EFFECTS OF TENDING TECHNIQUES ON QUANTITATIVE STRUCTURES OF ACACIA SAYEL (WHITE THORN) IN FEDERAL UNIVERSITY GASHUA, YOBE STATE, NIGERIA

The application of different silvicultural practices in natural forests and plantations in Northern region of Nigeria remains low due to low provision of forest extension and education services, inadequate funding of forest-related services, inadequate qualified foresters, and poor remuneration of staff among others that led to low awareness and practicing of different tending techniques, which in turn result into low tapping of the benefits associated with Acacia Seyal despites the region’s naturally endowed and man-made growing Acacia tree species. This study used an experimental design to determine the adaptability and effectiveness of simple coppicing, selective coppicing, and coppicing with standard, as well as pollarding techniques on the quantitative structures of Acacia Sayel (A. Sayel) species. The study was a nine (9) months experiment, carried out in five 5 different plots of the same size (50m by 50m), each inhabited by ten 10 marked A. Sayel tree species that were selected based on vigour. The results showed that A. Sayel species were adaptable to both coppicing and pollarding, but the effects of each technique corresponded to a specific purpose. Specifically, coppicing was found to be generally more effective in terms of wood quantity (number and height/length of shoots/branches) and production of gum Arabic, while the pollarding technique was associated with diverse invertebrates and small vertebrates as well as wood quality (diameter of shoot/branch). Additionally, simple coppicing had more effects on shoot/branches, and coppicing with standard was more impact in terms of gum production, while selective coppicing was associated with some invertebrates (biodiversity) conservation. Overall, pollarded trees were found with the largest diameter branches and shoots, and were bushy, which can provide a qualitative firewood and a suitable habitat to many invertebrates and small vertebrates. The results of this study can be used by agroforestry farmers to improve the production of fuelwood and gum Arabic, that can further increase income, to improve livelihood, while the results of the study will be useful to policy and decision makers on management decisions on acacia plantation and natural forests for the promotion of economic, social and environmental aspects of forests remain naturally abundant.