to tree roots, especially when such plants are irrigated to an excessive level that harms the tree. One must be careful not to apply mulch to the bark of the tree. It can result in smothering, mold and to insect depredation.
Bayelsa Gardens Plants for Food for Restaurants
Ecotourism depends on gardens to supply food to the restaurants as well as make products to sell at the gift shops and for the local community. Here is a list of possible plants and their uses:

Name Botanical Name Uses

Almond Terminalia catappa
Annatto Bixa orellana Food colouring, cosmetics
Avocado Pear Persea americana Milk shake, salad, guacamole
Banana Musaceae sapientium Milk shake, dessert
Bread Fruit Artocartopus communis Chips, cooked, stewed
Calabash Crescentia cujete Receptacle, cup, bowl
Carambola Averrhoa carambola Juice, jam, dried fruit
Cashew Anacardium occidentale Juice, salad, nut
Cherry Malpighia punicifolia Juice, jelly, preserve
Coconut Cocos nucifera Ice cream, sugar cake
Downe / Dunk Ziphus mauritania Pickle
Ginep Melicoccus bijugatus Drink
Genipap Genipa americana Liqueur, tattooing
Golden apple Spondias dulcis Juice, jam, preserve, stew
Gooseberry Lansium domesticum Stewed
Grapefruit Citrus paradise Juice, salad, preserve
Guava Psidium guajava Juice, jelly, jam, ice cream
Jamoon Eugenia cumini Juice, wine
Lemon Citrus limon Juice, marmalade
Lime Citrus aurantifolia Juice
Mallaca apple Eugenia malaccensis Salad, stewed
Mango Mangifeera indica Juice, salad, jam, achar
Mangosteen Garcinia mangostana Salad, cooked
Orange Citrus sinensis Juice, salad, marmalade
Parapi Bactris gasipaes Cooked
Passion fruit Passiflora edulis Juice, jam
Patashte Theobroma grandiflorum Juice, ice cream
Paw paw Carica papaya Milk shake, ice cream, salad
Pineapple Ananas sativus Drink, salad, jam
Plantain Musaceae paradisiaca Chips, cooked, dessert
Psidium Eugenia patrisii Jam
Sapodilla Manilkara zapota Ice cream, salad
Sourie Averrhoa bilimbi Pickle, pepper sauce
Soursop Annona muricata Drink, ice cream
Sugar apple Annona aquamosa Salad
Sugar cane Saccharum officinarum Juice, wine, rum
Tamerind Tamerindus indica Juice, jam, preserve, sweet
Tangerine Citrus reticulate Juice, salad, marmalade
Watermelon Citrillus vulgaris Juice, salad
Whitee Inga capitata Flesh around seed
Taro Colocasia Leaves used for food





FLOWERING PLANTS
The resort should have a botanic garden with native plants but around swimming pools and rooms, there are many exotic plants can be planted. Visitors want to see lots of vibrant color at all times of the year.

