| Cross-River, as a
destination is a futuristic tourism gold mine – Steve
Haruna
By AGAPTUS ANAELE
Saturday,
September 16, 2006
 |
• Steve
Haruma |
Photo: Sun
News Publishing |
| |
Cerebral Steve Haruna is the Director, Cross-River National
Park, Cross River State. He speaks with Olanrewaju Ajeboriogbon
on the ecological tourism Potentials of this unique rain forest
eco system and other tourism issues.
About the part
Cross-River National Park is the pride of Nigeria. It is one
of the oldest and surviving rainforests in Africa and in terms
of conservation status, is one of the United Nations acclaimed
Biodiversity hotspots in the world. In its bowels, is the
famous Cross-River Gorilla, a sub-specie of the Western lowland
gorilla which is endemic only to this part of the world.
Location
It is located in South-Eastern part of Nigeria in Cross-River
State. The park covers a total area of 4000 Sq Kilometers
and has two ranges – the Oban Hills and Okwangwo Range.
The Oban Hills Range is in the southern part of the park and
covers an area of 3000 kilometers and is ecologically contiguous
with Korup National Park in Cameroon. As for the Okwangwo
Range, it covers 1000 kilometers and is ecologically contiguous
with Takamanda Forest Reserve also in Cameroon.
Climate
Cross-River National Park is characterized by two distinct
tropical moist climates – the rainy and dry seasons;
annual rainfall is between 200 millimeters and 4500 millimeters.
Average daily temperatures range between 14oC-25oC. The Obudu
Plateau which is outside the park experiences temperature
as low as 6oC especially between June and September.
Eco-tourism potentials
The ecological potentials of the park is unique and can not
be compared with any elsewhere in Africa even beyond. This
park holds about 90 percent of Nigeria’s remaining tropical
rainforest ecosystem and also holds about five percent of
all known plant and animal species. In deed, it is a biodiversity
hotspot highly sought after by visitors or tourists with interest
in nature recreation.
For record purposes, this park is also home to about 30 percent
of Africa’s private species which means that about 1/3
of Africa’s primate population can only be found here.
In fact, a visit here gives one the singular opportunity to
discover some of the world most rare plant and animal species.
Cross-river gorilla
As I have earlier explained, this gorilla is endemic to this
park and cannot be found any where else in the world. Cross-River
gorilla is critically endangered and is the parks call sign.
Visitors come from all over the world to see this giant and
attractive specie.
We also have butterflies, birds and a rich botanic garden
with representative samples of all important plant species.
There are also chimpanzees and monkeys which dot the whole
ranges of the park.
Visitors facilities
Butatong within the Okwangwo Range holds a dream visitor facilities.
The chalets here are well furnished and the accommodation
within a walking distance to major eco tourism hot spots in
the Okwangwo range. At Akanpha, there is also a well furnished
guest house with 24 hours service for visitors. Kanyang provides
a camping ground for field adventures into the focus Mbe Mountains.
Biologists and other scientists make this place their abode.
Community relation
The National Park Service which manages and protects this
park along others in the country has a reputation of working
together with communities located around the parks. This vision
informs the cordial relationship between the park authorities
and the communities in safe guiding and protecting the park
from unwanted visitors.
For us we in CRNP, all the support zone communities are enlightened
about the role of the park and they go out of their own way
to support our activities. On our part, we also run programmes
to assist them to earn a living outside the park, particularly
in setting up small scale eco-tourism businesses. We also
enjoy the support of the Non Governmental Organizations (NGO)
and of which today, we have many of them operating outside
our park.
The state governor, Donald Duke has made it a matter of state
policy to support Cross-River National Park (CRNP). The governor
initiated a joint meeting of the state forestry commission,
the tourism bureau and CRNP to ensure that conflicts are averted
in the quest to grow eco-tourism business in the state. I
salute his courage and vision and I sincerely hope other governors
could emulate him particularly in ensuring the survival of
protected areas.
Conservation tourism
Without sustained conservation of floral and fauna resources,
there would not be any need to visit natural areas. And with
global interest in conservation of natural resources, Nigeria
should take protected areas serious, at least CRNP is one
major index to measure the economic values of National Parks
which no nation worth it salt could toy with.
ATA Conference
The Eco-tourism conference of Africa Travel Association (ATA)
slated for the later part of this year is not our baby. But
we are ready to be partner with the organisers. In fact, we
are looking forward to the visit of American experts to CRNP
and other conservation efforts in the state such as the Afi
Wildlife Sanctuary. These experts would assist in survey and
proper demarcation of protected area boundaries. They would
assist in training of our rangers and in comprehensive review
of management plan and visitors centers in the two ranges
of CRNP.
In fact, this visit by experts is a welcome development because
the communities would also benefit from a special training
programme that would enhance their income generating capacity.
Again, for us at CRNP, the technical support in areas of redesigning
our camp sites, lodgers, hiking trails , viewing hides and
canopy walkways are all projects worth looking forward to.
Tourism in Cross-River
It is big business and its poverty alleviation status practically
demonstrated here. From ongoing Tinapa Project for business
and entertainment, to the Cultural Carnival and the Eco-tourism
Gene Bank of CRNP, the mountain/resort experiences at Obudu
Plateau, Cross-River as a destination is a futuristic tourism
gold mine. |
