Evaluation of the uses of Eucalyptus species in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State , Nigeria

The study was aimed at assessing uses of Eucalyptus species in Makurdi metropolis, Benue State, Nigeria. Snowball sampling technique was employed to select places where Eucalyptus trees were planted in Makurdi. Consequently, five out of these locations were randomly chosen. Target population for this study includes locations where Eucalyptus species were planted, Timber Sheds and stakeholders of forestry in Makurdi. Sum of sixty copies of semi structured questionnaire and personal interview were used for data collection. Results of this present study showed that 72% of respondents were male while 28% were female. Three species of Eucalyptus such as Eucalyptus camaldulensis (75%), Eucalyptus globulus (15%) and Eucalyptus toreliana (10%) were identified in the study area. The results revealed that Eucalyptus species were mostly used for windbreak (28.40%) followed by firewood (26.70%), aesthetics purpose (21.70%), landscaping (16.70%), electric poles (6.70%) and 0% for timber and furniture, respectively. Leave and bark of Eucalyptus species were reported to be used for medicinal purposes with E. camaldulensis most utilized. It was also observed that the stakeholders of forestry in Makurdi had neither Eucalyptus nursery nor plantation. Based on the findings, it is recommended that forestry stakeholders and government should embark sensitization of timber users to initiate Eucalyptus plantation to supplement the ever increasing demand of wood and wood products in Makurdi. Also, timber dealers should explore the Eucalyptus species for timber purposes and business.


Introduction
There is rapid consumption of wood for construction and furniture in northern Nigeria which is growing day by the day [1].Constantly increasing population and the corresponding increase in demand for wood and wood based products has heightened wood consumption in Nigeria.As a result of this, the common timber species are getting depleted.Consequently, wood supply is obviously declining and its price becoming increasingly costly.Above all, the rates of growth of the indigenous savanna tree species are generally low and hence cannot meet the ever increasing demand of the people for wood and products [2].
With the help of considerable vegetation by various State forestry establishments across the savanna zones, very low productive forests have since been converted into productive plantation of fast growing exotics such as Pinus spp., Eucalyptus spp., Tectona grandis, Gmelina arborea, Acacia spp., Azadirachta indica etc [1,3].The declining availability of the most important economic species in timber market has commenced the exploration of lesser-used species [4].Oluwadare and Egbewole carried out a study on the quality of Sterculia setigera wood species to ascertain its suitability pulp and paper production.This suggests the need to explore wood species other than the native ones with a view to finding an alternative supply [5].
It is probing on trend of events that this study seeks to explore the utilization potentials of Eucalyptus species, an indigenized exotic species whose drought tolerance and adaptability have made it particularly suitable for the semiarid regions.Eucalyptus species (family-Myrtaceae) are known for rapid growth.Some of the species in their natural habitat attain very large sizes and are among the tallest trees in the world.
Eucalyptus species are local to Australia yet become broadly worldwide as short turn hardwoods for a range of products and as ornamentals.They have been fruitful as exotics due to their ability for fast growth and tolerance of harsh environments involving many effective adaptations which include indeterminate growth, coppicing, lignotubers, fire, soil acidity, low fertility, drought and insect resistance [6].According to FAO estimates, Eucalyptus species are highly valuable and extensively planted hardwood in the world [7].Eucalypts species are grown mostly as exotic plantation species in tropical and subtropical regions throughout Africa, South America, Asia and Australia and, in more temperate regions of Europe, Australia, South and North America.
Eucalyptus species grows very fast and rotate per five years.About 80% of the total Eucalypts plantation worldwide was occupied by four species and their hybrids from this subgenus namely E. grandis, E. urophylla, E. camaldulensis and E. globules [6].Some authors reported that Eucalyptus species were raised in the practice of community forestry so as to meet up with timber supply as a result of rise in demand.However, this situation has changed because of its promising economic benefits to the land users [8][9].Kebebew reported that growing of Eucalyptus species increased the annual income of rural farmers [10].In addition, Eucalyptus species are utilized globally for a large array of product including essential oil, honey, tannin, pulp for high quality paper, lumber, plywood, veneer, solid and engineered flooring, fiber board, wood cement, composite, mine props, poles, firewood, charcoal, wind brakes and landscape mulch as well as for shade.It is also useful for phytoremediation [11][12][13][14][15][16].
In view of the previously mentioned background, it is thought here that if another wood species that are locally accessible are tapped, they could supplement or even replace with the accessible exhausted rainforest species.That could solve some of the problems of wood shortages that are being experienced currently.Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the potential uses of Eucalyptus species in Makurdi.