English Name Botanical Name Description

Angel's trumpet Datura candida Hanging white flowers

Bougainvillea Bougainvillea species Colourful climbing vines

Butterfly pea Centrosema species Dark blueflowered climber

Canna lilies Canna generalis Coloured inflorescence

Cattleya orchid Cattleya species Lilac coloured flowers

Chalice vine Solandra nitida Large yellow cupped flower

Crape ginger Costus speciosus Spiral leafed , white flower

Cypress vine Ipomea quamoclit Herbaceous, red star flowers

Ginger Alpinia purpurata Red or pink flowering

Hibiscus Hibiscus species Sunset colors

Heliconia Heliconia species Many varieties and forms

Powder puff plant Calliandra inaequilatera Pink mimosa like flower

Red flag bush Mussaenda erythrophylla Bright red coloured sepals

Snow Flower Spathipyllum floribundum White spathed arum lily

Calla Lily Zantedeschia Aethipica White calla lily and colored lilies

Begonias Begonias of all varieties Colored leaves and flowers

Ochids Orchids of all varieties Beautiful flowers and leaves




















Nigeria Crop Report for Community Gardens
Adenike. Olufolaji
Assistant Dir/Planning and Development, National Horticultural Research Institute
INTRODUCTION
AN OVERVIEW OF NIGERIA
Nigeria which lies on latitude 4o 14' to latitude 13 o 48' and longitude 2 o 42' E to longitude 14 o 40'E has a total land area of 910,770 square kilometres in which 34%is occupied by crops, 23% by grassland and 16% by forests and the remaining 27% by rivers and lakes. It shares a common boundary with Benin Republic to the west, the Republic of Cameroon and Chad to the East, The Niger Republic to the North, while the Atlantic Ocean with a 690-kilometre coastline borders the south. It is one of the largest countries in West Africa with an estimated population of 120 million people; 80% of these populations are agrarian in nature. Nigeria has more than 300 ethic groups notable among which are: Hausa, Fulani, Ibo, Yoruba, Edo, Urhobo, Efik, Ibibio, Ijaw, Tiv and Kanuri.
The country has diverse ecological zones ranging from the mangrove swamps of the coastal areas with almost no distinct dry season (over 60 mm rainfall in the dries months of the year) in the extreme south-east to extreme north-east where the vegetation is Sahel Savannah with over 5 months dry season (rainy season only 60 days between July-September). The climate of the country is largely tropical, characterised by high humidity in south, high temperatures and intense heat in the north. In some areas in the north (Kano, Kaduna, Plateau states), the harmathan results in a mild winter permits the growth of winter crops such as wheat and cold loving vegetables crops during the cool harmathan period between December and February.
The rainfall pattern could majorly be divided into three: In the humid region (humid forest to Derived coastal savannah) rainfall ranges from 3,500 mm to 2,000 per annum per annum. The sub-humid region (Southern Guinea to parts of the northern Guinea savannah) has rainfall ranging from 2000 mm to 1000 mm while the semi-arid region (Northern Guinea to Sahel has rainfall) ranging between 1200 mm to 500 mm sometimes rainfall could be as low as 200 mm.
According to FAO classification, none of the Nigerian soils fall in the high productivity class, only 6% of the soil have good productivity, 46% are rated medium and nearly 48% are low productivity. Thus proper management and improvement of the inherent fertility of our soils by appropriate agro-forestry/cropping system hold the key to sustainable agricultural production.
In Nigeria, small holding fall into three classes:
The small scale holding (0.1-5.9 ha) are concentrated in the humid region where population density is high;
Medium farm holding (6-9.9 ha) and
Large scale (over 10 ha)
The Large Scale
The large-scale farms are more common in the humid and sub-humid regions where the population density is low relatively low and farming is more commercially oriented. Most farms in the south are on small scale, which is family based and labour intensive. Small farm holders have limited access to institutional credit/loans. In addition to the numerous problems, fertilizers are hardly available and when available most farmers are forced to buy at high prices in the open market.
The surface water in Nigeria is provided by many rivers notable among them are the Rivers Niger, Benue, Hadeja, Kaduna, Ogun, Osun, Anambra, Sokoto, Cross rivers and Zamfara to mention but a few. Their annual discharge is estimated to vary between 193-315 billion cubic metres. This net-work of rivers constitutes the basis of the river Basin Development Authorities such as the Hadeja-Jamare (Jigawa/Bauchi states), Kadawa in Kano state, Dadin-kowa in Gombe state, Ogun/Osun river Basin Development Authority in Ogun and Osun states and Anambra River Basin Development Authority in Anambra and Enugu states, to mention but a few. Both surface and underground water provide opportunities for irrigation
HORTICULTURE IN NIGERIA
Among the rungs of the ladder of man's basic needs is food self-sufficiency which is a state in which the daily intake of calories, proteins, vitamins and minerals from the pre-requisites for normal, mental and physical development is guaranteed. Horticulture employs about 65% of Nigerians accounted for 25-60% of annual GDP between 1962 - 1985, attracting 1 - 14% of the government's capital expenditure during successive development plans for that period.
However, Nigeria belongs to the group of countries suffering from under-nutrition and malnutrition (Olayide, 1982). There is thus the urgent need to leap out of such an inglorious group of weak and malnourished population that cannot be effectively mobilized for national socio-economic development.
Traditionally, Horticulture features mainly in an anortment of mixtures or relay in crops of staple food or permanent tree crops (Okigbo, 1990). They also feature as mono-crops in the few backyard or peri-urban gardens which produced local and exotic fruits and vegetables for the few elitist clan in the communities. Fruits are often considered "Children Crops" whereas a barnful of yam tubers earns a man a lot of prestige in the village setting. This lukewarm attitude also spilled into government business.
An initial step towards the recognition of horticulture was the establishment of National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT) by the Agricultural Research Institute decree of June 1975, which started off as UNDP/FAO assisted programme as the National Fruit and Vegetable Demonstration Centre. The Institute has the national mandate to conduct research into breeding, agronomy and the processing of local and exotic fruits and vegetables, the development of ornamental plants of economic importance and the provision of support services for the transfer of technology.

HORTICULTURAL CROP PRODUCTION
A list of fruits and vegetable production in the different agro-ecological zones of Nigeria are shown on Tables 1 and 2. The seasonality of production is also shown on Table 3.
TABLE 1: FRUIT ALLOCATION TO AGRO-ECOLOGICAL AREAS IN NIGERIA.

ZONES
FRUITS
VEGETATION
North West
Mango
Sahel

Grapes
Sudan savanna
North East
Mango
Sahel

Guava
Upland areas
Central
Citrus
Southern savanna

Pineapple
Inland Valleys

Mango
Fadama/Upland Eco-areas

Plantain


Banana

South West
Citrus
High forest
*
Plantain
Degraded High forest

Banana
Transition forest zones

Pineapple

South East
Mango
High Forest
*
Plantain
Degraded High Forest

Banana
Transition Forest Zone

Anona


Guava


Pineapple


Avocado

(* with some indigenous fruits such as Irvingia, Treculia and Dacryodes)



TABLE 2: COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTION IN THE DIFFERENT ZONES IN NIGERIA.

