Ekiti State Forestry Law, no. 1 of 2016.

This Law, consisting of 126 articles and divided into ten Parts, concerns the establishment of the Ekiti State Forestry Commission, provides for sustainable forest management, preservation and protection of wildlife resources and ecosystem in the Ekiti State. Part I concerns establishment, constitution and functions of Forestry Commission, including: regulating the institutional activities related to forest and forest resources and conservation issues in the State; undertaking biotechnology and other forms of research that will enhance the development of forestry policies and programmes in line with current conservation, socio-economic and technology options; establishing link and compliance with relevant national and international regulatory policymaking and funding bodies for the benefit of bio-diversity conservation, sustainable forestry and natural resources management in the State; developing eco-tourism; integrating the institutions into tree planting and sustainable forestry development; monitoring of existing forestry stocks regularly; promoting research and development. Part II concerns powers, staff and funds of Forestry Commission. Part III concerns scope of application of the Law, including: public and private forest reserves, gardens and parks; classification of forests; power to constitute forest reserves and protected forest and related notifications; administrative powers of reserve settlement officer; judicial review of Commission’s decisions.
Part IV concerns forest trust funds, providing for forest regeneration in depleted areas and general sustenance of the forest; and timber development levy fund, used exclusively for regeneration of degraded forests. Part V concerns private sector participation in forest reserve management. Part VI concerns local government and zonal offices roles in forest management; Part VII provides for permits issuance, payment of royalties, improvement of ecological status of forests, conditions to use forest products, protection of animal and plant species and their habitats, water quality, water supply, watershed, fisheries, prohibition of clear-cutting and bush burning, harvesting of wood and non-wood products in State forest reserves, environmental impact assessment, management of community forest, Commission powers to prescribe penalties, creation of a special market for the sale of timber and timber products. Part VIII concerns preservation, conservation and protection of wild animals, birds and fishes, including: creation of an advisory committee for wildlife conservation, limitations and prohibitions of hunting and taking eggs of protected animals, prohibition on killing animals by dangerous methods, power to authorise destruction of animals injuring food supplies, crops or endangering life. Part IX concerns offences and sanctions. Part X provides for tariff review committee, institution of legal proceedings and definition of the following terms: animal or species; cattle; conservation; community; community based forest management Association; community forest; concession; forest; forestry; forest management; forest concession; forest produce; forest reserve; free forest zones; forest property; forest tariffs; illegal forest activity; hunt; native community; non-Government organisation; plantation; private forest; protected animal; protected area; protected forest; sustainable management of forest resources; timber; urban forest; wildlife sanctuary.