Study Area
The study was carried out within Makurdi metropolis, Benue State.Makurdi as the Benue state capital is one of the LGAs in Benue North senatorial District.Makurdi town is located at Latitudes 7 ° 47 ' and 10 ° 00' N and longitudes 6 ° 25 '  and 8° 8 ' E of the equator.It is bounded by Guma LGA to the North, Gwer LGA to the south, Gwer -west LGA to the south-west and Doma LGA of Nasarawa State to the North-west.It is situated in the valley on the bank of River Benue [17].

Climate and vegetation of Makurdi LGA
The climate of Makurdi town is the tropical wet and dry type, Koppens AW classification, with double maxima [18].The rainy season lasts from April to October with 5 months of dry season (November to march).Annual rainfall in Makurdi town is constantly high with an average annual total of approximately 1173 mm [19].Temperature in Makurdi is however, generally high in the year with February and March as the hottest months.The highest and lowest mean monthly temperatures of 31 °C and 26 °C occurred in March/April and December [20].
The vegetation of Makurdi is guinea savanna type which has been adversely affected by human activities leading to the clear-cutting of trees cover in many parts of the town.This artificial vegetation has replaced the natural secondary vegetation [21].

Population and economic activities of Makurdi people
Makurdi town is inherited by many tribes with a population of 297, 398 to 157, 295 males and 140, 103 females [22].These tribes include the Tivs, Igedes, Idomas, Etilos, Jukuns, Housas, Yorubas, Ibos and others.The Tivs are the dominant tribe.Makurdi town is made up people largely engaged in civil service, commercial activities and agrarian peasantry.The town is a built up area with highest concentration of people in High level, Wadata and Northbank.Dense population also exists in some low-lying parts of the town such as Wurukum.

Experimental design
Three main target groups which include locations where Eucalyptus species are planted, Timber Sheds and Stakeholders of Forestry in Makurdi were used for this study as shown in Table 1.Snowball sampling technique was employed to select places where Eucalyptus trees are planted in Makurdi.Five out the Eucalyptus trees sites were randomly selected.Secondly, four main Timber Sheds were purposively chosen.These timber sheds are shown in Table 1.

Data collection technique
A total of sixty copies of semi structured questionnaire were administered to the chosen target groups in the study area.The questionnaires were administered as showed in table 1.In each of the five Eucalyptus plantation locations selected, two copies of questionnaire were purposely administered to owners and residents of the sites, giving a total of ten questionnaires.In each office of the six Forestry stakeholders, five copies were purposively allocated to Senior Officers.While five copies each were randomly administered to Timber Traders in the four Timber Sheds sampled for the study.These summed up to 20 copies of questionnaire for the Timber Sheds.Personal interview was also used to sample information on Eucalyptus species found in the study area.

Data analysis
Descriptive statistics such as percentage, bar chart and pie chart were used to analyze collected data.

Results
Data on demographic characteristics of respondents are presented in table 2. The result shows that 72% of respondents were male while 28% were female.Most (35%) of the respondents were within the ages of 30-39 years while 66.06% were married with 33% of them involved timber trade as the occupation.The higher number of respondents was in civil service (55%) and had tertiary education.