ZONES
FRUITS
VEGETABLES
North West
Mango, Grapes
Onion, Tomato and Pepper
North East
Mango, Citrus, Guava, Banana and Pawpaw
Tomato, Onion, Pepper, Okra, Egg-plant, Amaranthus, Roselle, Pumpkin, Water-melon, Carrot, Lettuce, Cabbage.
Central
Citrus, Pineapple, Mango, Plantain, Banana
Pepper, Onion, Tomato, Okra, Amaranthus, Egusi-melon, Cucumber, Water-melon, Garlic, Ginger.
South West
Citrus, Plantain, Banana, Pineapple
Tomato, pepper, Okra, Melon, Amaranthus, Celosia, Corchorus, Egg-plant.
South East
Plantain/Banana, Anona, Guava, Treculia, Citrus, Pineapple, Avocado, Mango and Irvinga
Egusi-melon, Okra, Amaranthus, Gnetum, Water leaf, Vernonia, Egg-plant, Pepper, Tomato.

TABLE 3: SEASONAL AVAILABILITY OF MAJOR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES IN NIGERIA.

FRUIT CROP
AVAILABLE PERIOD
Mango
March – July
Pineapple
November – March
Plantain/Banana
October – January
Citrus
September – November
Guava
November – January
Pawpaw
October – March
VEGETABLES
AVAILABLE PERIOD
Onion
December – February
Tomato
April – November (South)
February – June (North)
Okra
July – October
January – April
Pepper
April – November
February – June
Amaranthus
July – November
Carrot
February – July
Melon
July – November
Corchorus olitorius (Ewedu)
July – November
Hibiscus Sabdariffa (Sobo)
Adansonia digitata (Baobab leaves)
November – January

While most tropical fruits, vegetables and ornamentals will thrive in Nigeria, a combination of agro-ecological limitations and socio-economic considerations have led to a short-listing and clustering of fruits and vegetables available in Nigeria (Figure 2 and 3). A lot of edible fruits and vegetables abound in the wild that is almost impossible to make obtainable from the wild in Nigeria.
Production Figures of Fruits and Vegetables
Just as fruits and vegetables are often lumped together in statistical data, efforts are often made at getting individual state's data on some fruits and vegetables of zonal importance (Tables 4 and 5).
TABLE 4: PRODUCTION FIGURES OF VEGETABLE CROPS IN KADUNA STATE

CROPS
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
Tomato
Production
Area (ha.)
Yield/ha

126.5
24.5
5.16

289.0
35.3
8.18

296.5
37.1
7.99

353.8
47.1
7.55

476.5
61.9
7.69
Pepper
Production
Area (ha.)
Yield/ha

147.7
101.8
1.44

66.7
55.6
1.19

248.7
127.5
1.95

1,895
276.6
6.85

200.2
130.3
1.53
Onion
Production
Area (ha.)
Yield/ha

411.4
83.5
4.92

70.5
24.0
2.93

103.6
25.9
4

104.4
30.9
3.37

-
-
-
Okra
Production
Area (ha.)
Yield/ha

66.6
64.5
1.03

252.6
48.2
5.24

236.9
52.6
4.50

228.9
66.2
3.45

181.7
51.8
3.50
Melons
Production
Area (ha.)
Yield/ha

0.26
0.86
0.30

-
-
-

11.9
10.1
1.17

63.0
53.1
1.18

-
-
-
Sweet potato
Production
Area (ha.)
Yield/ha

530.2
71.5
7.41

695.9
90.3
7.70

1824
2395
0.76

189.54
279.6
6.77

-
-
-
Irish Potato
Production
Area (ha.)
Yield/ha

-
-
-

-
-
-

243.3
70.3
3.46

451.8
72.4
6.24

-
-
-

Production = x1000 tonnes
Area = x1000 ha.






TABLE 5: THE PRODUCTION (' 000 MT) FIGURES OF SOME CROPS GROWN IN NIGERIA

FRUITS
METRIC TONNES
Citrus
75
Mango
49
Guava
22
Pineapple
183
Bananas
120
Pawpaw
37
Grapes
4
* Others
63

YEAR
CROPS
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
Tomato
610
646
635
650
660
Pepper
800
800
800
800
800
Plantain
1700
1800
1700
1257
1314
Pineapple
-
-
2
2
2
Rice
1450
1400
3303
2500
3185
Cassava
14000
14000
15425
19043
20000

* Minor fruit crops particularly tropical exotics
Source: FAO Year Books
Recommended Spacing
Most fruit trees require a wide spacing to optimize their yield considering their large size at maturity and the need to reduce the risk of crowding. Besides large orchards need to adopt wide spacing to allow thoroughfare for tractor drawn implements for routine management operations-weed control, spraying of agro-chemicals, e.t.c. The following spacing have been found optimal for fruits and vegetables (Tables 6 and 7).
TABLE 6: RECOMMENDED SPACING FOR SELECTED FRUIT TREES

Crop
Spacing (m)
Plant Population ha-1
Mango
10 x10
100
Citrus
7 x 7
204
Pineapple
0.5 x 0.5 double rows
with 1m alley
35,000 – 40,000
Pawpaw
2 x 2
2,500
Avocado
10 x 10
100
Irvingia gabonensis
10 x 10
100
Plantain/banana
2.5 x 2.5
3 x 2
1,600
Guava
7 x 7
204



TABLE 7: RECOMMENDED SPACING FOR SELECTED VEGETABLES

Crop
Spacing (m)
Plant Population ha-1
Okra
0.5 x 0.6
33,333
Pepper
0.5 x 0.6
33,333
Tomato
0.5 x 0.6
33,333
Water-melon
2.0 x 2.0
2,500
Egusi Melon
1 x 2.0
5,000
Telfaira occidentalis
1 x 1
0.75 x 0.75 paired rows separated by 1.5m alley
10,000




