Urban expansion puts pressure on Lagos conservation reserve
The project manager at Lekki Conservation Centre says water accumulating inside the reserve is damaging facilities and trees.
Housing construction and land reclamation around Lagos’ Lekki Conservation Centre are disrupting water flows and putting its wetlands under pressure, according to project manager Stephen Aina. He said water collecting inside the reserve is damaging trees and some facilities.
Aina identified surrounding human activity as a major challenge for the center. Residential areas now surround the site, and he said construction involving sand filling is contributing to the problems within its boundaries.
The Nigerian Conservation Foundation established the 78-hectare reserve in 1990. Its forest and wetlands provide wildlife habitat within Lagos, while the center also supports environmental education and ecotourism.
Visitors can explore the forest using a suspended walkway measuring 401 meters, about 22 meters above ground level. Canopy walk supervisor Abanj James Kejin said its design gives visitors access to the forest’s different layers, including a level above the tree cover.
Tourist Sarah Omorodion praised the center’s maintenance, while fellow visitor Andrea Nicolucci said access to natural surroundings was important in a large, busy city such as Lagos.