Uses of Eucalyptus species on health matters in Makurdi
Table 5, indicates traditional uses of Eucalyptus species by respondents for medicinal purpose in Makurdi.From the result, 37% respondents used E. camaldulensis leaves for the treatment of typhoid fever, 27% used it for treatment of malaria fever and stomach upset, while 25% used it for cough suppression.Also, 13% and 10% used the leaves for ulcer and muscle/joint pains reliever, respectively.E. camaldulensis leaves and bark were noted for the treatment of fungi infection (22%), blood sugar control (7%) and treatment of skin diseases (5%).Whereas 15% respondents used E. toreliana leaves for wound treatment, 28% and 8% used E. globulus leaves for cold reliever and treatment of respiratory ailment, respectively.

Locations where Eucalyptus species were grown in Makurdi
The information presented in Table 7, shows the three species of Eucalyptus and various locations where they are grown in Makurdi and the reasons why they were grown.In lower Benue, E. camaldulensis were grown for windbreak, aesthetic purpose and landscaping.In Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, it was reportedly grown for shade, aesthetic purpose and landscaping.Nigerian Union of Journalist (NUJ) environs raised the species for aesthetic purpose, windbreak and landscaping.Whereas, in Federal Housing at North Bank, Makurdi, E. camaldulensis were said to be grown for aesthetic purpose and shade.In Tilley Gado College, E. camaldulensis were grown mainly for shades, aesthetic purpose and landscaping.

Discussion
In this study, the number of male respondents surpassed their female counterparts.The low number of female respondents may be because forestry and wood business require physical strength found more in men than women.This finding is similar to Rongo and Leon and Ekhuemelo et al., who reported that males are dominant in wood working processes [23][24].
The study revealed that E. camaldulensis, E. globulus and E. torreliana were found in Makurdi with E. camaldulensis as the most dominate of the three.This may be because it is the fastest growing and tolerable species among the three species.This confirm the findings of Rockwood et al. who stated that that E. camaldulensis was successful as exotics because of their capacity for fast growth and tolerance of harsh environments involving many effective adaptations which include indeterminate growth, coppicing, lignotubers, , fire, tolerance of soil acidity and low fertility, drought and insect resistance [6].
The study further revealed that Eucalyptus species within Makurdi were used mainly for windbreak firewood, aesthetics purpose and electric poles.There respondents were not aware that they can be used for timber purposes.This finding is at variance with Babatola and Abubarkar, who reported that Eucalyptus species were grown extensively worldwide as short rotation hardwoods for a variety of products and as ornamentals [1].The rate of wood consumption for construction and for furniture in northern Nigeria is growing by the day.As a result Eucalyptus species should be massively grown in Makurdi to meet the ever increasing demands for wood for construction purposes.It was reported that Eucalyptus species under community forestry was to meet timber supply due to rise in the demand of wood [8][9].Eucalyptus species are utilized globally for a large array of product including essential oil, honey, tannin, pulp for high quality paper, lumber, plywood, veneer, solid and engineered flooring, fiber board, wood C B A cement, composite, mine props, poles, firewood, charcoal, wind brakes and landscape mulch as well as for shade.It is also useful for phytoremediation [11][12][13][14][15][16].
Babatola and Abubarkar reported that large density values recorded from their research on density and bending strength characteristics of north western Nigerian grown E. camaldulensis in relation to utilization as timber placed the wood at an elevated position of suitability in the wood to compete favorably with some commercially available timber species in Nigeria [1].They further asserted that the bending strength and modulus of elasticity values compared favorably and even superior to some of the species currently used in Nigeria.
Eucalyptus has been used traditionally for medications and has been used for the treatment of diseases for a very long time [25].The findings this study reveals that Eucalyptus species were used for the treatment of several diseases such as typhoid fever, ulcer, malarial fever cough, stomach upset, blood sugar skin infection in the study area.This result supports the finding of Adeniyi et al. who reported that essential oils of the leaves of E. camaldulensis were used in the treatment of lung diseases, while the volatile oils were used as expectorants [26].Ointments from Eucalyptus oil have been reportedly used in customary indigenous medicines to treat injuries and fungal diseases.Eucalyptus oil obtained by steam distillation and rectification of the fresh leaves has Eucalyptol (1, 8-cineole) as its active ingredient and this is responsible for its various pharmacological actions [27].The antimicrobial activities of the methanolic extracts of E. camaldulensis have also been reported [28].The emergence of bacterial resistance to the currently available antimicrobial drugs necessitates further research in the discovery of new safe and effective antibacterial agents [29].EMA reported that Eucalyptus leaves of E. globulus were often marketed as a combination with other herbal substances/preparations for the treatment of cough associated with cold [30].
The study further reveals that there was no Eucalyptus nursery and plantation in Makurdi except for beautification.This result is at variance with findings of Jacobs who reported that, Eucalyptus has been extensively planted in Australia, Asia, South America, and Africa, with plantations established in the U.S. starting in the mid-1800s [31].The result is also at variance with Rockwood et al. who claimed that Eucalyptus species was grown extensively worldwide as short rotation hardwoods for a variety of products and as ornamentals [6].Rockwood et al. further asserted that Eucalyptus species have been flourishing as exotics because of their capacity for fast growth and tolerance of harsh environments involving many effective adaptations [6].Most respondents advocated support for massive establishment of Eucalyptus species in the area may be as a result of the enlightenment they got in exposure to this study.