Nursery Techniques in the Modern Perspectives
The major bottleneck in horticultural crop production in Nigeria is the non-availability of adequate of good quality planting materials (budded/grafted seedlings/seeds, suckers, e.t.c.) Most farmers currently rely in chance seedlings, or stock procured from friends or roadside nurseries. Many of such seedlings are not vegetatively propagated and thus have the problems of heterogeneity and long gestation periods. NIHORT has developed various nursery/rapid multiplication techniques which are being adopted by farmers.
Traditional farming systems involving the planting of citrus and mango make use of unbudded (rootstock) seedling. Such seedlings take a very long time to fruit, develop thorns which create a lot of problems at harvest and invarably the fruits produced are of low quality. Budding/grafting of citrus and mango shorten the gestation period as well as ensure that plants of known quality are produced.
Hitherto, the production of budded/grafted citrus and mango takes about 2 to 3 years using the standard procedures. A package of nursery techniques was developed involving precision in the timing of sowing, budding, fertilizer operations, effective closeness, weed control and adequate irrigation. The use if this package has reduced the time of producing budded citrus and mango seedlings.
DEVELOPMENT OF TRANSFERABLE TECHNOLOGY THROUGH RAPID MULTIPLICATION OF FRUIT PROPAGULES
(a) Banana and plantain
Split Corm Technique
Banana / plantain lend themselves to sword sucker for splitting. In this, clear corms are uprooted, cut into sets of 50g and treated immediately with a solution of 1% Benomyl (Benlate) fungicide. The sets are then air dried for 24 hours and planted out in a mixture of 1:1 v/v mixture of forest top soil and sawdust at a spacing of 15cm x 15cm in nursery trays/beds. Transferable suckers are produced within 8 – 12 weeks.
The Split Bud Technique
This is similar to the split corm method except that the corm must be split into 4, 6 or 8 portions depending on the size. These are also treated in the already mentioned chemical and planted in the same medium. They are examined for sprouts every 2 weeks. Sprouts are carefully removed and each split into 4 parts and chemically treated.
In most cases, these buds produce multiple shoots which are carefully separated and planted out in the field. This method produce 500 suckers from one corm within 8 months (Adelaja, 1994).
On-field Forcing
Plantain and banana can be forced to produce suckers on the field through heat (fire) treatment and removal of apical dominance. Periodical removal of suckers through the means produces 20 suckers between April – June.
(b) Pineapples
Pineapple suckers are generated through:
Sectioning
Pineapple stems are defoliated and split into 4 or 6 fairly equal parts. These parts are then cut into pieces of 20 – 25g each, each cut contains at least a dormant bud. The stumps/stem pieces are planted into rooting medium of river sand, sawdust or topsoil. Plantlets are then nursed to plantable size for orchard planting.
Trenching
That is burying a defoliated pineapple stump in rooting medium. Sprouted plantlets are harvested as they are ready. These are then nursed for orchard transplanting.
Milking
Crowns are split longitudinally into pieces of a minimum of 10g each. They are planted out in growing media. Detach milk plantlets as they emerge for transplanting to the nursery. While the original crown split pieces are replicated for subsequent milking. A crown can be split into 8 or more pieces but the more the number; the longer if takes to reach field size.

HORTICULTURAL CROPS AS INDUSTRIAL RAW MATERIALS
NIHORT has developed diverse products to add value to or extend the shelf-life of horticultural produce (Table 8).
TABLE 8: POSSIBLE INDUSTRIAL AND DOMESTIC USES OF HORTICULTURE CROPS
Crop
Domestic Uses
Industrial Uses
Citrus
Fresh consumption dessert
Single strength orange juice conc.


Juice for squashes


Dehydrated juice


Citrus Wines


Essence oils (peels)


Peel products for marmalades


Animal feed meals
Plantain
Fried slices (Dodo)
Flour/Bread, Biscuits

Chips (Ripe)
Cookies

Gruel
Cake/Pancake


Baby foods


Breakfast meals


Wine/BeerDred flakes
Banana
Fresh consumption
Baby Foods

Mixed Dessert
Breakfast meals


Wine
Mango
Fresh consumption
Juice


Powder
Pineapple
Fresh consumption
Juice, Squash, Slices



Guava
Fresh consumption
Juice, Marmalade, Jelly



Pawpaw
Fresh consumption
Papain (Tenderise)


Enzymes (medicinal)
I. gabonensis
Soup
Wax



Grain Amaranth
Soup, Animal feed
Confectioneries



Okra
Soup
Cooking oil



Melon
Soup
Cooking oil



Roselle
Soup
Fruit Juice



Ornamental Plants
Environmental beautification
Perfumery, pesticide, insecticides.


Body Care products

PEST AND DISEASES
The domestication and massive cultivation of fruits in Nigeria have always been impeded by several factors, the most important of which include unsuitable soil, climatic conditions and diseases caused by viruses, micro bacteria, fungi, insect, nematodes and pests.
Pest and disease problems over several decades to date have been tackled using an integrated pest management approach. Although significant achievements were made in chemical crop protection especially in areas of weed management and control, the high cost of agro-chemical, its non-availability and actual potential health hazards, e.t.c. have caused a shift in strategy in favour of integrated pest management. For example, intercropping and modified time of planting multi-species hedge rows have significantly reduced the severity of Black Sigatoka disease of plantain.
Weed is effectively managed in orchard through biological method with the use of crops like sweet potato, soya beans and egusi-melon Citrullus vulgaris.
The most devastating disease of plantain in Nigeria is the disease caused by the fungus Mycosphaeerella fijiensis.
Plantain weevil, Cosmopolites sordidus and nematodes (Radopholus similis, Herterodera sp. and Pratylenchus musicola) are important pests that may give farmers some concern; They are controlled by application of furadan, an insecticide/nematicide, at the rate of 2.5g - 3.0g a.i. per mat at planting and 5-7 months after planting. Avoid application 4-6 weeks before harvesting.
In mango seed weevils, rea ants, grasshoppers, powdery mildew, mango scales, fruit flies (Anthracnose). They are controlled with insecticides (Cymbush and Ambush) and fungicides (Benlate and Captain) and observing good farm sanitation.
In guava plant, the pest are Fruit flies, Stripped mealybug, kenya mealyug, soft green scale, Helmet scale and cotton cushion scale. The diseases are Root rot, Anthracnose and leaf black.
These can be controlled by spraying with insecticides and observation of phytosanitary measures in the orchard.
Most vegetables are affected by various diseases including those caused by viruses and fungi. The most prominent fungal diseases are Choanephora cucurbitarium and Cercospora.
A variety of insect pests also affect them especially during the rainy period of the year. These are often controlled by chemical spraying.
Vegetables are faced with diseases such as Fusarium wilt, Choanephora cucurbitarium (wet rot), Cercospora leaf spot, Downy mildew and other fungi affecting different classes of vegetables. Efforts have been made into the study and eventual control of diseases such as Mosaic virus of Tomato, pepper, melon, cucumber and roselle; the bushy stint of Tomato, Solanum and Roselle and the veinal mottle virus of pepper.
Investigations are progressing on the nematode problems as well as insect pests such as Podagrica spp; Dysdercus spp. On okra; Lixus hypolixus spp., on Amaranthus; Helicoverpa armigera, Bemisia tabacci (white flies) affecting tomato and pepper.

FUTURE PERSPECTIVE
The country is faced with many constraints in the horticultural industry, mostly associated with storage and processing. Nigeria cannot boast of up to ten (10) processing factories as of now, and even with the few available, they are performing at less than 50% installed capacity.
In the area of storage, the establishment or erection of cold rooms for storage of fruits and vegetables at peak periods of production for subsequent use during the lean period are not available. Consequently, high losses are experienced.
Due to the high rainfall pattern in some zones in the country, few farmers are engaged in wet season vegetable production. This is attributed to the high prevalence of pest and diseases. (Appendix 2).
Prospects in the industry are wide and varied. The establishment of cold rooms for storage will attract patronage from our fruit and vegetable growers.
Establishment of processing companies in the country will attract good dividends, as the few available companies in existence cannot cope with the high output of horticultural produce (especially fruits).
Another area of investment is in the green house business. With the green houses, good quality vegetables can be produced in the wet season thereby ensuring an all year round vegetable production. With the high rate of vegetable seed usage, the establishment of vegetable seed companies within and outside Nigeria will greatly ameliorate the dearth for high quality and viable seeds.

CONCLUSION
In view of all the enumerated uses of horticultural crops, the unexploited and untapped resources in horticulture cannot be over-emphasised. Also the active role the private sector as well as the government could play in the development of horticulture cannot be over-looked. There is a great need for collaboration between Research Institutes, Universities, Colleges of Horticulture within and outside Nigeria. Finally the plea that government should boost horticulture to attain its rightful place in the Nigerian economy should be viewed with all seriousness. There is also the role which the developing countries can play in putting horticultural crop and seed export in its rightful place in the international market so as to have greater socio-economic impact.


SITES SUSTAINABLE INITIATIVES
SITES is a partnership of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center of The University of Texas at Austin and the United States Botanic Garden. SITES was created in 2005 to fill a critical need for guidelines and recognition of sustainable landscapes based on their planning, design, construction and maintenance. The voluntary, national rating system and set of performance benchmarks applies to sites with or without buildings. The resort gardens should follow the accepted policies from the SITES (Sustainable Sites Initiative) to receive international attention and awards: More information: http://www.asla.org/sites.aspx
http://sustainablesites.org/report/The%20Case%20for%20Sustainable%20Landscapes_2009.pdf

"Perhaps the greatest impact of SITES program has been the tremendous interest it has created among people who design, create and maintain landscapes of all types and sizes in creating outdoor spaces that use the benefits of nature – ecosystem services—to benefit people and the environment. Landscape professionals and home gardeners alike are really looking for ways to make what they do sustainable," said Susan Rieff, executive director of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
Ecosystem services are goods and services of direct or indirect benefit to humans that are produced by
ecosystem processes involving the interaction of living elements, such as vegetation and soil organisms,
and non-living elements, such as bedrock, water, and air.