Conclusion
This study revealed three species of Eucalyptus species such as E. camaldulensis, E. gobulus and E. toreliana found in Makurdi.Eucalyptus species found within Makurdi were used for firewood, landscaping, aesthetic and windbreak purposes, while the bark, leaves, oil from seeds and the root were used for medically for treatment of typhoid fever, malarial fever, skin infection, cough, stomach upset, fungi infection, blood sugar, hair nourishment, ulcer, wound, cold and respiratory ailment.Eucalyptus wood was no sold as timber in any Timber Sheds or any parts of Makurdi and also, no Eucalyptus plantations or nursery was established in Makurdi for commercial purposes for timber production because dearth of information on the species.Finally, the level of awareness on the uses of Eucalyptus was very low.Based on the findings of the study, we recommend that Forestry Stakeholders and government should embark on sensitization of timber users.This would help to initiate Eucalyptus plantation establishment to supplement the ever increasing demand of wood and wood products in Makurdi.Timber dealers should explore the Eucalyptus species for timber purposes and business.

Figure 1 Figure 2
Figure 1 Percentage interest in massive plantation of Eucalyptus species in Makurdi

Table 1
Administration of semi structural questionnaire to target groups

Table 2
Demographic characteristics of respondents

Table 3
Eucalyptus species found in Makurdi

Table 4 ,
indicates the uses of Eucalyptus species in Makurdi.It was observed that the highest (28%) use of Eucalyptus species grown in Makurdi was for the purpose of windbreak.This was closely followed by firewood (26.70%).Aesthetics uses of Eucalyptus species was 21.70%.While its use for landscaping and electric poles purposes were 16.70% and 6.70%, respectively.There was no record of Eucalyptus species use for timber, furniture/carpentry, plywood and particle board in Makurdi.

Table 4
Uses of Eucalyptus species in Makurdi

Table 5
Traditional uses of Eucalyptus species for medicinal purpose

Presence of Eucalyptus plantation and nursery in Makurdi Results
on establishment of Eucalyptus nursery/plantation in Makurdi is presented in table 6.From the result, 100% of the respondents did not have Eucalyptus nursery and plantation.

Table 6
Establishment of Eucalyptus nursery/plantation in Makurdi

Table 7
Locations where Eucalyptus species are grown in Makurdi

Sr. No. Eucalyptus species Location grown Reasons for grown
Figure1, shows interest of respondents in massive plantation establishment of Eucalyptus species in Makurdi.According to result, 24% of Stakeholders supported massive plantation of Eucalyptus species, 11% Timber Shed owners advocated for massive growth while 6% from different places where Eucalyptus species were grown also supported the massive plantation of Eucalyptus species in Makurdi.Figure2, shows Eucalyptus stands planted for beautification in Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi.The species were grown for landscaping, shade and aesthetic purposes.