Researchers have come up with a number of lists of these benefits, each with slightly different wording,
some lists slightly longer than others. The members of the Sustainable Sites Initiative's committees
and staff have reviewed and consolidated the research into the list below of ecosystem services that
a sustainable site can strive to protect or regenerate through sustainable land development and
management practices including:

Regulating local temperature, precipitation, and humidity through shading, evapotranspiration, and windbreaks
Air and water cleansing
Removing and reducing pollutants in air and water
Water supply and regulation
Storing and providing water within watersheds and aquifers
Erosion and sediment control
Retaining soil within an ecosystem, preventing damage from erosion and siltation
Hazard mitigation
Reducing vulnerability to damage from flooding, storm surge, wildfire, and drought
Pollination
Providing pollinator species for reproduction of crops or other plants
Habitat functions
Providing refuge and reproduction habitat to plants and animals, thereby contributing to conservation of biological and genetic diversity and evolutionary processes
Waste decomposition and treatment
Breaking down waste and cycling nutrients
Human health and well-being benefits
Enhancing physical, mental, and social well-being as a result of interaction with nature
Food and renewable non-food products
Producing food, fuel, energy, medicine, or other products for human use
Cultural benefits
Enhancing cultural, educational, aesthetic, and spiritual experiences as a result of interaction with nature



The goal of the gardens at the resort is to protect the natural process of
rainwater by saving native trees and plants and creating natural areas.


LIST OF PREREQUISITES AND CREDITS
There is a system of points awarded for different SITES sustainable topics:

1. Site Selection 21 possible points
Select locations to preserve existing resources and repair damaged systems
Prerequisite 1.1: Limit development of soils designated as prime farmland, unique farmland, and farmland of statewide importance 15
Prerequisite 1.2: Protect floodplain functions 19
Prerequisite 1.3: Preserve wetlands 22
Prerequisite 1.4: Preserve threatened or endangered species and their habitats 24
Credit 1.5: Select brownfields or greyfields for redevelopment (5–10 points) 26
Credit 1.6: Select sites within existing communities (6 points) 28
Credit 1.7: Select sites that encourage non-motorized transportation and use of public transit (5)

2. Pre-Design Assessment and Planning 4 possible points
Plan for sustainability from the onset of the project
Prerequisite 2.1: Conduct a pre-design site assessment and explore opportunities for site sustainability 33
Prerequisite 2.2: Use an integrated site development process 44
Credit 2.3: Engage users and other stakeholders in site design (4 points) 46

3. Site Design—Water 44 possible points
Protect and restore processes and systems associated with a site's hydrology
Prerequisite 3.1: Reduce potable water use for landscape irrigation by 50 percent from established baseline 49
Credit 3.2: Reduce potable water use for landscape irrigation by 75 percent or more from established baseline (2–5 points) 54
Credit 3.3: Protect and restore riparian, wetland, and shoreline buffers (3–8 points) 57
Credit 3.4: Rehabilitate lost streams, wetlands, and shorelines (2–5 points) 60
Credit 3.5: Manage stormwater on site (5–10 points) 63
Credit 3.6: Protect and enhance on-site water resources and receiving water quality (3–9 points)
Credit 3.7: Design rainwater/stormwater features to provide a landscape amenity (1–3 points) 82
Credit 3.8: Maintain water features to conserve water and other resources (1–4 points) 85

4. Site Design—Soil and Vegetation 51 possible points
Protect and restore processes and systems associated with a site's soil and vegetation
Prerequisite 4.1: Control and manage known invasive plants found on site 88
Prerequisite 4.2: Use appropriate, non-invasive plants 90
Prerequisite 4.3: Create a soil management plan 92
4.4: Minimize soil disturbance in design and construction (6 points) 95
Credit 4.5: Preserve all vegetation designated as special status (5 points) 99
Credit 4.6: Preserve or restore appropriate plant biomass on site (3–8 points) 101
Credit 4.7: Use native plants (1–4 points) 109
Credit 4.8: Preserve plant communities native to the ecoregion (2–6 points) 111
Credit 4.9: Restore plant communities native to the ecoregion (1–5 points) 114
Credit 4.10: Use vegetation to minimize building heating requirements (2–4 points) 116
Credit 4.11: Use vegetation to minimize building cooling requirements (2–5 points) 118
Credit 4.12: Reduce urban heat island effects (3–5 points) 120
Credit 4.13: Reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire (3 points) 122

5. Site Design—Materials Selection 36 possible points
Reuse/recycle existing materials and support sustainable production practices
Prerequisite 5.1: Eliminate the use of wood from threatened tree species 124
Credit 5.2: Maintain on-site structures, hardscape, and landscape amenities (1–4 points) 125
Credit 5.3: Design for deconstruction and disassembly (1–3 points) 126
Credit 5.4: Reuse salvaged materials and plants (2–4 points) 128
Credit 5.5: Use recycled content materials (2–4 points) 130
Credit 5.6: Use certified wood (1–4 points) 132
Credit 5.7: Use regional materials (2–6 points) 133
Credit 5.8: Use adhesives, sealants, paints, and coatings with reduced VOC emissions (2 points) 135
Credit 5.9: Support sustainable practices in plant production (3 points) 136
Credit 5.10: Support sustainable practices in materials manufacturing (3–6 points) 138


6. Site Design—Human Health and Well-Being 32 possible points
Build strong communities and a sense of stewardship
Credit 6.1: Promote equitable site development (1–3 points) 142
Credit 6.2: Promote equitable site use (1–4 points) 144
Credit 6.3: Promote sustainability awareness and education (2–4 points) 146
Credit 6.4: Protect and maintain unique cultural and historical places (2–4 points) 149
Credit 6.5: Provide for optimum site accessibility, safety, and wayfinding (3 points) 152
Credit 6.6: Provide opportunities for outdoor physical activity (4–5 points) 156
Credit 6.7: Provide views of vegetation and quiet outdoor spaces for mental restoration (3–4 points) 161
Credit 6.8: Provide outdoor spaces for social interaction (3 points) 165
Credit 6.9: Reduce light pollution (2 points) 168

7. Construction 21 possible points
Minimize effects of construction-related activities
Prerequisite 7.1: Control and retain construction pollutants 170
Prerequisite 7.2: Restore soils disturbed during construction 172
Credit 7.3: Restore soils disturbed by previous development (2–8 points) 180
Credit 7.4: Divert construction and demolition materials from disposal (3–5 points) 185
Credit 7.5: Reuse or recycle vegetation, rocks, and soil generated during construction (3–5 points) 187
Credit 7.6: Minimize generation of greenhouse gas emissions and exposure to localized
air pollutants during construction (1–3 points) 188

8. Operations and Maintenance 23 possible points
Maintain the site for long-term sustainability
Prerequisite 8.1: Plan for sustainable site maintenance 190
Prerequisite 8.2: Provide for storage and collection of recyclables 198
Credit 8.3: Recycle organic matter generated during site operations and maintenance (2–6 points) 199
Credit 8.4: Reduce outdoor energy consumption for all landscape and exterior operations (1–4 points) 201
Credit 8.5: Use renewable sources for landscape electricity needs (2–3 points) 203
Credit 8.6: Minimize exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (1–2 points) 204
Credit 8.7: Minimize generation of greenhouse gases and exposure to localized air pollutants
during landscape maintenance activities (1–4 points) 206
Credit 8.8: Reduce emissions and promote the use of fuel-efficient vehicles (4 points) 208

9. Monitoring and Innovation 18 possible points
Reward exceptional performance and improve the body of knowledge on long-term sustainability
Credit 9.1: Monitor performance of sustainable design practices (10 points) 210
Credit 9.2: Innovation in site design (8 points)

AQUAPONICS SYSTEMS

The resort can be on the cutting edge of sustainable gardening by developing aquaponics systems to not only supply fish to the restaurants but grow many water plants:



For more information : http://ilikegardens.tumblr.com/post/31755760678/what-is-an-aquaponics-system-and-how-to-build-it





Guiding Principles of a Sustainable Site:

Do no harm
Make no changes to the site that will degrade the surrounding environment. Promote projects on
sites where previous disturbance or development presents an opportunity to regenerate ecosystem
services through sustainable design.

Precautionary principle
Be cautious in making decisions that could create risk to human and environmental health. Some
actions can cause irreversible damage. Examine a full range of alternatives—including no
action—and be open to contributions from all affected parties.

Design with nature and culture Create and implement designs that are responsive to economic, environmental, and cultural conditions with respect to the local, regional, and global context.

Use a decision-making hierarchy of preservation, conservation, and regeneration
Maximize and mimic the benefits of ecosystem services by preserving existing environmental
features, conserving resources in a sustainable manner, and regenerating lost or damaged
ecosystem services.

Provide regenerative systems as intergenerational equity
Provide future generations with a sustainable environment supported by regenerative systems
and endowed with regenerative resources.

Support a living process
Continuously re-evaluate assumptions and values and adapt to demographic and environmental
change.
Use a systems thinking approach
Understand and value the relationships in an ecosystem and use an approach that reflects and
sustains ecosystem services;
Re-establish the integral and essential relationship between natural processes and human activity.
Use a collaborative and ethical approach
Encourage direct and open communication among colleagues, clients, manufacturers, and
users to link long-term sustainability with ethical responsibility.
Maintain integrity in leadership and research Implement transparent and participatory
leadership, develop research with technical rigor, and communicate new findings in a clear,
consistent, and timely manner.
Foster environmental stewardship in all aspects of land development and management, foster an ethic of environmental stewardship—an understanding that responsible management of healthy ecosystems improves the quality of life for present and future generations.
















Farm Example in Kenya
The resort gardens can support farming and conserve nature at the same time. The following article is an example of a successful farm project in Kenya.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201209190139.html

Kenya: How to Boost Farming and Conserve Nature
Sustainable Development
BY MICHAEL ASHER, 18 SEPTEMBER 2012
http://allafrica.com/stories/201209190139.html

Almost every day, now, we are hearing about poor harvests due to climate-change, about soaring food-prices, and the imminence of a new global food crisis. It's becoming increasingly hard to feed the Earth's escalating human population, and in future it will probably get harder. To many, the answer seems obvious: increase food production.

Since there isn't much more virgin farmland left to be cultivated, though, and since water supplies are dwindling, not to mention the fact that mechanized farming is degrading the topsoil quicker than new land can be farmed, the answer isn't that simple. Neither is it likely that humans will be able to curb population growth while mechanized farming continues. As ecologist Peter Farb has pointed out in his celebrated 'Farb Paradox', 'intensification of food production to feed an increased population leads to a still greater increase in population.'

It's no coincidence that the most recent population explosion began at the turn of the 20th century - the same time that mechanized agriculture started: the vicious cycle we are locked into can be traced back firmly to fossil-fuel based monoculture. Mechanized agriculture isn't sustainable, but luckily it's not the only way to produce food.

Over the past years there's been a small but steadily growing interest in an alternative called permaculture, an ecological design-system that not only thrives on diversity, but is also sustainable. Unlike monoculture farming, permaculture is modeled on natural communities of plants and animals. If it had a slogan, it might be: 'Don't destroy Nature: copy it.'

Joannah Stutchley, who grew up on a farm in Kenya, started experimenting with permaculture some years ago. 'You find farmers who've got, say, five acres of tea,' she says, 'but their families are going hungry. Instead of growing only a single cash-crop, they could be feeding themselves by breaking the monocrop pattern, and growing a bigger diversity of crops in a small area.'

By considering all local elements - sun, wind, shade, soil - farmers can design communities of plants, animals, fungi and bacteria, that interact in a natural way, fertilizing the soil, redistributing nutrients, pollinating - even keeping off pests. 'In permaculture everything has to have at least three functions,' Joannah says. 'An avocado tree, for instance, provides shade, fruit, and stabilizes the soil: chickens provide eggs, meat, fertilizer, and pest control. You don't need synthetic fertilizers or pesticides: everything is recycled and there's no waste - if it causes waste, you don't need it.'

Permaculture isn't labour-intensive, nor does it need oil-guzzling, air-poisoning machinery. 'You only dig once,' says Joannah. 'You prepare the land, the water-catchment area, do the mulching and composting, and the micro-organisms do the rest for you.' Instead of a stark field of cash crops that needs to be ploughed, sowed, weeded, sprayed, and harvested, you might have something that looks more like a forest: a rich web of life that is an intricately connected part of a greater whole, and needs no artificial inputs.

Some people might observe that there is nothing really new about permaculture. Joannah agrees. 'It's mostly 'old knowledge'. The ancestors are where we have to go, because they farmed sustainably for thousands of years before industrial civilization came along and told them to do it differently.' In fact, modern permaculture has been partly influenced by the practices of Chagga communities on Kilimanjaro, whose 'home-gardens' combine fruit-trees, fodder, fuel-crops, food-crops, cash-crops and vegetables, all under a shadowy forest canopy.

Rather than the single layer of crops found in a wheat or maize field, Chagga farmers combine many different layers and types of plants with varying requirements of light and root-depth, in a small plot. They irrigate using water trapped in narrow gorges, distributed via hollowed-out tree-trunks. Not only is soil degradation virtually unknown there, but, compared with monoculture, it requires less energy to cultivate, and produces more per hectare.

Scott Pittman, who founded the Permaculture Institute in the USA, in 1985, has declared that permaculture is more than just a means of food-production: it's a way of life. 'It's a system for sustainability in all aspects of human endeavor,' he says. 'It teaches us how to build natural homes, grow our own food, restore diminished landscapes and ecosystems, catch rainwater, build communities, and much, much more.'

The key word is 'communities': previous generations were able to live sustainably because they shared food, and worked together. While industrial civilization is based on a totalitarian system of food production that is wrecking the Earth, and threatens our very existence, permaculture provides a model for a sustainable future. The Permaculture Research Institute, a non-profit making NGO, was founded in Nairobi last year, and is running courses on Rusinga island, the next one being 4-17 December. For more information contact www.pri-kenya.org.

Michael Asher is an author, explorer, and deep ecologist, based in Lang'ata.





Conclusion-Botanical gardens are important to save the endangered and rare plants of Nigeria. There can be many garden areas at the resort.
"THE FLORA AND FAUNA OF NIGERIA BELONG TO THE PEOPLE AND THE BOTANCIAL GARDEN CAN PROTECT THEM FOR THE NEXT GENERATIONS. THE RESORT CAN FINANCIALLY BENEFIT THE LOCAL PEOPLE AND ALSO PROTECT THEIR UNIQUE CULTURE AND CUSTOMS." YOLANDA VANVEEN

Social responsibility is important to Bayelsa, Nigeria, Africa and the world. Saving the environment and natural areas is key but also is sharing and handing down traditions, music and crafts. The gardens can be the center of it all.
Guests would love to eat mango, papaya and avocado from a tree outside their room. They would also supply the restaurants and be could be sold dried to guests to take home with them. The community can benefit with jobs and food for their families. That is social responsibility.
In addition to the edible gardens to supply the restaurants, I would love to see a world class botanical garden showcasing all of the plants of Bayelsa, Nigeria and other tropical areas in the world. It could be incorporated into the resort around restaurants, pools, and play areas. I would like to see areas that are left completely natural with hiking trails or above ground walkways at tree level.If that is not possible, guests could be taken to excursions to scenic areas in Bayelsa for hiking, swimming, kayaking and more. This would create even more jobs for the community.

The resort will attract international attention and will be included in eco-tourism magazines and websites if the developers follow the sustainable guidelines in this report. Eco-tourism is the fastest growing area in tourism.

Thank you for the opportunity to present this information.

Respectfully,


Yolanda Wilson Vanveen